A nice portrait of Roslindale
By adamg - 10/25/09 - 8:19 am
The Globe dispatches a couple reporters to the neighborhood. If you ignore the political stuff, which seems a bit forced, it gives a nice idea of what life is like in large swaths of the neighborhood, both pro (Roslindale Square and multi-culti streets) and con (public schools). Only the locals will notice the one basic mistake in the story - quick, how many public housing projects does Roslindale have?
Comments
public housing projects in roslindale
My campaign manager, Antionetta, grew up in that housing project and still lives there as she completes her studies at Smith.
Great things come from Roslindale!
where does Rozzie end and West Roxbury begin?
I always thought Lorraine Street and the Bellevue commuter rail stop were considered West Roxbury -- guess not.
Roughly the West Roxbury Parkway
And roughly the train tracks.
That area is the border - if
That area is the border - if there was a border. I'd put the train station at the very tip of Rosi.
Every neighborhood has
Every neighborhood has boundaries clearly delineated in the neighborhood zoning maps (BostonRedevelopmentAuthority.org/Zoning/downloadZone.asp). That map shows that the West Roxbury Parkway and Centre Street are the boundaries in that area. Someone will probably choose to quibble with virtually any boundary. But the zoning maps were created in lengthy processes with a community advisory board and are recognized as official throughout city government.
A look into Archdale
A look into Archdale projects would have made for a rather different story. Or Beech street, where you'd have to talk about the shootings of recent years. But then the Menino fluffing wouldn't have worked so well.
Is there a reason....
...why you are so unrelentingly negative about Roslindale?
...why you are so
I lived in Roslindale for eight years - that gives me a little context. Pointing out that the article is one-sided - "Since Menino, everything is better" - is hardly being unrelently negative. Since I lived in Roslindale in the 1980s, Roslindale certainly has gained a few high-end restaurants, but I would hardly call it better. Gentrifying yuppies may disagree.
You lived in Roslindale 20 years ago...
...and thus are an expert on what it is like now?
In fact, as far as I can tell, you seem to have remarkably little familiarity with Roslindale today.
Roslindale looks pretty nice to me
I don't live there, but I did spend several hours bicycling around it this afternoon, and all of it looks lovely and well-cared-for. If I have a beef with Menino, it's that he hasn't put the same amount of love, time, money, and effort into Dudley Square and other parts of Roxbury.
It's better.
I grew up there, and I have no problem saying that the square sucked when I was a kid. It was dirty and there wasn't anything to do. I really don't know how much credit Menino deserves for this- gentrification (sort of a natural process) has doubtless helped some. Obviously, not every neighborhood has been quite so lucky. And I also have to say that it's sorta grown out of my own (lower)middle-class price range, so that's kind of a problem. But it gives me something to shoot for.
One other thing: I wish Pazzo books was still in Roslindale- their arrival in the square was the figurative turning point for me.
Ah, Pazzo
They wanted to stay in Roslindale, but couldn't find a place right in the square itself, back when there were several vacant storefronts owned by the guy who wanted to get just the right tenants, or something.
Isn't Beech Street getting a major renovation?
Nice job, Mr. Mayor! Always there for Rozzie!
Yes it is
You wouldn't read about that in the Globe, because based on today's story, the Globe doesn't think that's in Roslindale, but it's quite something to watch going up. Some of the townhouses look like they're almost ready for occupancy.
Beech Street
As somebody whose daughter gets off the bus where one of those shooting incidents took place (three shootings, actually, all at once and one of them fatal), yeah, I'm concerned about violence.
Couple of things NotWhitey left out though, at least when it comes to Beech Street:
The residents of the one apartment linked to all the shootings were eventually kicked out. The entire project is in the process of being torn down and replaced with mostly townhouses and one large building for senior citizens. Some of the other violence was linked to people shipped over from Dorchester when their project was undergoing renovations. They're gone.
Menino does have things to answer for, including the schools, but that's a citywide issue, and political favoritism (there's a reason there isn't a chain drug store in Roslindale Square), again, that's not a uniquely Roslindale thing.
But if we're going to talk about things the Globe also left out, let's be fair and talk about the role Menino played in revitalizing the square, both as a city councilor (Roslindale Main Streets, which got the ball rolling and helped bring in what were then pioneering outposts, such as Fornax) and as mayor (using city money to clean up what was an eyesore of a contaminated hole right in the middle of the square to allow for construction of the Village Market).
RIP Joe the Ice Cream Man
Speaking of Roslindale, Joseph Condron, aka Joe the Ice Cream Man, just passed away. Wake today at Crosby & Lawler 2-4 and 7-9.
A separate page on Joe
Here. He deserves his own discussion!