July 27, 2010
Ms. Kristin Kara
Boston Redevelopment Authority
One City Hall Square
Boston, MA 02201-1007
Subject: 319A Street Rear
Dear Ms. Kara:
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Draft Project Impact Report for 319 A Street Rear. The Boston Groundwater Trust was established by the Boston City Council to monitor groundwater levels in sections of Boston where the integrity of building foundations is threatened by low groundwater levels and to make recommendations for solving the problem. Therefore, my comments are limited to groundwater related issues.
I appreciate the proponent’s careful attention to groundwater related issues and to providing more details in fulfillment of the obligations under the Groundwater Conservation Overlay District that were acknowledger on the Project Notification Form.
As noted in the DPIR, the project will not have a basement, and only the elevator pits are likely to extend below Elevation 7 measured against Boston City Base. The proponent commits to fully waterproofing the elevator pits; in addition, he commits that the building will not include foundation drains or sub-slab drains. These details, if successfully incorporated into the construction of the building, are likely to help the project to meet the requirement to design and construct the building so that it will not cause a reduction in groundwater levels on the site or on adjacent properties, which is the sole standard required to meet the GCOD in the Fort Point neighborhood.
I appreciate as well that the proponent has committed to submitting his plans for GCOD approval to BWSC and to providing a letter showing that approval to the Authority and the Trust prior to final approvals.
As promised previously, the proponent has committed to providing the Trust with access to two groundwater observation wells previously installed in Pastene Alley. I look forward to receiving the written permission that will allow us to access these wells and incorporate them into our observation well network.
I look forward to continuing to work with the proponent and the Authority to assure that the project cannot have a negative impact on groundwater levels in the Fort Point neighborhood.
Very truly yours,
Elliott Laffer
Executive Director
Cc: Kathleen Pederson, BRA
Maura Zlody, BED
