KO Catering and Pies was founded in South Boston and our small business has enjoyed a great relationship with the Southie community for almost five years. We own the building at 85/87A St. that includes two rental properties in addition to our catering and retail shop. Our business is currently being threatened by a proposed development at 45 West Third St. that would encompass our building.

As often as possible, we have been part of the community process communicating with the developer (Spaulding & Slye), the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) and neighborhood organizations to consider the needs of KO and its neighbors, and to make this project as beneficial as possible to everyone in the community. We support the idea of development around us rather than having an underutilized building and an industrial parking lot there. Until now, the process has followed the guidelines and parameters set by the city when big projects like these are proposed.

However, we recently learned (through our neighbors, NOT the city) that the BRA and city of Boston are allowing the developer to apply for a unique project development area (PDA) that would NOT allow KO to challenge any of the current zoning changes that would be required by the normal rules. PDAs are frequently referred to as “spot-zoning” and often approved, we feel, as a result of “insider politics.” Stripping abutters, neighbors and all affected parties in the Southie community of their right to recommend modifications to the project and legally challenge the developer sends the message that there is one set of rules for wealthy developers, and another for the rest of us.

Along with many other Boston small businesses, KO has endured one of the toughest economic winters ever. The idea of being isolated and closed off for 18-24 months (during construction) is a very scary proposition. We have been advised that approval of PDA No. 102 allows the developer to proceed with very few considerations of our real estate and operations. We feel it is unfair, potentially damaging to our businesses, and the wrong message to send to future Southie neighborhood developers, that if they can’t get things done the traditional way, they can move the goalposts to do it another way.

The lack of inclusion and communication by the city of Boston, the BRA and the developer throughout this process has already been detrimental to our business. The potential that the developer could sell the rights to the project, and/or change the scope of the project once approved, with no recourse to challenge them, is very troubling.

Say yes to transparency and inclusion.

Say no to PDA No. 102 for 45 West Third St. in Southie.

Thank you.