Brookline Hub

The construction work currently underway in Brookline’s St. Mary’s neighborhood on Beacon Street is at once an endeavor important to the community—as well as to Greater Boston—and yet already a bane to local businesses, commuters and residents.

Meeting with David Brilliant, owner of the Beacon Street Tavern, on a late Friday afternoon at the restaurant/bar, it was clear that area proprietors have borne the brunt of the construction’s impact on Beacon Street by the St. Mary’s C-line T stop. This major Brookline thoroughfare has been reduced to one lane of traffic, parking along Beacon has been rendered difficult at best and vehicles and equipment have blocked much of the block’s storefronts since this past spring.  Then, there's the noise.

The town has “neglected this block,” the business -owner explained, calling Brookline government’s treatment of the neighborhood, and specifically that block, “unconscionable.” Though last year was tough economically, this year, Brilliant said, his establishment’s business has been down by as much as 50% and significantly down for the three-quarters of business-owners he has spoken to on that stretch of Beacon.

The Brookline Sewer Separation project, responsible for the construction morass, is essentially tasked to create two separate pipelines for sewerage and storm water draining to prevent combined sewer overflows (CSO’s) into the Charles River. Due to a court ruling, a federal, as well as environmental mandate, state authorities (the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority) is responsible for funding the project. Brookline, however, is responsible for hiring the contractors and construction-related employees, Construction Coordinator for the town, William Smith recently explained.

Nassib Lutfi, owner of Temptations Café in St. Mary’s, said the construction has “definitely affected business,” with sales down from last year—especially during the evening. Lufti stated that, since early summer, when work began on the sewer separation project, his customers were unable to use Temptations’ outdoor tables because of the excessive noise. According to Lutfi, October and November were some of the loudest months as a result of the project’s machinery, which included portable generators.

Lesia Stanchak, owner of clothing store Zia, was “overwhelmed by the amount of chaos” the project’s equipment caused this November. Though she attended the meetings which the town presented pending the construction, and the appropriate officials and employees were present, she never heard that 2011’s work was only “Phase 1”. She thought it would be done by this past November. Stanchak reported her store’s business declined by 98 % during the construction. She understands the town had to carry out the sewer repair, but feels they did it “at the expense of the businesses,” saying four or five Saturdays were killed as a result of the commotion this summer.

As I sat by a window in the Beacon Street Tavern with Brilliant, looking out at the street in question, he explained Brookline’s concession to business-owners has been a 5 or 20 % reduction in property taxes. For the Tavern, the offered rate is 5 %, translating to $70 per month, he estimates. This he considers “a joke and an insult,” adding that the owners on the block are looking into legal representation. Brilliant feels the economy coupled with the Town’s response created an environment detrimental to the very survival of the area’s small businesses. He then predicted St. Mary’s would soon attract national chain stores such as Burger King, McDonald’s, Starbucks, CVS and Walgreens if the current situation continues. He stated unequivocally that he would move his business, while others might be forced to close should the Town continue to ignore the plight of St. Mary's small businesses.

When I asked Brilliant if the Town government could do anything at this point to improve the situation and help the local businesses, he said that without litigation or attention from the press he did not think it likely.

Stepping outside the watering hole, we walked past the open area of street where the vehicles with generators had been and to the right, where a large crane was parked. We continued a few steps up the block where he showed me a large, gaping hole to the right of his building.  It had been there for six months. It was another example of the temporary eyesores and obstacles created by the project that is affecting business and quality of life for, among others, store-owners like Lutfi, Stanchak and Brilliant.

With the area's merchants suffering such a drastic reduction in business as a direct result of noise, obstructed traffic, limited parking and reduced sidewalk space, St Mary's faces a very real threat. Should the Town take no action on the behalf of small businesses impacted by the construction project, many will be forced to close or relocate outside of Brookline.  This translates to lost jobs, lost tax revenue for Brookline and a neighborhood susceptible to an influx of homogenized chain stores.

By Andrew Palmacci