[Hamilton]

5 years ago Boggiano opposed any projects in Journal Square. He's since had a change of heart and now only opposes any projects east of Summit Ave and north of Newkirk St. For all he cares you could fill the rest of the ward with 150-story buildings, but any 4+-story building in Hilltop makes him apoplectic. He lives on Magnolia in a detached house...he takes "not in my backyard" very literally! However, it's not fair to force all development on the area west of Summit. And small-scale projects like the ones proposed in Hilltop are usually more affordable and more likely to actually get done because they're cheaper to construct and easier to get loans for. So they're an essential for keeping the area affordable to the middle class.

If you want to see his thoughts on development in more detail, search for "Boggiano" in the Hilltop Neighborhood Association group on Yahoo. He opposed the building going up on Newark and Waldo, as well as a proposal for a 5-story building on High St that was withdrawn from the Planning Board, plus many others. In one post he said that someone came to him with a proposal to build over the PATH rail cut in October 2016 and he implies he basically threw them out of his office. LOL.

But yeah, never though the savior of this trainwreck would be BOGGIANO of all people.

Anyway, it seems obvious that they'd have to go before the planning board for this change in use they're requesting. They're legally entitled to build this modified version with more apartments under the redevelopment plan, but that doesn't mean the Planning Board will approve it, as we've all seen from 19 Perrine Ave, 85 Bright St, etc. Depending on how far the city wants to take it, it could be bogged down in lawsuits for several years before the courts force the city to follow the law.

By the way - CIA did you notice that in the approval for Journal Squared II they asked for 779 feet from the FAA for the lightning rod, but the FAA determination was only 759 feet? ... it seems like the FAA has drawn a line in the sand (line in the air?) on Journal Square tower heights?