S. Boston group works to preserve trees at Old Colony development

(Patrick Rosso/Boston.com/2011)

The Old Colony Housing Development.

By Patrick Rosso, Town Correspondent

As the first phase of the Boston Housing Authority's redevelopment of the Old Colony Housing Development in South Boston nears completion, one group of South Boston residents wants to ensure its input is heard before the BHA begins the second phase.

Southie Trees, an offshoot off Planet Southie, a South Boston environmental group, met with BHA officials Tuesday in South Boston to discuss the future of the trees at the development.

“Trees are definitely something worth preserving. They block out a lot of street noise; they lower asthma rates and illness; and they help reduce rain water runoff,” said Jennifer Brundage, a Northeastern University student working Southie Trees, a group working to promote green space in the neighborhood.

After a presentation by Southie Trees, BHA officials and Beacon Communities (the team working with the BHA) listened to comments and questions and discussed the future of the site.

South Boston has the third-least amount of green space among city neighborhoods, and Southie Trees wants to ensure that the space doesn't get any smaller.

Although city and Beacon officials said they will do all they can to ensure that trees aren't unnecessarily lost, there are many aspects of the project they need to balance.

“I recognize trees play a role, but it’s a given where we need to place buildings and particularly new roads. There are going to have to be some trees that have to come down,” said Kate Bennett, special assistant to the administrator at the BHA.

Currently, the BHA along with Beacon Communities is completing a tree survey of the area in phase two and will release a report in the next few weeks. Although they are in the early stages of the development, Darcy Jameson, development director with Beacon Communities, said: “I’m hoping to give everyone a sense here that we have been taking this quite seriously.”

After the Old Colony project is completed, the 16-acre site will be less densely populated, reducing the number of units and converting the garden-style apartments to townhouses.

Along with removing a good portion of units, the project aims to open up the area, with improved streetscapes and connections. A public meeting to discuss Phase Two is planned for the fall.

Email Patrick Rosso, patrick.d.rosso@gmail.com