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– News about Quincy covered by Quincy Quarry News with commentary added.
Yet another case of the same old same old in the Q
A file photo
Latest Quincy housing development proposal looks fishy.
Wicked fishy, even per Quincy’s lowly standards.
Quincy Mayor Thomas P. Koch’s City Consigliere has proposed a private redevelopment project for his own personal financial benefit at 105 Sea Street, the site of the former Imperial Dynasty restaurant.
Per one thoughtful review, the consigliere is working it, if not also trying to put in the fix.
For example, not only did the mayor’s fixer endeavor to shortcut the normal review process for his proposal by attempting to bypass review by the City’s Planning Department, the consigliere is also asking for seven considerable variances from local building codes to be granted by the Zoning Board of Appeal.
Stacking the deck
A Quincy Quarry News file photo
On top of fast-tracking things, if the variances requests are granted, the size of the proposed residential project would be over twice as large as is supposed to be allowed by code.
At the same time, the sought waiver to reduce parking capacity conversely works out to be 13% less than the code requires even though the property does not have access to any nearby curbside or otherwise public parking for surge parking needs.
Particularly galling about the request, even in light of all manner of past galling positions of the consiglieri while endeavoring to do the will of Mayor Koch over the years, is the fact that per Massachusetts applicable law variances are only supposed to be provided in the event of a demonstrable hardship if an applicant were strictly held to local code.
It’s all who you know in the Q
Image via iStock.com
Needless to say, building over twice as large a building but with fewer parking spaces than required does not poses any legitimate hardship for the developer and thus the variance asks should be viewed as without merit.
Abutters, on the other hand, would face all manner of hardships.
Accordingly, the variances sought should thus be summarily rejected by the Zoning Board of Appeal.
If it was not the zoning board for the City of Quincy, that is.
Special treatment for Special interests?
A ThePeoplesVoice.org graphic image
Further, the sum of it all gives rise to at least perceptions of all manner of grave conflicts of interest endeavored by the consigliere, if not also arguable abuses of power.
These additional concerns were addressed in detail from the 7:40 time to 18:40 point timeframe of the discussion within this podcast.
Granted, Quincy Quarry fully appreciates how the consigliere has every right to work a side hustle.
At the same, such does not mean that he should also enjoy special treatment which greatly increases his potential to make a fat profit that no one outside of the Koch Machine’s family and campaign fund friends might be able to score.
Even so, as well as pointed public criticism notwithstanding, the consiglieri has so far stubbornly reiterated that he plans to seek the variances without any modifications from his original ask.
So what, apparently, for the fact that even McDonald’s® discontinued its Supersize-it menu almost twenty years ago in the face of well-warranted criticism over its so promoting to pig out at the trough.
Seeing red
Image via Bloomberg.com
Similarly, so what also for the fact that the location for the proposed project posed all manner of legitimate traffic safety concerns along the well know to be both busy and at times unsafe roadway that is Sea Street.
And finally, to build upon the work of others to exposé this attempt at a grift, Quincy Quarry News has exclusive information to add to this breaking badly bad news© of the day and which is exactly of the sort of information that Quincy Quarry News’ evergrowing legions of loyal expect from the Quarry.
Fredo, mother is dead
An American Zoetrope image
Specifically, care of the Quarry’s sources both high but mostly low comes word that Quincy Mayor Thomas P. Koch had a terse conversation with his consiglieri over the consiglieri’s attempt to grift himself a supersized piece of the pie.
No word, at least not yet anyway, if the mayor’s criticism was fueled by concerns about covering his own tukas or if he was just irritated that his campaign fund did not receive the usual largess whenever an overly large local development proposal is greenlighted.
Rules are for thee and me but not Koch donors!
Great comment, Linda. The city has undoubtedly deteriorated during the Koch administration.
Our elected officials should be working to make the city a better place for residents rather than take care of out-of-town property developers who are only here to make a buck.
I did not cast my vote to make Quincy a bigger and more congested city!
I wonder how big the developer’s envelope was?
Dog,
No offense, but I suspect that you meant to ask how thick.
You are correct, it was early and I wrote envelope instead of “sack of cash.” My bad, please excuse my mistype.
If that’s the “artist’s rendition” included in any applications for the proposed construction, the project should immediately be scrapped on looks alone.
Not only is this project problematic for the numerous reasons listed in the article, but it will also and immediately be an eyesore. That being said. it won’t be too much more unsightly than most of the new construction being foisted on the city.
Maybe a new architectural style can be defined by the buildings that the city is now chock-full of: Blasé Minus
SMH. Quincy so needs an ombudsperson to look into the apparent nepotism, graft, and corruption!
Please somebody run against this guy!