By Andrew Firestone

Commander Bill Hardy of VFW George Dilboy Post #529 smiles with a design of his new post. - Photo by Andrew Firestone

After over a year of planning the VFW Dilboy Post #529 has finally made a deal with developer Strategic Capital Partners LLC for a land swap which includes the construction of a brand new hall on currently unused land.

The Dilboy Post, which will be turning 90 this year has an illustrious history, including three Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients, particularly the expatriate George Dilboy of World War I. However it has fallen into disrepair recently, causing many of the approximately 676 members to hope for greener pastures.

“We have a major problem on our roof. We have a major problem in our basement with water coming in. We have a lot of issues here, it’s old,” said Quartermaster Ron Patalano.

“After I saw the old post, I said ‘these people really do need a new post,’” said Developer Roberto Arista of SCP, who said repairs to the old post would cost around $50,000.

Under Arista’s plan, SCP would be required to design and build a new building for the post next to their parking lot, creating the address 343 Summer St. After completion of the new Post, Commander Bob Hardy would then lease the 40,000 square-foot parking lot to SCP on a $1 lease for 99 years.

“Our World War II veterans bought us an investment that went sky high since then,” said Hardy. Patalano added, “Financially, we’re going to do good. Don’t get us wrong. But we’re giving up half our parking lot to do that. That’s rental money that we’re going to lose. But we’re getting a building that’s worth over a million dollars.”

The new building will cost between $1.6 to $1.7 million.

After being given the lease, SCP plans to build a 31-unit residential building using half of the parking lot. This large residential building has worried some neighbors.

One, Dr. Hanib Butt whose office lies adjacent to the proposed location of the new post, said he was not opposed to the VFW Post moving, but was not in favor of such a large cloister of condominiums being placed in the neighborhood.

“Thirty-one units, that to me… it’s just too big. I’ve asked them to reduce the size,” he said. “We just feel it will increase the density in the area, make it harder for us to park, make the area a lot more crowded because its just so big.”

Arista said, “It’s a big, densely populated city, and adding 60 people to Davis Square doesn’t seem to be a great big number.”

Dr. Butt also alluded to suspicion among the neighbors that the post would create rowdiness, though he himself said he had no problem with it. “Some of our neighbor’s biggest concern is that they don’t want to bring the VFW into their back yard which is the liquor mostly.”

“[The neighbors] complain [the veterans] come out and urinate outside.  The neighbors don’t want that.”

When addressed with these allegations, the veterans were unmoved. “We’ve been here for 90 years. Not once have any of the neighbors come to us, our commander, and complained to us about anything,” said Patalano.

Commander Hardy said he went to the police department to find records of any complaints about the post for the last five years and found nothing. “These complaints, by these so-called neighbors… what are the complaints?”

“We’re only moving 150 feet, it’s not as though we’re going to a new community or a different part of the city,” said Patalano.

Hardy pointed to the fact that the new hall would allow 8,300 square-feet of space for the many events such as the M.O.M. Road Race, HornFest, funerals, weddings and voting that take place there. He also noted that the new structures would produce a windfall for the city, as the new condominiums would become taxable. “It eases the burden on the city a little,” said Patalano. “It’s a win-win for everyone.”

While the project still needs a special permit from the city, Arista was optimistic that the city agreed with the proposed construction project. “The Mayor seems to be very much in favor of the project, it’s a great improvement to Davis Square,” said Arista. “It’ll be accessible to all the newer vets who aren’t signing up because they don’t want to go to this old decrepit space.”

“Most of these veterans coming home, they’re amputees and everything else, and if you look at this building, this is not wheelchair accessible,” said Hardy.

Hardy was pleased with the progress on getting the new post, which still requires another meeting  with the Neighborhood Task Force, the Liquor Licensing Board and the Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals.

“I have to take care of the next generation. The veterans of Iraq and Afganistan. I can’t tell them to come in here, they spend their life here… and it’s a bunker.”

Butt said that opposition to the condominiums may be a lingering problem. “They build and then they go away,” he said. “But I don’t think the neighbors are happy. I can tell you that.”