BOSTON — Businesses along the Mass and Cass corridor are begging the City of Boston to reconsider a proposal to turn the vacant Roundhouse Hotel on Mass. Ave into housing for the homeless. Mayor Michelle Wu confirmed the hotel was on the table for housing but declined to give further details last week.
Business owners told Boston 25 News they are nervous that the city is moving forward with the idea without hearing their input. Those businesses applauded the city’s efforts to clear hundreds of tents from the area back in late October.
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Mayor Wu announced that the city was pausing tent removals after taking office in November. She said the city planned on moving those still in encampments to 200 transitional housing units and was searching for available sites in various neighborhoods.
“We had promises she was going to clean this up and do the right thing. This is the right thing?” questioned Gerry DiPierro, owner of DiPierro Construction. “This is a slap in the face. We’ve had enough.”
Boston 25 News sat down with five business owners and supervisors on Monday night who each shared similar concerns. They said opening the vacant hotel for housing goes against years-worth of promises of decentralizing services in the area.
“It’s going to be like the wild wild west out there. There’s no way to control them once they’re in that building,” said Neil Kane, manager of DB&S Lumber.
Businesses said they’ve kept their doors open through the worst of the crisis with the hope that things would get better. Now they’re worried it’s about to get worse.
“I’ve been operating the station for 26 years, and I think this is probably the toughest time for me if they move next door. It might put me out of business,” said Bill Lim, owner of the Sunoco Gas Station at 895 Mass. Ave.
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Mayor Wu did not respond to Boston 25 News’ request for comment on Monday.