Menino criticizes BC's expansion plans

July 1, 2008 04:20 PM Email| Comments (0)| Text size – +

By Peter Schworm, Globe staff

Escalating a simmering town-gown feud, Mayor Thomas M. Menino today denounced Boston College's expansion plan as an intrusion into the Brighton neighborhood, and accused university leaders of "arrogance" in pursuing development goals with little regard to residents' concerns.

In a wide-ranging and sharply worded criticism of the plan, Menino said that he squarely opposes the college's recent proposal to convert a high-rise apartment building about one-third of a mile from the Jesuit university's main Chestnut Hill campus into a dormitory.

Menino also faulted BC's plans to build new dorms on property it purchased from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, and disputed the college's contention that it cannot fit more students on its traditional campus.

"I want them to build on the campus they have right now, not buy up property and turn it into a dormitory," he said in an interview. "I think they can find the room and come up with a plan that will have the least impact on the neighborhood."

Menino's opposition to two central planks of the college's expansion blueprint deals BC a setback in its campaign to win the city's approval. Menino, who has urged area colleges for several years to house more students on campus, said he backed BC's goal of building housing for all its undergraduate students over the next decade, but said they should restrict dormitory construction to the Chestnut Hill campus.

"That's where I'd like to see it happen," he said.

More broadly, Menino deplored BC's tactics in advancing their proposals, saying the college has not heeded doubts expressed by the neighborhood and the city.

"Confrontation doesn't work," he said. "I'm saying to them, 'Let's work together and stop pitting people against each other.' There has to be a balance between the interests of the city and the college."

Menino took particular exception to a recent effort by BC administrators to lobby city officials in support of the plan. In a June 27 letter, president William P. Leahy wrote that it would be "most beneficial to have expressions of support from Boston College alumni and employees who live in the city of Boston."

Menino said the lobbying effort was overly aggressive and ill-timed as the plan, filed with the city late last month, is under review by the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

"My argument to them is, 'Listen to the neighbors'," he said. "Don't ask people in Weston, Lincoln and Sudbury to make decisions for Brighton."

Jack Dunn, a university spokesman, declined to respond directly to the mayor criticisms. "We respect him and and look forward to working with him in the months to come," he said.

Dunn said Leahy's letter was sent only to BC employees and graduates who live in Allston-Brighton, as well as a small number of graduates who live in other parts of the city. The letter, he said, was sent in response to hundreds of calls supporting the college's plan to house all of its students.

"They asked us what they could do to help and we've encouraged them to contact their elected officials," he said. "Mayor Menino has a friend in Boston College and our outreach is simply an attempt to demonstrate the widespread support for this master plan."

Boston College announced last month that it would seek permission to provide new housing for nearly 1,300 students in an effort to provide housing for all of its undergraduates. To achieve that goal, the university has agreed to pay $67 million for a 16-story apartment building at 2000 Commonwealth Avenue that would house 560 students.

The mayor's comments today followed a story in "Banker & Tradesman," a banking and real estate publication, that reported Menino's opposition to the planned Commonwealth Avenue dormitory. The Boston Herald reported today that Menino was irked by Leahy's letter to alumni.

Menino said BC was defying neighbors' wishes by housing its students in off-campus dormitories, and was taking taxable property off the tax rolls.

Many neighbors support the plan, saying students will be better behaved in dormitories with college oversight.