3/21/08

Despite being urged by the Boston Redevelopment Authority to consider alternatives, Boston College officials say they stand by their controversial 10-year expansion plan, which would bring new dorms and a large-scale athletic complex to the school's Brighton campus.

Since the plan was officially submitted to the BRA in December, many neighbors have strongly objected to the idea of bringing 500 new undergraduate beds to the Brighton Campus, a 65-acre plot of land which the school purchased from the former Catholic Archdiocese of Boston in 2004.

One blog comment on a recent Allston-Brighton Tab editorial said, "If putting dorms on the former St. John's land is what you consider a compromise, then I would hate to see a non-compromise, and believe me, I know that BC has its own agenda."

BC spokesman Jack Dunn said the plan addresses both the community's previous complaints that more students should be housed on-campus, and the school's need to expand and improve.

"We think the plan that we set forth is the best for BC and the neighborhood, which we have been a part of for 95 years," Dunn said.

Dunn said the land was originally bought for the purpose of expanding BC's campus.

"We have got to remind the neighbors and the BRA that the Brighton campus is our campus, and we intend to develop it as we have with the remaining sections of the Boston College Campus," he said. "We have to do a better job of explaining to our neighbors that this is in their best interest too."

BRA spokeswoman Jessica Shumaker said that in addition to their own comments, there have been many letters from city and state agencies asking BC to provide more information about the plan. She said the school should look at performing more studies that would assess the environmental, historical, and transportation effects the expansion would cause.

Shumaker said the BRA is trying to figure out the best way for the school to expand without further upsetting the neighbors.

"We are trying to balance both needs. We realize that the schools are a big part of our economy, but at the same time we want to make sure they don't upset the neighbors more than they need to," Shumaker said.

Shumaker said the neighbors are mostly opposed to housing students on the Brighton campus and are not as concerned about the academic and administrative buildings that are also included in the expansion plan. She said the BRA has asked BC about the possibility of adding more housing on its traditional campus in Chestnut Hill.

"People are not satisfied with the current proposal because they see the property and think there is room for additional height or additional units on the current campus," she said. "So, I think what were asking is for them to show us why that can't be done. And then also show us different schemes or models that would show additional units on the current campus so we can see what the pros and cons would be."

Dunn said there is simply not enough room on the Chestnut Hill campus.

"The Chestnut Hill Campus is very densely populated, and we feel it is necessary to build new beds on our Brighton Campus the way we have already done with out Chestnut Hill and Newton Campuses," Dunn said.

Shumaker said there is no specific timetable for BC to react to BRA recommendations, but said she expects it will take a few months.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools