Boston Public Library

A Taste of African Heritage Cooking Classes

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If you haven’t heard of the African heritage diet, it’s time you introduced yourself. Learn all about the traditional foods of the African diaspora in Oldways’ A Taste of African Heritage classes, coming to the Egleston Branch of the BPL in February. In this Oldways-created cooking class, you’ll learn how to prepare the spices and herbs, leafy greens, whole grains, beans, tubers, fruits, and vegetables that have sustained Africans and their descendants for generations. At the end of the six-week series, you’ll be armed with information and recipes that will allow you to bring the African heritage diet into your own kitchen. The class is free of charge, and will meet Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., from February 10 to March 17.

Development
Rendering of ground floor for 3353 Washington St.

JP Neighborhood Council’s Letter Opposing Variances for 211 Green St.

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City Hall went against the recommendation of the JP Neighborhood Council, an elected advisory group, to approve variances for a controversial development at the corner of Washington and Green. Here is the text of the May 4 letter from the JPNC to the ZBA:
Christine Araujo, Chair

Board of Appeal 1010 Massachusetts Ave.,

4th Floor Boston, Massachusetts 02118

Re: 211 Green Street, Ward 11, BOA675434

Dear Ms. Araujo:

At the April 2017 meeting of the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council, held Tuesday, April 25, the Council members voted 9-3-0 to request the Board of Appeal to DENY ALL EIGHT VARIANCES SOUGHT FOR THIS PROJECT because:

1. The appeal for this project does not satisfy the requirements of Article 7, §7.3 of the Boston Zoning Code for the granting of variances;

2. This project was approved by the BPDA before the final draft of Plan JP/Rox was prepared by the agency and approved by the BPDA board.. The developer seeks variances for a site where under current zoning, residential housing is forbidden and the height is excessive; while at the same time requesting the increased height granted in the final draft of Plan JP /Rox without achieving the affordability required by it.

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Development
Rendering of 3353 Washington St.

Six-Story, 45-Unit Building Divides Residents, Neighborhood Board

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[Editor's note: Since the original posting, we've added context around a quote from the chairman of the JPNC Zoning Committee.]

A plan by the neighborhood's best-known landlord for a six-story development at Washington and Green failed to win approval — or suffer disapproval - from a narrowly divided neighborhood advisory group. Last month marked two years since Mordechai Levin started talks with the city to raze four existing buildings and erect a residential development with retail at 3353 Washington St. Current plans call for a 68-foot tall building with five stories plus rooftop mezzanines. In zoning terms, it's a six-story building. However, Architect Deb Katz and her team have set back the rooftop elevations to reduce the "perception of massing."

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Neighborhood Life

Most-Read Stories of 2016: Goats and Gluttony

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As 2017 begins, here's a look at the five most-read stories of 2016 here at Jamaica Plain News. 5. Man Shot Outside 7-Eleven
Luckily, and thanks the efforts of police and residents, crime was not overall a huge story in JP in 2016. However, isolated violence did continue this past year. Jeffrey Kelly, 28, was killed outside the South Huntington 7-Eleven in August.

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Development

BPDA Approves 45-Unit Building at 3353 Washington St.

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The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) approved a 45-unit development proposed for the corner of Green and Washington streets at its December meeting. The proposed development was met with robust dissent from many neighbors when it was introduced to the community earlier this year. According to the BPDA press release announcing its approval of the $18 million project, 3353 Washington St. will be an approximately 45,286-square-foot residential building with about 2,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. The five-story building will include approximately 45 rental units.

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Business
JP Local First Logo

Breakfast Meeting Set for Biz Owners at Risk of Eviction

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Several local community and business groups will hold a meeting Wednesday morning to encourage the city to "even the playing field" for small business owners. The meeting was called by leaders from JP Local First, Egleston Square Main Street, City Life/Vida Urbana and the JP Neighborhood Development Corp. It will be at 10 a.m. at the Egleston Square YMCA, 3134 Washington St. Business owners are encouraged to attend. The meeting will be with Karilyn Crockett of the city's Main Streets program and Lydia Edwards of the Office of Housing Stability.

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Paul Byrne of The Gate, right, gestures toward Jose de la Rosa (white shirt) during a committee meeting of the JP Neighborhood Council on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016.
Business

‘The Gate’ Aims for New Year’s Opening in Eggie

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A reincarnation of James's Gate could swing open as soon as January, according to Paul Byrne, manager and owner of the proposed pub. "The Gate," as the new venue would be called, would open in the Egleston Square space occupied for the last four years by Coco's Lounge at 3171 Washington St. A neighborhood board voted unanimously to support the project at a hearing Tuesday. Byrne, a fixture in JP restaurant circles, co-owned James's Gate with Christy Page. The two parted ways over the abrupt closure of the McBride Street landmark a year ago in September.

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Arts
Sylvia Lopez Chavez and Elisa Hamilton will have an interactive public art exhibition at The Eliot School for the 2016 JP Open Studios

Your Guide to Jamaica Plain Open Studios 2016

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Want to get the most out of your time at this year's Jamaica Plain Open Studios? We've put together this guide to help. During Open Studios, which run Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., 200 artists will showcase their work at 40 sites around the neighborhood. The massive event is free. Open Studios is a fixture on the JP calendar alongside other can't miss events like Wake Up the Earth, the JP Music Festival, the Lantern Parade and JP Porchfest.

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From the Community

New Affordable Housing Coming to Egleston Square

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State Rep. Liz Malia was proud to recognize Urban Edge Housing Corporation for their recent receipt of state and federally funded housing tax credits that will enable them to build 49 new units of affordable family housing in the Egleston Square neighborhood. The Walker Park Apartments is a new construction project sponsored by Urban Edge that the Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community Development will support with federal and state funds. The City of Boston also is providing funds to the project, according to a press release from Malia (D-Jamaica Plain). Of the 49 units, eight will be reserved for households earning less than 30% of area median income.

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Government

AG: City Broke Open Meeting Law in Approving Controversial Egleston Development

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The Attorney General's office ruled that a major city board intentionally violated the Open Meeting Law the day it gave final approval for a bellwether development at 3200 Washington St. Public notice laws let residents know what subjects government boards will discuss. The office of Attorney General Maura Healey announced on Friday that the Zoning Board of Appeals acted improperly by failing to post that 3200 Washington St. would be up for a vote. That vote, taken way back on Sept.

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