Measure to allow an apartment building next to the Emerald Necklace took on added urgency after Tuesday's election, backer says

The Boston City Council yesterday approved a change in a regulation designed to protect the Emerald Necklace from being overwhelmed by tall buildings so that a developer can build a 28-story, 400-unit apartment building at 2 Charlesgate, next to a little used portion of the Emerald Necklace along the Bowker Overpass.

City Councilor Sharon Durkan (Fenway, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Mission Hill), first proposed the change in August, saying then Boston desperately needs housing and that the measure was crafted not to become a precedent for allowing other big private development along one of the nation's most famous urban parks.

At a council meeting yesterday, she reiterated the need for housing, but said the results of the national elections make the proposal by Scape, an English company, even more important.

"Boston stands as a beacon to the rest of the country, as a city where we protect human rights, including reproductive rights and the rights of LGBTQIA people, to ensure public safety and provide quality education," and Boston needs to provide even more housing for people who share those values, she said, adding, "however, these values that are core to Boston, that we're all proud to uphold, come at too steep a cost and currently exclude many who would like to live here." The new building would be a small step in "welcoming those who wish to live here," she said.

Scape's proposal includes 68 affordable apartments, or 17% of the total. At the time it submitted its plans that exceeded the city affordable-housing requirements, although it now exactly matches requirements that went into effect Oct. 1.

The project was approved by the Boston Planning Department in July. However, it was facing rejection by the Parks and Recreation Department because of an ordinance that bans new construction of buildings more than 70 feet tall on lots within 100 feet of parts of the Emerald Necklace (as well as certain parkland in South Boston and Brighton) and the proposed building was both way taller than that limit on a lot way closer than 100 feet to the Charlesgate segment of the Emerald Necklace.

The proposed change in the parks ordinance, which now goes to Mayor Wu for her consideration, would only apply to an area bounded by the roads that surround the Scape proposal.

Durkan said the new building would replace three little used commercial buildings along the turnpike with "a vibrant welcome to the Fenway." In addition to apartments, Scape has also proposed a new outdoor stairway and a public elevator, as well as a public restroom for Necklace users and $700,000 in total donations to the city and DCR for parks maintenance in the area.

Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson (Roxbury) said the ordinance amendment was "not such a perfect solution," and said some people in her district had called for other changes. But she said that because the project is not in her district, and "out of respect" for Durkan, she declined to elaborate, save to say she hoped there would be "further conversations."

Durkan agreed additional discussion is needed - and might result in further possible changes to the ordinance - but said that the project is critical enough to move forward now - an answer that did not sit well with Councilor Ed Flynn (South Boston, South End, Chinatown, Downtown.

The council voted 10-1-2 in favor of the measure. Flynn voted no; Fernandes Anderson and Julia Mejia (at large) voted "present."

2 Charlesgate filings.

Watch the discussion: