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Future of the Nazzaro Center Building—Part III

by | Feb 13, 2019 | Boston North End, Nazzaro, News, Uncertain Future

The North End is working to protect its historic Nazzaro Community Center Building at 30-32 North Bennet Street, and we are making great progress.

Keep writing your letters to our elected officials! It’s having a positive impact. We presented our two petitions at the Boston Landmarks Commission hearing last night, with about 1,500 signatures, people spoke about their wish to protect the Nazzaro Center building and playground, and the commission voted unanimously to accept our Landmarks petition for study. They also noted the letters they have already received from neighbors, historians, architects and others. Thank you!

The successful vote last night was big step forward, as we continue our long journey to get Landmark protection for this 1906 Renaissance Revival building. Originally the North Bennet Street Bath House, this elegant structure has been in public use, together with the adjacent Polcari Playground, for over 100 years. They sit in the heart of the North End, rare public resources in a very densely settled neighborhood. Many of us feel we are honoring our immigrant ancestors, who came to America at the end of the last century, by saving this notable building and open space that was established to serve them.

We were thrilled last night to see the hearing room overflowing with concerned neighbors, with Michael Nazzaro’s daughter Carla, and two of our supportive elected officials—Lydia Edwards and Aaron Michlewitz—despite the epic snow/sleet/ice storm outside. Luigi Natale, Sen. Joe Boncore’s North End rep, and Maria Lanza, the Mayor’s North End rep, were there but didn’t speak. Luigi told me that Boncore is with us. The Mayor called me last week to promise that he won’t tear down the building or sell it, and he will work with our community on keeping it in public use while he still builds the new community center in another location. This was a wonderful step forward!

Matt Conti, publisher of www.northendwaterfront.com flew back from Florida to cover the hearing! His story and a video of the hearing is here .

We follow the “trust but verify” philosophy of politics, so we are still working for official Landmarks status to protect these resources. It’s understandable that a lot of neighbors thought the hearing had been cancelled due to the weather—but so many people still showed up it was standing room only! The Mayor’s promise last week and the Landmarks commission’s accepting our petition are encouraging. But we still have a steep climb to actually get the Landmark status, and we will continue to need your help. It will take months to finalize. The petition first must pass a rigorous study by the Commission staff, then go through another public hearing, and then go to the Mayor and the Boston City Council for final ratification.

Please write letters supporting this Landmark petition…

https://www.savethenazzaro.org/boston-landmarks-commission-petition/

…so the Mayor doesn’t forget to sign it when the time comes!

Here’s what you can ask the Mayor and City Council to do:

  • Protect the historic Nazzaro Building and Polcari Playground with Landmarks status, which would allow updating them inside while keeping the Renaissance Revival building’s outside architecture and the playground’s open public space.
  • Keep the Nazzaro and Polcari Playground in public use, as they have been for over 100 years.
  • Work transparently with the North End population to update the inside of the Nazzaro building, continuing some community programs there, while adding a new basketball court and sports facilities in a new community center at a second location.

We do not want to lose these irreplaceable public resources in the heart of the neighborhood. In addition to their central role in the North End’s community life, they represent the history and culture of this country, dating back to a time when our politicians built elegant public buildings to serve the new immigrants arriving to create the America we know today.

Please call or send your emails and letters to: