Mass. Dept. of Transitional Assistance has moved to Revere

[ron_newman]

According to signs posted outside, the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) closed its One Davis Square office at the end of business yesterday. The office will reopen Tuesday at 300 Ocean Avenue in Revere, next to Revere Beach station on the Blue Line. Customers should call 781-286-7401 or 800-650-2560 for more information.

Several parking meters on both the Day and Dover street sides of the building are now covered by red "No Parking" bags. This probably means demolition of One Davis Square will begin very soon. I don't know if all of the other offices have moved out yet.

Comments

[agharta75.livejournal.com]

Gentrification is complete: there are no more poor people in Davis Square.

[srl.livejournal.com]

What are they planning to build on the One Davis Sq site?

[ron_newman]

A three-story building containing a CVS, Boston Sports Club gym, and some office space.

See this post, and its comments, for more information.

[chumbolly.livejournal.com]

Ron, are they tearing down the whole building, or just substantially renovating it? I'm hoping the facade survives, though with the archways filled with glass instead of the current brick. Do you know anything more about the design?

[ron_newman]

My impression is that this is basically a demolition followed by a new building, rather than a renovation. But you should check with city officials to be sure.

[ron_newman]

This project was discussed at Tuesday's Davis Square Task Force meeting. I could not go, but I talked to one attendee and exchanged e-mail with another, and here's what they said:

The current building will be demolished to the street level in July and August. The basement will remain. Supposedly construction of the new building will be finished by next April. The developer is repainting all white road markings in Davis Square and funding seating area maintenance in the square.

[ron_newman]

I was wrong about the purpose of the red No Parking bags. Moving vans were using these parking spaces on Dover Street this morning, presumably to move stuff out of the DTA or other offices that are vacating this building.

[mistergoat.livejournal.com]

What?? That's absurd. Back in 2003 they tried to close the Revere office and many of its clients to Davis. Now they're doing the opposite? There is now NO DTA office in Somerville or Cambridge. So people who live north of the river on the Red Line and need public assistance will need to go into Boston, switch trains twice, and go out to Revere? With kids in tow? And risk being cut off for noncompliance if they miss a meeting? Good lord!