Over 120 people packed the Church of St. Augustine and St. Martin Church at 29-31 Lenox Street, Roxbury on Monday night, March 11 for a community meeting about the latest redevelopment plan for the Alexandra Hotel, 1767-1769 Washington Street. The Impact Advisory Group (IAG) for the Alexandra project asked Michael Sinatra, Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) project manager for the Alexandra Hotel proposal, for the public meeting when the IAG convened on February 27.

Situated at the crossroads where Roxbury meets the South End, the historic hotel, built in 1875 but unoccupied for over three decades, has been owned by the Church of Scientology since 2008, when it bought the property with plans to convert it into a headquarters. The church scuttled plans to redevelop the property due to cost, and there have been tentative purchase attempts over the years that have tantalized neighbors who are eager to see the neglected architectural gem restored and to see the crucial corner revitalized.

The current proposal from Alexandra Partners, LLC, would restore and incorporate the Alexandra's façade into a new boutique hotel with a larger structure that would stand 155 feet, with 13 stories and 150 rooms. Citing building and restoration costs, the potential developer claims that 150 rooms are necessary for the property to be profitable. Alexandra Partners' proposal includes a commitment to a $260,000 community benefits and mitigation plan that encompasses a plan to ensure that significant percentages of construction jobs go to Boston residents, women and people of color; co-op and internship opportunities in the hotel for students at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School; construction mitigation measures such as rodent control, parking and traffic plans to minimize impact on residents; and funds provided to aid clean-up of Washington Street sidewalks, improvements to Ramsay and Chester Square parks, installation of sidewalk bicycle racks and promotion of transit use through subsidized T passes for employees and free Charlie cards for guests.

There will be no new parking created, but a drop off/pick up spot designated in place of valet spots. The developers have met with several South End and Roxbury neighborhood associations, including Blackstone/Franklin Squares (B/FSNA), Chester Square (CSANA) and Worcester Square Area (WSANA) neighborhood associations, Washington Gateway Main Street and the Mandela Residents Cooperative Association.

Alexandra Partners have begun and will continue to meet with the Boston Civic Design Commission (BCDC) and South End Landmarks District Commission (SELDC) to review the building and restoration plan. Shawmut Construction will complete the project with union labor.

The meeting included a slide presentation by an architect from CBT, the firm that designed the project; real estate attorney Marc Lacasse, who explained the mitigation and community benefits plan; and comments from South End and Roxbury neighbors.

While there was overwhelming support in the room for the redevelopment plan, a few dissented. George Stergios, president of WSANA, expressed reservations about the height and the price the Church of Scientology is asking, which in turn drives profit pressure. Stergios feels that if the price were negotiated down, there would not be as much pressure to create such a large addition to the existing structure. Stergios's personal opposition differs from WSANA's conditional approval contingent upon the approval of Chester Square, the host neighborhood association for the project. Another WSANA member voiced opposition to the size of the project.

Steve Jerome, former member of the South End Landmarks District Commission who now lives in Charlestown, also opposes the project. Jerome would like to see an alternative use, such as a homeless shelter or affordable housing, with historic preservation aid from the Community Preservation Act.

While she was not able to attend the meeting, District 7 city councilor Kim Janey has been a vocal proponent of the project who feels her district needs the Alexandra project with its job creation and business revitalization potential. Jerome Branch, president of the Mandela Residents Cooperative Association on Lenox Street in Roxbury, refuted the concerns of some Roxbury residents that Roxbury was not sufficiently included in discussions of the Alexandra Partners project.

Branch said that he and other community leaders were involved in the discussions, and Roxbury was well-represented on the IAG. Afterward, Minnocci summed up the meeting as "very productive."

Earlier in the day on Monday, March 11, At Large city councilor Althea Garrison submitted a resolution to hold the renovation and construction of the Alexandra Hotel to height restrictions required by existing zoning laws and historic preservation requirements of the SELDC. The resolution was scheduled for a vote in the Wednesday, March 13 city council meeting.

Garrison's chief of staff, Mark Murphy, explained, "The councilor is not against the hotel going up; it's the fact that it violates article 80 (of BPDA's project review and approval process). It's the height: There are a lot of concerns among residents about shadows, parking and height. Also, the appearance not being consistent with the Victorian appearance of other buildings in the area. [Garrison] has received all these calls from concerned residents about the project and now she is receiving all these calls from people who support the current project proposal. Area. Her recommendation is that BPDA take a deeper look at zoning laws and SELDC by laws to look at height."

Councilor Janey said via email, "From the beginning of this proposal, I have worked with residents, neighborhood groups, and the development team to make sure that residents from both Roxbury and the South End are fully engaged in discussions about this project. For decades, this site has been an eyesore and missed opportunity, and multiple redevelopment proposals have not come to fruition, to great frustration of those living in close proximity to the hotel. I stand with the community in supporting the development of this site, including the possibility of increased height to make the project financially viable. Therefore, I will be opposing Councilor Garrison's resolution at this week's Council meeting."

On Thursday, March 14, the BPDA will vote on the Alexandra Hotel project.