Wentworth Institute of Technology (WIT) students will be working in Jamaica Plain to develop design ideas for mixed-use projects along the Southwest Corridor this spring and summer as an academic exercise. The Community Design Studio program will analyze existing proposals for the study area, including the Jackson Square Re-development Initiative, and will make proposals...
Monthly Archives: March 2013
Mayor rebuts Connolly criticism
After mayoral candidate John Connolly criticized incumbent Thomas Menino for a lack of new ideas and transparency to the Gazette, Menino spokesperson Dot Joyce rebutted some of those comments in a Gazette interview. “The mayor is always reinvigorating his team with new talent from our Office of New Urban Mechanics and all the new...
RE/MAX office coming to church site
HYDE SQ.—A RE/MAX Destiny real estate office is coming to a storefront on the former Blessed Sacrament Church complex at 363 Centre St., possibly as soon as May. “What’s happening in the Hyde Square area is amazing,” said RE/MAX Destiny’s Juan Murray, referring to development in the area. “We’d like to be part of...
Arroyo: School committee student rep should vote
At-Large City Councilor Felix Arroyo, who lives in Jamaica Plain, has filed a hearing order with City Councilor Frank Baker that would give voting power to the student representative on the Boston School Committee. “It just seems right,” said Arroyo in a recent Gazette interview. He said the student representatives can speak during a...
School assignment plan approved
The Boston School Committee voted 6-1 to approve a new home-based, zone-free school choice plan March 13. The approved plan does not include walk-zone priority and will take effect in the 2014-2015 school year. The plan does away with zones and uses a child’s address as a starting point for a “basket” of six...
Record store to open on South Street
A record store called Deep Thoughts JP aims to open at 138b South St. on April 1, according to its website and Facebook page. The store will sell records, tapes, CDs and books in a wide variety of genres, including free jazz, punk and “krautrock.” It also has announced a slate of in-store concerts...
JP Branch upgrade added to BPL budget
A request for funds for a proposed renovation of the Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library (BPL) has been added to the BPL Capital Budget for the next fiscal year. That means that BPL will request the $8.5 million for the renovation from the City in its upcoming FY2014 budget. The City...
Obituary: Karl Ross Fisher, art teacher
“For you, the world,” Karl Ross Fisher used to say to his students and colleagues, who adored him. That spirit was true to the end; his organs have been the gift of life for five lucky people. Fisher died unexpectedly on Feb. 20, 2013 after suffering a rare, unexplained and massive stroke. He died...
Councilors team up for composting, urban agriculture
Two local city councilors are teaming up to bring a citywide compost program to residents and to increase urban agriculture opportunities. At-Large City Councilor Felix Arroyo, who lives in Jamaica Plain, and City Councilor Matt O’Malley, who represents JP, heard calls for the aforementioned actions during the JP State of the Neighborhood forum Feb....