Dilboy VFW Closed

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

Be aware that right now, the Dilboy VFW in Davis Square is closed indefinitely. This weekend's function was cancelled (we helped them find a new venue). We are currently working with city and state inspectors and architects however, without the new post we'd hoped to have done, things are unsure at this time.

I don't know yet what this means for any events scheduled down the road, but you cannot book our hall at this point in time until further notice.

Comments

[ron_newman]

All of it - both downstairs and upstairs are closed?

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

Yes.

[gruene.livejournal.com]

Background here:

http://www.wickedlocal.com/somerville/features/x745433076/Somervilles-Dilboy-VFW-post-faces-potential-shutdown

[veek.livejournal.com]

Thank you. This post was the first I'd heard of the issue, and I wondered what the heck was going on.

[ron_newman]

and also:

http://www.universalhub.com/2011/cask-vfw-post

http://bombardiette.livejournal.com/498075.html

(Up to now, I've been holding back posting about it here, out of respect to bombardiette.)

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

And a Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=319641694718035&id=319562441392627&ref=notif&notif_t=feed_comment_reply#!/pages/Save-the-George-Dilboy-VFW-Post-529/319562441392627?notif_t=page_new_likes).

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I am so, so sorry to hear this. I took the liberty of clicking through to your public post about it (it was public so I didn't think you'd mind) and I am sickened by how the veterans of our community are being bullied out of Davis for what seem like made-up reasons.

My question now would be...is there anything that the public can do to help in this awful situation? I stand behind our community's veterans and service people, and I'm definitely not the one. If making calls, sending emails, donating or anything else in support of the veterans and the post will help, count on me.

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

Huge thanks to you and yes, I made that particular post public after some debate and encouragement from others.

Please contact your alderman, the mayor's office, and your congressman. We're also trying to bring this to Senator Brown and the more people he hears from, the better.

If you're on Facebook, here's our attempt at a grassroots campaign (http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=319641694718035&id=319562441392627&ref=notif&notif_t=feed_comment_reply#!/pages/Save-the-George-Dilboy-VFW-Post-529/319562441392627?notif_t=page_new_likes) so feel free to join for more info as received and more updates when they come. (I just created this page today after learning that yeah, we're closed for sure right now).

Thank you, thank you, thank you. ♥

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

So, I read all the articles and stuff linked to and I can only say:

What. the. FUCK.

I'm a vet, but I'm way more pissed about this as a civilian than a vet (have never used the post -as- a vet, so). Yes, making sure codes are followed is important, but I'm guessing the city could have been WAY more supportive and helpful.

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

The harassment from the opposing abutters (supported by the Ward 6 Alderman) the post received since August when the ZBA gave the approval for us to build our new post, after all of our concessions over the years, has been unbelievable.

When things didn't go the way they wanted, they found other means to shut us down for good instead. It's heart-wrenching for me personally.

[kimberlogic.livejournal.com]

This is awful. I will join those contacting city and state officials and anyone else that I can.

WELL BOO TO THAT

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

I've rented out the Dilboy VFW for functions, and the staff there could not have been more excellent. In turn, I recommended the Dilboy to other friends for functions, and all have had the same experience: only great things to say. I agree with the comments Iv'e read: why would the city work AGAINST vets, instead of with them?

I'll definitely be emailing the people you suggest. Do you have any boilerplate or specific language you'd like us to use? If so, would you be willing to post it here for me to use? If not, would you like help writing some? I do that kind of stuff for my job and would be happy to help, if it's wanted or needed.

Re: WELL BOO TO THAT

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

Here's what I sent to my state people:
While the abutters and concerned citizens claim this battle is about the developer, getting the VFW shut down for fire code violations this past weekend suggests that the developer issue may be a false flag for simply pushing the VFW out.

The violations for which the post was shut down are ones that are ignored at churches throughout the state: the modifications to state fire codes in response to the Station Nightclub fire in 2003 do not apply to churches, though some in Somerville have a higher regular attendance than the typical crowd at the VFW, please see the function hall at Dormition of the Virgin Mary on Central St, which does NOT have an automatic sprinkler system, and CAN hold more than 100 persons at one time.

The opposition to the developer seems, now, to hinge on a history poor prior workmanship on the part of the developers, as well as missing paperwork which has since been completed.

If my neighbor's plumber cross connects a cold water pipe to a hot water faucet, I do not have a leg to stand on to ask the city to prevent the plumber from being allowed to work on other houses.

My understanding, from a reading of this document: http://www.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/rnd/Summer%20St%20343-351%20-%20SR%208-19-112.pdf
is that the ZBA has repeatedly gotten the developer to change the plan to meet current zoning laws, and has tentatively approved to development plan, yet the "abutters", one of whom lives about a mile away, continue to stress the bad history of the developers, though these concerns are not, according to court precedent in MA, a valid basis for approval or denial of special permits:

"There has been a significant effort on behalf of some abutters to address other projects that may have involved some of the principles of some of the Applicants of this project. Staff wants to caution the ZBA that these projects are not before the Board and any issues, real or perceived, with these projects are not an appropriate basis for the approval or denial of any Special Permit. Courts in Massachusetts have regularly upheld this position. For more on this subject, Staff recommends a review of the 1977 Massachusetts Appeals Court case “Dennis M. Dowd vs. Board of Appeals of Dover (5 Mass. App. Ct. 148).”
As this Board is well aware, Massachusetts Special Permit projects are regularly bought and sold between approval and development. Therefore, Special Permit Granting Authorities must continue to focus their reviews on the quality of the project, the submitted plans, the proposed conditions and the required findings rather than any reputation, (good or bad), of any particular Applicant."

Why, immediately after Veterans' Day, are we still seeing stonewalling and sandbagging of the VFW?

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

State Senator (Jehlen), State Rep (Sciortino), and my incoming Alderman (Lafuente) have been emailed.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

As I said to bombardiette, I don't think this battle is lost yet. I believe enough voices from community members heard by elected officials could possibly turn things around for them, and maybe for your reception, too!

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

This is terrible :( I'll at least make a couple calls to do what I can.

Side point: Until now I've had a bit more sympathy for the neighbors (assuming the plan is still for a 31-unit condo complex at the site, which I agree is excessive), but now I really feel nothing but disgust at whoever is using these bushleague tactics.

[smoterh.livejournal.com]

I actually never had the sympathy for the neighbors claims as I think that new developments are this mean that the city is evolving for the better. However because of the memory of the Rhode Island nightclub fire that killed a 100 people makes me think that the city did the right thing to shut down VFW until the fire code violations are fixed.

[ron_newman]

New article at Somerville Patch:

Fire Code Issue Increases Rift Between VFW Post and Neighbors

[ron_newman]

I support the VFW remaining open but I certainly can't support this:

Upset by what they perceive as a campaign waged against them, a campaign that is costing the post money as it strives to comply with codes that never seemed to be a problem until recently, the VFW post has hired a legal consultant.

"He's investigating these people," said Palatano. "Because we're going to sue these people. We want to know who the deep pockets are."

Asked if he felt those words could be construed as intimidating, Palatano said, "It is." He said neighbors are "anti-veteran." Many of his words seemed to be spoken in frustration.

That's called a SLAPP - Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participataion and it is not allowed by state law.

[belladonna.livejournal.com]

I really want to help, but I don't even know where to begin with what to say. What seems to help get more people to email/call is a sort of cheat sheet/template email to base their own email on. Phe, is there any possibility of getting one of those posted so I and others can use it as a jumping-off point?

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

piercehear has posted a template above. :)

[smoterh.livejournal.com]

Speaking from a completely outside perspective, i find it amusing that when the Armory had been found to have to have minor accessibility code violations, the general online Somerville community was frothing with rage against them. It's really interesting to watch this community rage with support for the building that actually has public safety violations.

[lady-waffler.livejournal.com]

You make a good point. The neighbors may have blown the whistle on this, but the post is the one who has been operating out of compliance all these years. While I feel very sad that they are closed and hope that they find a solution soon, they really have nobody to blame but themselves...and perhaps the city who has allowed them to operate out of compliance. In fact, I think that the city could take some blame here and should help pay for some new sprinklers. As a tax-paying resident, I would be happy to see some of my tax dollars go to that.

And from what I understand, and what the Somerville Journal articles seem to say, the neighbors are not at all against the post and are hardly anti-veterans. They are opposed to the development of an over-sized condo unit that has no business being built on such a small lot. But again, it's the city that is trying to get this through. It is just too bad that the post got themselves tied up with this developer.

I wish the post well and hope they can get themselves up to code, but I do not think that they should be exempt from basic fire safety laws. The post may be empty a lot of the time, but I have also seen it quite crowded. I think people would be crying out a whole different story if the lack of sprinklers was discovered through a fire, like the nightclub in Rhode Island. Let's be thankful that nobody has gotten hurt.

[ron_newman]

My recollection is that almost everyone here has enthusiastically supported Arts at the Armory (including its revised petition to the ZBA to allow for matinees), because we recognize the good that the Armory does for Somerville. Similarly, we support the VFW because it, too, is an important and useful part of our community.