Thanks to a hefty turnout and a long procession of excellent presentations, all five Historic District Commissioners denied Brewster Street Partners' request for a certificate of appropriateness! Everybody won!  Black Rock won!  So many made it happen -- whether it was sending e-mails, passing out fliers, talking it up at the Harborview, meeting to develop strategies, and attending meetings (long ones and ones that didn't happen)  Special thanks to the Black Rock Homeowners Association, Black Rock Community Council, and the folks who organized against 10 Brewster (including Jim Eagen, who provided the website we used, the signs -- and excellent advice). What a powerful community we are!! And -- don't throw away your "Stop Brewster Street Condos" sign yet; they'll be back, to be sure -- either with a scaled down proposal or in Superior Court.  (We'd suggest taking them down, for now, though.) Here's what happened:  The developers surprised both the Commissioners and us with a revised plan: Keep the house, tear down the garage, build 10 units (for a total of 11), instead of the original 13. Our comments/presentations were clear, articulate, and intelligent:  Speakers included Mark Halstead, Kathy van Renesse, Ali Martin, Donna Curran, Tom Mulligan, John Lee, Ann-Marie Klein, Aaron Castro, Kristine DeMarco, Ed Piquette, David Barbour, Karyn Leito, Beverly Balaz, Bob Kosar, Frank, and others. (Please pardon our omissions.) Special thanks to our consultants, Charles Brilvitch, Mark Halstead, Ed Piquette.  Their expertise, counsel, and powerful arguments were invaluable.  Rick and Michelle, thank you for letting us use your wonderful Harborview space to inform people.   I'll call to get minutes and send those on with the reasons for the Commission's denial.  The ones we could hear included: scale, arrangement of buildings, general design, relationships with other structures, inappropriateness of demolishing the garage, lack of detail of fencing, and lighting. We think we should build on this success!  This is such a unique and special neighborhood with such competent people.  When we focus our energies, we accomplish amazing things.  One idea for a next step is expanding the Historic District.  Another is ensuring really good people get elected.  What other ideas do you have? 

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