Flanagan & Seaton fire, Friday, Nov. 13, 2015.
Police and Fire

Fire at Former Flanagan & Seaton Building on Washington Street

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It's been a busy night along Washington Street. Along with a car fire, which we've previously reported, firefighters have knocked down a blaze at the old Flanagan & Seaton building. Boston Fire Department Deputy Chief Jay Fleming said it appeared that demolition work was occurring in the building and a Bobcat vehicle caught fire. Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames and then waited for the smoke to clear from the building. Firefighters used thermal imaging machines to determine where the fire was located in the building entering.

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Real Estate

Next JP/Rox Planning Workshop is Wednesday, Nov. 4

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The city's once-in-a-generation effort to plan the future of the Washington Street and Columbus Avenue corridors continues on Wednesday, Nov. 4. If you'd like more background, please check our archive of stories about Plan JP/Rox. Below is a flyer with information on the upcoming workshop:

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Real Estate

Residents Discuss a Future Plan of the Jamaica Plain and Roxbury Washington Street Corridor

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More than 150 people from across Jamaica Plain gathered at English High School Wednesday evening to look into their crystal ball to see what Jamaica Plain - specifically the 257 acres from Forest Hills to Jackson Square would look like in the next five to  10 years. The workshop was the first one in the process called Plan JP/Rox Washington Street. "This is long range planning. We got a lot of feedback [since the July 28th open house]; over 850 comments. Our staff looked at every one and out of those we formed four themes: Community resiliency.

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Real Estate

Advisory Group Formed for ‘Plan JP/Rox’

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"You're the ambassadors with us"  is how Lara Merida, Deputy Director for Community Planning at the BRA, described the Plan JP/ROX Washington St Advisory Group convened Thursday night at Brookside Neighborhood Health Center community room. Twenty five people from one end of Jamaica Plain to the other: Bromley Heath to Forest Hills; Walnut Avenue to West Walnut Park have been selected to do nothing less than "plan for the future of a neighborhood", said Marie Mercurio,  Senior BRA planner for Jamaica Plain. " Where do you want  [his area] to be in 5 - 10 years?" Julieanne Doherty representing Mayor Walsh, as the neighborhood services liaison for Jamaica Plain,  set the tone immediately by standing at the door and greeting everyone who arrived. " On behalf of the mayor", she said after the meeting opened " a huge warm welcome.

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Real Estate

Buoyed by Support from Mayor and O’Malley, 3200 Washington St. Cruises Through Final Hurdle

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It was high noon for the 3200 Washington St. LLC development team on Tuesday. At exactly noon the Zoning Board of Appeals opened testimony that lasted over an hour for and against the largest development in the history of Egleston Square, estimated to cost $23 million: Three buildings from 5 to 6 stories high with 73 rental apartments and three for-sale townhouses on a sloping 3/4 acre site at Washington St and Montebello Road. At 1:15 pm the ZBA voted to grant the requested variances 6-1. ZBA member Bruce Bickerstaff voted no.

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Real Estate

Workshop for Washington Street Plan, AKA JPRox, Set for Sept. 30

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The BRA sponsored study of the Washington Street corridor, Plan JPRox, had a rousing kick off on July 28 as previously reported by the Jamaica Plain News. Now it's time to get down to work. The first workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the English High School cafeteria, 6-8 p.m.

BRA Jamaica Plain planner Marie Mercurio  told the Jamaica Plain news "we have met with many of you to introduce PlanJPROX, a new planning study that encompasses an area along Washington Street and Columbus Avenue between the Forest Hills and Jackson Square T stops. [We invite everyone to] come to our next workshop to get an update and work with us to discuss recurring themes and help craft a vision for the future."

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Real Estate

City Chooses JP Development Team for 52 Montebello Road

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Mark your calendars: Thursday, Aug. 13.  5:30 p.m. Boston Redevelopment Authority board room. That's the day and time the BRA board will hear from and vote on the 3200 Washington Street/52 Montebello Road developments. This date was set 24 hours after the Department of Neighborhood Development voted to designate 3190 Washington St. LCC as developer of 50-52 Montebello Road.

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Real Estate

Residents Throng Washington Street Corridor Planning Study Open House

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The house was packed. It was 5:45 pm.  It was a hot steamy July evening. But the crowds came out anyway. The Jamaica Plain News could barely squeeze through the door of the Brookside Neighborhood Health Center community room to attend the open house for what the BRA intends as the start of a year long study for the Future of Washington Street. Enthusiasm and energy were high.

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Testifying at a City Council hearing: L-R: Jacqueline Gomez, Marta Franco, Crisanto Rosas, Zenaida Flores, Rita Paul and María Christina Blanco.
Jamaica Plain People

Meet Tenant Organizer María Christina Blanco

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Tuesday marks the kickoff of a city-sponsored review of what Washington Street should be like from Forest Hills to Jackson Square. A lot of interests will be in play as residents and officials build that master plan. Expect many of those voices to come from JP-based City Life/Vida Urbana, a tenants' rights organization. Jamaica Plain News recently walked Washington Street with María Christina Blanco, a lead organizer with City Life. The city has dubbed the planning effort "Plan JP/Rox: Preserve.

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