The following letter, vetted by SAND members, was sent to the Boston Globe editorial department on October 16, 1999. The editors did not select the letter for publication.


To the Editor:

Boston would be enriched by the siting of a cultural facility on Fan Pier, but contrary to the assertion of Boston 2000's Michael Taylor, the planning effort on this particular parcel should not be considered a private affair [Unplanned Fan Pier, Sunday October 17]. One billion taxpayer dollars are being used to build an MBTA station at the foot of Fan Pier, and the proposed height and density of development on the remaining 20 acres of Fan Pier will place a tremendous environmental impact on neighboring properties, the harbor edge and on the harbor itself. For these reasons, Parcel J must offer significant public benefit. In a City allocating $150 million for a convention center and perhaps as much for a sports stadium, one might have expected Boston 2000 to have championed a truly public multi-purpose art and performance center. Instead, perhaps as a result of a failed public process, admission charges and ticket prices will determine who will be the primary beneficiary of a privately owned, taxpayer subsidized project.

Steve Hollinger
Seaport Alliance for a Neighborhood Design
Boston




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