In the August 28th, 2008 issue of the Jamaica Plain Gazette the Forest Hills Improvement Initiative was addressed at length in an article by David Taber. I don’t know Mr. Taber and I’m sure he did a good job writing the article, but I don’t agree with the philosophy, “you cannot please all the people all the time.”  You just have to get really creative and all involved need to be real honest about their motives.

The main controversy seems to be an argument not only about density, but about what the project should be comprised of, primarily residential or commercial. The residential objections seem to be related to the afforability percentages. The attendees of the August meeting learned of the BRA’s guidelines which would allow for 400 total residential units over the course of the development. That included mixed-use development with ground floor retail and about 170 residential units on “Parcel S” among othyer plans. This would require a six story structure which the neighbors are having a real hard time with, understandably. Another option would be purely commercial (residential component gets eliminated) and included 163,000SF of office space or other commercial uses over the ground floor retail.  Because Forest Hills is more remote it was suggested that a large institutional tenant would then be required.

There have been ten community meetings so far since November, 2006. The BRA and the non-profits that are participating in the charette-like process are well organized because that’s their job. Consequently, they tend to steamroll the opposition. The neighbors that live in the area definitely have opinions on the matter and have voiced them quite often. However, any of us that are spouses, have kids, work long hours, are single (trying not to be), have only so much time to devote to this process. I feel for these people because I am having similar issues in my neighborhood (The Brewery District). You get home at night and then you start your second job – being the squeaky wheel. Then, of course there’s the people who complain, but won’t get off their ass to do a damn thing.

All I can say is this – no one can deny that Forest Hills could use improvement. It’s tired and dingy and doesn’t work all that great. It needs to be redesigned. I encourage the neighbors to rally. Make your voices heard. Communicate with each other. Create a Google or Yahoo group to stay in touch and store common documents. Organize. Go to the meetings in shifts with written statements from the whole group. Make this an excuse to get together and meet your neighbors for a beer.

It is this writer’s opinion that Forest Hills should be redesigned – and that there is a solution that is good for all involved. It will just require lots of communication and community input.

www.friendsofforesthills.org to sign the Forest Hills Petition