By George P. Hassett

The hill on Crescent Street had gone untouched since James O’Leary’s family lived in the neighborhood – 70 years. Beyond the hill, Crescent Street residents enjoyed a view of Boston and the Charles River. Then one day O’Leary looked out his window and saw bulldozers tearing through the hill and ripping up its vegetation. That was the first he heard of the six unit, three story residential building being built across the street from his Somerville home.

The reason developers could move onto O’Leary’s street and begin demolition without notifying him is one that Ward 1 Alderman William Roche said plagues parts of East Somerville. The other side of Crescent Street is in Boston and developers seemingly had no obligation to inform the neighbors across the street, and in another city, of their plans to build condominiums, said O’Leary. When the development is built residents may have a Boston address but they will be using Somerville streets to enter and exit their property. And, according to O’Leary, they will be stealing the view he and his family have enjoyed for generations.

‚ÄúThe building will be three stories. There is no other building on the street that big. It‚Äôs going to change the whole makeup of the street. We‚Äôll lose half the sunlight, a great view and traffic will increase. And because it is barely in Boston we can‚Äôt have any input or discussion,‚Äù he said.      

Roche shares O’Leary’s frusteration.

“It’s going to affect the quality of life in Somerville, no doubt about it. The building borders three streets – two are in Somerville. It aggravates me no one could make a phone call and notify the neighborhood,” he said.

Roche said East Somerville residents often bear the brunt of Boston traffic and development while receiving little help from Boston officials. He said the Sullivan Square train station is a prime example: ninety percent of the people who use the station on a daily basis are from Somerville although it is over the Boston line, he said. When public safety concerns were raised from women who walk to the station alone Roche said Somerville officials could not act because it
was outside of the city and Boston and MBTA officials seemed unwilling to.

“Boston and the MBTA don’t monitor or keep up their property and we suffer,” he said.

Roche pointed to a 100 unit condominium building by Sullivan Square that will clog Somerville streets as another example of Boston’s negative impact on the city.

“Boston will benefit with a boost to their tax revenue and Somerville will suffer with the traffic,” he said.

City spokesman Thomas P. Champion said if the property on Crescent Street did not require any special zoning changes to build Somerville abutters may not have a legal basis to oppose the development. O’Leary said he doesn’t know how he can voice his opposition if Boston officials will not listen.

“It’s frustrating to be too little for Boston to care about,” he said.