I-Team: Back Bay Development May Threaten Historic Buildings
BOSTON (CBS) - Boston's historic Back Bay neighborhood is built on a delicate foundation of wood piles which depends on maintaining a consistent level of groundwater under the buildings. But the I-Team has discovered that some neighbors are accusing a well-connected property owner of skirting the rules designed to protect this system and they fear their neighborhood is now on shaky ground.
Sam Perry grew up on Newbury Street and still owns the building that is home to Sonsie Restaurant. Recently he has noticed that building is crumbling. "This whole wall started to bulge out from the settlement," Perry said pointing to the exterior wall of the restaurant. He also has photos of cracks on interior walls of the building and problems in the brick facade. He says the building is settling because of a drop in the groundwater.
The Back Bay was created back in the 1800's when a tidal pool was filled in with dirt. When development started, each building was built on wood piles driven into the fill to act as a secure foundation. In order to remain sound, the wood piles, which look a lot like telephone poles, must remain covered with ground water. If the wood piles dry out, they rot. Wentworth Institute engineering professor James Lambrechts showed us a rotted pile that was removed from a home on Chestnut Street. The top was rotted and crumbling, however, the base, which had remained submerged, was still solid. "This will happen to most of the piles under a building when the water table goes down and stays down for a number of years," he explained.
A number of factors can contribute to falling water levels, but Perry and other neighbors are convinced a nearby parking lot is to blame. The lot was built by paving over the backyards of several row houses without permission from the City. Without that oversight, the lot was not designed to include a drain to allow rainwater back into the ground. Instead it flowed into a sewer and out to Boston Harbor. "So you are depriving that area of a lot of infiltrating ground water," Professor Lambrechts explained.
The property is owned by the Fairfield group, operated by the Glynn family, the same owners of many well-known restaurants including the Black Rose and Grannery Tavern. The I-Team obtained documents from 2010 showing the city ordered the owners to get proper permitting for the lot or tear it up. The violation threatened fines and even criminal prosecution, but in four years nothing has been done. That, according to Boston City Councilor Josh Zakim, is a problem. "This has been an ongoing problem for years and has not been addressed adequately," he said.
Now the Glynns want to build on top of that lot and those plans will address the water issue. But neighbors and Councilor Zakim want the existing damaged addressed before any new construction begins. "It's a dangerous situation for the folks in these buildings," he said.
In a written statement the owners told the I-Team: "We are not responsible for any alleged water table depletion; this is a historic issue throughout the Back Bay."
But Perry feels strongly the damage to his building is related to the illegal parking lot and he wants to know why the city hasn't taken action to protect the buildings. "Five years ago all of this was supposed to be removed and it's not happening and I want to know why," he said.
Since our investigation began, the I-Team has learned the Boston Water and Sewer Commission has ordered the owners to modify the lot to stop the water runoff into the sewer. The owners tell us that work is expected to begin any day.
Send tips for the I-Team to iteam@cbsboston.com or call 617-779 TIPS
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