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Trendy Boston waterfront district could get new migrant shelter as Roxbury maxes out: reports
An office building in an upmarket waterfront Boston neighborhood is being earmarked as a new migrant shelter more than a week after Democratic Gov. Maura Healey shuttered a community recreation center in the city to shelter migrants.
The office building, a 92,000 square-foot premises, is located at 24 Farnsworth Street in the bustling Seaport district in Fort Point and is owned by the Unitarian Universalist Association, according to The Boston Globe. The association is a liberal religious movement.
The Boston Globe reports that city officials contacted the local Fort Point Neighborhood Association on Wednesday, informing them the site is being considered as a shelter but that a final decision has not yet been made.
An office building at 24 Farnsworth Street in Boston is being earmarked as a new migrant shelter. (Google Maps)
BOSTON RESIDENTS RAGE AFTER GOVERNOR CLOSES COMMUNITY REC CENTER TO HOUSE MIGRANTS: ‘THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT US’
Officials have been scrambling to cater to the city’s recent influx of illegal immigrants. Last week, the Melnea Cass Recreation Center in Roxbury was controversially closed to the public and converted into a makeshift migrant center.
It offered a skating rink and safe spaces for the community’s youth to fraternize with parents, raising concerns that young people may find themselves in trouble instead. The state intends to stop housing migrants at the facility in May and reopen it to the public by June.
That shelter was put in place as the migrant crisis continues to overwhelm other state facilities, including Logan Airport.
However, the Roxbury facility, which can accommodate up to 100 migrant families of four, is now nearing full capacity with around 95 families being housed there. Officials are desperately trying to find other spaces to house the migrants, The Boston Globe reports.
The Melnea Cass Recreation Center has been converted to a migration shelter. (Melnea Cass Recreation Center/Facebook)
The Unitarian church says it is considering a “short-term” use of its building as a migrant shelter, although no final decisions have been made.
“Conversations are underway regarding a short-term use of the building that is in the public’s best interest and are in accordance with our values and principles as a faith tradition,” the church’s public relations director Suzanne Morse told The Boston Globe on Thursday.
Neighborhood groups are calling for a public meeting with officials so residents can get more information about the proposal.
The residents have been asking whether the building has proper facilities like showers to cater to their needs.
MASSACHUSETTS CLOSES COMMUNITY CENTER TO PUBLIC TO SHELTER MIGRANTS, PROMPTING BACKLASH
“At this point, we have more questions than answers, but everyone is generally supportive to help in a crisis,” Thomas Ready, of the Fort Point Neighborhood Association, told the publication.
The city said it will work with the state and other partners to ensure residents have an opportunity to learn more and provide feedback regarding any proposed shelter sites “while prioritizing minimal disruption to area residents,” a City of Boston spokesperson said, according to Boston 25 News.
However, not everyone is happy with the plans.
Melnea Cass Recreation Center in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston has been temporarily closed to shelter migrants. (Fox News)
John Milligan, the executive director of the Massachusetts Republican Party, criticized the proposal.
“Migrants are coming into Massachusetts at a rapid rate,” Milligan told The Boston Globe. “Despite this, there’s been no effort from the Governor to curb the influx.”
“Now, there’s consideration of using part of a building in Fort Point, even though it lacks basic amenities like showers. It merely perpetuates the issue while depleting local resources.”
Logan Airport in Boston has been sheltering migrants. (WBZ)
Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn, a Democrat, also said the situation is unstable.
“At some point, we just are not able to sustain everyone that wants to come here,” Flynn told NBC Boston.
“The situation we have now just can’t continue, and we have to make some major and dramatic decisions over the next several months.”
Fox News’ Taylor Penney contributed to this report.
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Seasonal train rides, Bristol’s historic Fourth of July celebration, Duck Tour discounts, and more.
You’re reading Scenic Six, Boston.com’s guide to New England travel. Sign up to get hidden gems, travel tips, and must-visit spots in your inbox every week.
Welcome back to Scenic Six.
I hope everyone had a lovely holiday weekend. We visited friends in Wells, Maine and then explored nearby Ogunquit (recently named the best beach town in New England by Boston.com readers). Though the weather wasn’t the best, outdoor dining was still hopping and the streets were full of people. It’s always a good vibe in Ogunquit.
This week, I’m writing about two New England towns named among the most welcoming in America, a first-of-its-kind remote terminal for Logan Airport, the oldest continuous 4th of July celebration in the nation, Boston Duck Tour discounts, and more.
These New England towns roll out the welcome mat
If you’re looking for a happy getaway, two New England towns were just named on a World Atlas list of 12 of the most welcoming towns in America: Bar Harbor, Maine and Burlington, Vermont. Both are hosting free festivals and other community events this summer, adding even more reasons for a Maine or Vermont escape this season.
Need a ride? Consider a seasonal train
I’m a big fan of train travel because it’s relaxing and stress free. The CapeFlyer between Boston and Cape Cod resumed this past weekend and the Berkshire Flyer between the Berkshires and New York City starts back up on June 12 (with expanded service).
Attend the oldest continuous 4th of July celebration in America
Believe it or not, Independence Day is just around the corner and one of the best celebrations in America is in Bristol, R.I., according to USA Today. The publication just named the Bristol Fourth of July Celebration among the best 4th of July celebrations in the nation (fun fact: this will be its 241st year).
Travel tips:
- Logan Airport passengers flying JetBlue and Delta Air Lines can soon skip airport security lines and go straight to their gate by using a first-of-its-kind remote terminal in Framingham, opening June 1.
- Celebrate America’s 250th birthday at Weir Farm National Historical Park in Ridgefield, Conn., the only national park dedicated to American painting, on June 14 (Flag Day) by attending the free event Art is Revolutionary. Guests will enjoy live music, plein air demonstrations, open house tours, refreshments, and art making activities.
Deals and steals:
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- Celebrate the 140th anniversary of Basin Harbor Resort & Boat Club in Vergennes, Vermont by booking the Summer Starts Early package, which takes 25% off weekdays and 10% off weekends on three-night stays taking place through June 18.
- Taking a Boston Duck Tour? Save up to $10 per ticket on tours departing before 10 a.m. by using the discount code EARLYDUCK. The discount is valid for online purchases only.
- Traveling by train? Save up to 60% off eight tickets on Amtrak when booking Amtrak Share Fares by using the code V291 on the Amtrak app. A two-day advance purchase is required.
I’ll leave you with this photo I took of the sunrise in Wells, Maine.
Where have you traveled lately? Please share your photos by sending them to [email protected] and they may be featured in an upcoming Scenic Six newsletter.
Whether you’re traveling this week or planning your next escape, enjoy the journey.
— Kristi
Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Chief Darryl Jones is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal review, Pittsburgh Public Safety confirmed on Monday.
Sources say the allegation isn’t criminal in nature. The internal review stems from allegations against the chief involving his management of the fire bureau, sources say.
Assistant Chief Matt Davis will now step up as acting chief.
There is no timeline yet for how long Jones will be out on paid leave, but Pittsburgh’s Office of Municipal Investigations will conduct the internal review.
ROCKY HILL — A man from South Carolina is facing charges after cutting down light poles along the highway in Rocky Hill, Connecticut State Police said.
Lamont Carlson Tucker, 62, of Myrtle Beach, is charged with first-degree criminal mischief and fourth-degree larceny, police said.
Police said troopers responded to reports of “an individual cutting light poles” around 5 a.m. Saturday.
Tucker was released on a $3,000 bond and is scheduled to appear at state Superior Court in New Britain June 12, police said.
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