Mayor Walsh will be in the North End on Tuesday June 4 at 9:30 a.m. to cut a ribbon at the Prado (Paul Revere statue) and this is a great time to tell him we want him to commit to protecting the Nazzaro building as a community resource! The Mayor’s chief of operations said on April 25 that the iconic building will be “surplused” by the city once the new community center is built, which shocked and dismayed everyone who had trusted the Mayor when he said in February that he would not sell or raze the historic Nazzaro building.
We are grateful for the new building to come, but why does this historic community gathering place in the heart of the North End have to be given up, as a trade-off? The Boston Architectural College has donated wonderful new designs to envision how to fix up the 1906 building inside for seniors, toddlers and community programs once the new indoor basketball court is built next to the Mirabella Pool. Why won’t the Mayor consider having programs in both the old building and the new one, which is what our growing community needs? Can’t we even get a feasibility study on what this would entail, since this is what most North Enders want?
Please raise your voice to let Mayor Walsh know that we are upset to anticipate the Nazzaro building as “surplus,” abandoned by the city. He says “nonproifts” can take it over. But which nonprofit can update it and offer the kind of resources the city provides? Will it be left empty, becoming a ruin instead of the vibrant community resource it has always been?
Recent Comments