Editorial: Gentrifying Egleston Square

The 3200 Washington St. project and its approval by the Boston Redevelopment Board is just another reminder that the neighborhood and city is rapidly changing.

Activists fought to keep Egleston Square affordable to friends, family and themselves, only to began to feel the first waves of gentrification hit that area. Those activists are part of an effort to shape the city in the vision of people who have fewer means instead of a powerful select few.

The building boom underway is ushering in a new city with different character and vibe. The people are changing—whether it is newcomers from other parts of the country, those who are reaping the profits from the boom or residents scrapping to survive and have a roof over their heads.

Change is not bad. But let us not transform Boston into a city with an ever-deepening chasm between the haves and have-nots and neighborhoods filled with as much authenticity as a pop music song. These are not novel words on gentrification. But jadedness is not an excuse for a lack of thought.

The BRA board’s approval was not surprising; the split vote was. Let’s hope it is the start of a new BRA that is not tone deaf to the people it is meant to serve.

 

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