Documenting Boston’s Murals: What They Say and How They Say It, a short essay written for the Boston Society of Architects on my attempts at documenting every extant mural in the City of Boston.
All posts in category Community Development
Documenting Boston’s Murals: What They Say and How They Say It
Posted by Anulfo on December 26, 2011
http://exploringvenustas.wordpress.com/2011/12/26/documenting-bostons-murals-what-they-say-and-how-they-say-it/
Boston’s Oldest Remaining Fire House Gets a Facelift
The Eustis Street Firehouse in the Summer of 2010. Photo Credit: Anulfo Baez.
Boston’s oldest remaining fire house; the Eustis Street Fire House in Roxbury has been fully restored and is now the headquarters for Historic Boston Incorporated. Built in 1859, the 2 ½ story, brick Italianate Style building was designed by the Roxbury architect John Roulestone Hall. A wood addition was added to the rear in 1869.
The fire house remained vacant for more than 40 years, but thanks to the vision of Historic Boston Incorporated, a preservation organization in the city; the building was bought, restored and re-purposed as their headquarters. Not only has this important piece of Boston history been preserved, but it has also been breathing new life to Dudley Square. Let’s hope this is just the beginning in the revitalization efforts of the other “heart” of Boston.
Eustis Street Firehouse in 2011. Photo credit: Boston Fire Historical Society
Posted by Anulfo on December 16, 2011
http://exploringvenustas.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/bostons-oldest-remaining-fire-house-gets-a-facelift/
Making Boston Awesome One Community Garden at a Time
As an urban dweller, there are many things that make me happy to live in a city. One of those many things is being able to talk to people tending their plots in community gardens. According to the Boston Natural Areas Network, there are nearly 200 community and school gardens in the City of Boston and its surrounding towns. These gardens are cared for by more than 10,000 urbanites working towards making Boston a more sustainable, healthier and greener city.
Boston’s community gardens are thriving, but is evident from this sign that people are eager to garden more. The current demand for more community gardens is pushing city planning officials to re-consider zoning in Boston.
Empty, unattended land parcels are eye sores in many of the poorest neighborhoods of Boston.
These empty sites are uninspiring and promote among many other things, blight. In contrast, community gardens promote safe and healthy communities, they nurture good neighbor relationships, promote exercise, healthy eating habits, and many other benefits.
Bostonians are eager to make this city an even more awesome one, one community garden at a time. Are city planning officials listening to the people?
Posted by Anulfo on September 22, 2011
http://exploringvenustas.wordpress.com/2011/09/22/making-boston-awesome-one-community-garden-at-a-time/
Review: In the Footprint
On Wednesday night I had the opportunity of seeing “In the Footprint: The Battle over Atlantic Yards” presented by The Civilians and Arts Emerson at the Paramount Theatre in Boston. The show is a combination of theatre, dance and music and “draws inspiration from interviews with the real life players in the story of a divided borough: residents both old and new, community activists, developers and politicos.”
I found the show inspiring and thought provoking, touching on race relations in America, community activism, environmental racism, political corruption among many other issues. “In the Footprint: The Battle over Atlantic Yards” will be performed until January 23rd at the Paramount. I highly reccommend it!
The Atlantic Yards development project in Brooklyn is one of the largest and most controversial projects in the country. It is very complex with many layers and players; this is a good site to learn more about it.
Opening night, @ArtsEmerson held a Twitter contest and my tweet appeared on the Paramount marquee. Check it out:
Posted by Anulfo on January 21, 2011
http://exploringvenustas.wordpress.com/2011/01/21/in-the-footprint/
