The redevelopment of the Edison Power Station at L Street is not acceptable in at least three aspects.
The initial proposal called for the development of 15 acres, including 1,588 units of housing with 987 parking spaces and heights reaching 220 feet. At numerous public meetings, the community brought up issues surrounding height, density, parking, and what the volume of new residents means for our public transit. I do not believe that the newest proposal goes far enough in addressing those concerns.
For example, the newest proposal includes 1,344 units with 1,397 parking spaces and heights reaching 206 feet. These are small concessions that do not go far enough to address the numerous concerns that were repeatedly raised regarding height and density.
As a resident and having heard from many of my fellow residents during meetings over the last several years, it is clear that 1,344 residential units are still too many. I will push to scale back this number. Many of our neighbors have shared their concern about whether hotels really belong in City Point or whether they belong closer to the Convention Center. Finally, given the size and density still being proposed, transportation safety and reliability issues would have to be addressed with a community – wide transportation study and plan.
As your State Representative, if the community doesn’t want hotels at this site, I will sponsor legislation that would reinstate the hotel prohibition, to include south of the Reserve Channel, to protect residential South Boston. In addition, I will work with the South Boston elected delegation to ensure that city and state planning and transportation agencies adopt and implement plans and policies that are driven by the community and benefits the residents, not developers.
Public- private- partnerships can work as long as the public’s interest is the top priority. That’s what I will be fighting for as your next State Representative.
