The Third Decade

What can we do with four more years?

Some people who did not support another four years of Menino have already begun gazing into their navels in despair about him being in office for another four year term. While it's not what was hoped for, let's face it, the man knows how to get things done. That said, perhaps it's time to look at another four years of Menino as a blessing in disguise. As I said, he knows how to get things done. So, instead of wallowing in self-pity, maybe it's an opportunity to gather in significant numbers to make sure your ideas are heard by the one man with all the cards in his hands. My shortlist for Roxbury is below:

BIOLAB: Can it. For years B.U. has shown that it hasn't been very good at managing labs with less deadly viruses. Why are we supposed to trust them with a Level 4 lab that will hold some of the deadliest pathogens on earth? Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz and other elected officials have gone on record as saying that they don't support the lab. Many residents don't support it either. We know you're for it, but do you really trust the designated operators to manage it well?

NCAAA at P-3: Support it. At a BRA meeting earlier this year, Roxbury residents expressed overwhelming support to have an arts center - as envisioned by Barry Gaither of the NCAAA - built at P-3. That part of Columbus Ave/Tremont St lacks a neighborhood cultural institution that can be draw and anchor. Rumors have floated for years that Menino wants to build a soccer stadium there for the Revolution, but that's the last thing a congested yet culturally-desolate area needs. Support the arts, Mr. Mayor. If you want a soccer stadium, build it on the waterfront or in place of the Biolab.

DUDLEY SQUARE: Build it. Before the election there was a design contest regarding the future of the Ferdinand Building. Your office announced that the winner of the contest would be designated after the election was over. Well, here we are. Show your commitment to the future of Dudley Square by designating a team before Thanksgiving to begin building out the Ferdinand site. Dudley Square has been languishing for years and needs a boost. The site of the new police station has been cleared, now it's time to get Ferdinand on the move. And while you're at it, can you get Jackson Square moving along, too?

The Evisceration of Roxbury

Without any concrete evidence, I will stop short of claiming intimidation or conspiracy. But, how is it possible that nearly every major politician representing Roxbury (some of the few relevant local politicians of color, by the way) has been caught up in some kind of alleged scandal recently?! Wilkerson, Turner, and now Fox? The politicians representing Roxbury can't be any more corrupt than the pols in any other city or district around Massachusetts. So what's the deal? Are they being careless? Are they being targeted? Or is the community itself the battleground?

With Boston running out of large lots of land for new building projects, Roxbury is one of the few areas close to downtown with enough space left for major construction projects (Allston and the South Boston waterfront are two of the others). Mayor Menino's recent attempt to seize control of P3, the redevelopment plans for Dudley Square, resistance to institutional creep (such as Northeastern's campus expansion and Boston University's Bio Lab), and the community's demands for improved transportation are just a few examples of how competition for space in and control over the neighborhood are heating up.

With the community's senior and most vocal politicians knocked off their pedistals, it would be easy to pick apart the neighborhood bit by bit. That, of course, doesn't excuse our politicians of wrongdoing, if they've done something wrong. But, let's put everything on the table. If they've done wrong, let's see more than a few clips and allegations in the media. In the meantime, the community would be wise to keep its eyes on real estate trends and development patterns in the area. If Harvard was able to secretly purchase half of Allston, there's no reason to suspect that it wouldn't happen in Roxbury, too.

Moving forward on the Southwest Corridor

After multiple false starts and controversy, there's good news about development on the Southwest Corridor again. Today's Globe reports that Mayor Menino has changed his mind and now supports Ruggles Place on Parcel 3. I would've liked to be privy to that conversation when he decided to publicly express his support for the project.

Further down the line, it looks like the first piece of the Jackson Square project may break ground at the end of this year. After hearing about this development for four years, I won't believe that it's happening until a building begins rising. Two years ago, the project was said to be postponed until 2008 and plans released to the media contained changes to the initial plans released in 2005. Who knows what's really going on with this project and how can the rest of us find out about it?

With all this development in the pipeline, I sincerely hope that the MBTA doesn't follow through with its threat to cut back transit service. Columbus Ave is already a traffic nightmare during rush hour, even with the combination of subway, commuter rail, and bus service running parallel to it. If everything projected is built within the next 3-5 years, there's no way this part of town could function with fewer transportation options than it currently has.

Legacy vs Legacy: Tom Menino vs Elma Lewis

It was only a matter of time before a large enough voice in Boston's Black community spoke out against Mayor Menino. There have been grumblings about his support for BU's Biolab for a while and his reputation for being vindictive against people who contradict his wishes is well known. I left Boston before he became mayor and returned 6 years ago. Upon returning, I heard that he enjoyed high ratings, but I could never understand why. Besides literally not being able to understand what he said, I didn't see what the big deal was about him. Yes he made appearances everywhere, but what was he really doing? Did I miss his golden years?

Anyway, the Bay State Banner's editorial opposing Menino is interesting. Has Menino finally bumped up against someone with a legacy bigger than his own? Elma Lewis isn't well-known by many Bostonians under 40. Further, her accomplishments and legacy aren't well known by many Bostonians under 30. Given the large number of young voters, I wonder how important the Parcel 3 project will be to young voters and new Bostonians. Using the Parcel 3 development is an interesting way to portray into the idea that Menino is out of touch with the community. But in order for that to take root on a wider scale, I feel that more examples and connections need to be identified.

Overall, this should be an interesting mayoral cycle. Many communities of color and liberal white communities were envigorated and galvanized by President Obama's election. I'm curious to see whether any fractions will appear if/when Menino formally announces his candidacy. If an anti-Menino movement takes hold in Boston, it'll also be interesting to see how the voting breaks down by neighborhood. Dorchester and Roxbury are two of the most populous neighborhoods, but I don't think they have the highest voter turnouts in any election. Will Menino bother courting voters of color and liberal white voters in those districts if more of these editorials appear? Or, will he pursue a George Bush-style divide and conquer campaign and just go for the safe districts? Unfortunately, none of the current candidates looks strong enough at the moment to portend an interesting campaign cycle. Hopefully that will change soon.