The MBTA today agreed to give Medfield a set of sixteen granite blocks that once probably formed the foundation of a railroad water tower. The town will use them for seating at the Straw Hat Pocket Park. Below is the exchange of emails that made it happen.
6/06/2014 1:03PM
RE: Re-purposing MBTA granite blocks into park seats
Boyle, Mark E.
===========================================================
Mr. Boyle,
Thank you! Unbelievable, but every dealing I have had with the MBTA have been so incredibly fast and efficient, that you get it done in less than one day! I hope we get back to you soon about the Bay Colony Rail Trail.
PS – We will send you pictures of the Straw Hat Park and the MBTA’s granite blocks when the park opens.
Best,
Pete
Osler L. Peterson, Attorney at Law
— Original Message—
To: “‘Osler L. Peterson'”
From: “Boyle, Mark”
Sent: 6/06/2014 12:26PM
Subject: RE: Re-purposing MBTA granite blocks into park seats
>> Mr. Peterson:
>>
>> This request is APPROVED. Please work with Patricia Barrett (copied on this
>> message) to complete the license/right of entry paperwork to access MBTA property
>> and remove the blocks.
>>
>> Thank you.
>>
>> Mark
>>
>> Mark E. Boyle
>> Assistant General Manager
>> Real Estate and Asset Development
>> MBTA
>> Ten Park Plaza, Suite 5720
>> Boston, MA 02116
>>
>> —–Original Message—–
>> From: Osler L. Peterson
>> Sent: Friday, June 06, 2014 11:12 AM
>> To: Boyle, Mark
>> Cc: Michael Sullivan; Kristine Trierweiler; Jean Mineo; Robert Kennedy
>> Subject: Re-purposing MBTA granite blocks into park seats
>>
>> Mr. Boyle,
>>
>>
>> I am a fourteen year selectman in Town of Medfield, and you and I had cursory
>> dealings in 2009 over the Bay Colony Rail Trail (copies of those emails appear
>> below). Despite how quickly I then thought the Bay Colony Rail Trail process might
>> happen, please know that Medfield is still hoping to make it a reality.
>>
>>
>> However, I am writing today about a second matter in the Town of Medfield, in hopes
>> that you are the proper person at the MBTA with whom to deal. The Town of Medfield
>> would like to re-purpose a group of about sixteen granite blocks owned by the MBTA
>> that originally served as a foundation for what we believe was a water tower that
>> serviced the railroad off West Mill Street, in what was then know as Medfield Junction
>> (the intersection of our north/south and east/west railroad lines), along what is now the
>> MBTA’s Bay Colony right of way in Medfield.
>>
>> With the MBTA’s permission, we propose to use the granite blocks as seating
>> elements in a new town park in our downtown, and feel that the historical tie in to
>> Medfield’s past would make them both especially interesting and appropriate.
>>
>> I have attached photos of both the granite blocks and the town owned land in our
>> downtown where the new pocket park is proposed. The granite blocks are about two
>> feet square on top, and a perfect height to serve as seats. The proposed pocket park
>> is along North Street in our downtown, and in the photos you can see Zebra’s
>> Restaurant to the left, Starbuck’s to the right, and our Town House at the right rear
>> behind the Starbuck’s.
>>
>> I would be happy to show anyone from the
>> MBTA the granite blocks, if that would help.
>>
>> Thank you in advance for your courtesies and assistance with this matter. Please let
>> me know if you have any questions.
>>
>>
>>
>> Best,
>> Pete
>> Osler L. Peterson, Attorney at Law
>> PETERSON | Law
>> 580 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02458
>> 66 North St, PO Box 358, Medfield, MA 02052 T – 617.969.1500 T – 617.969.1501 (direct)
>> M – 508-359-9190 F – 617.663.6008 osler.peterson@verizon.net
>> http://mysite.verizon.net/osler.peterson/
>> Medfield Information at: Facebook, https://medfield02052.wordpress.com/ &
>> http://twitter.com/Medfield
>> — Original Message—
>> To: “Osler L. Peterson”
>> From: “Boyle, Mark”
>> Sent: 6/29/2009 3:51PM
>> Subject: RE: Bay Colony tracks rail/trail bike path
>>
>> >> The MBTA is fast, but perhaps not quite that fast! At some point when
>> >> you’re ready, I’d suggest a meeting or workshop with interested
>> >> parties to discuss our rail trail program with municipalities. As I
>> >> mentioned, the MBTA conveys (via long-term 85-year leases) unused
>> >> railroad right of ways to local communities at no cost for conversion
>> >> to rail trails. We do stipulate and reserve the right to re-claim the
>> >> property if needed for a future transportation use. We have a growing
>> >> list of successful conversions.
>> >>
>> >> Thank you and I look forward to working with you on this important
>> >> effort.
>> >>
>> >> Mark E. Boyle
>> >> Assistant General Manager for Development MBTA Ten Park Plaza Boston,
>> >> MA 02116
>> >> —–Original Message—–
>> >> From: Osler L. Peterson
>> >> Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 3:38 PM
>> >> To: Christian Donner; Connors, Thomas; Michael Sullivan;
>> >> Subject: RE: Bay Colony tracks rail/trail bike path
>> >>
>> >> Tom,
>> >>
>> >> Thanks for all the detailed information. I just spoke to Mark Boyle
>> >> (a copy of my notes are attached and copied in below). and he says if
>> >> I write him a letter he will send me the keys. Easiest real estate
>> >> deal I have ever done. So what’s holding Needham up?
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Best,
>> >> Pete
==============================================
>> >> Telephone call to Mark Boyle, Director of Real Estate MBTA 10 Park
>> >> Plaza Boston, MA 02116
>> >> June 30, 2009 (3:09pm)
>> >>
>> >> 1. Related contact with Tom Connors with respect to Newton to
>> >> Medfield rail trail
>> >> 2. Procedure with MBTA =
>> >> a. Town writes a letter to the MBTA to ask about acquiring
>> >> the land
>> >> b. MBTA lease land for 85 years at no cost
>> >> c. Town of Medfield must agree to do the repair and
>> >> maintenance
>> >> i. What does that require? ==> “not much”
>> >> 3. Mass Highway and TIP funds to develop a rail trail
>> >> 4. MBTA has a boilerplate lease agreement that K&P finds acceptable
>> >> 5. Another model = Mass Central RR right of way ran through nine
>> >> towns, and DCR stepped in to design and develop the rail trail
>> >> 6. Bay Colony has to relinquish its freight rights to the line
>> >> first
>> >> a. It will require them to spend about $10,000 for a RR
>> >> attorney to do the paper work
>> >> b. He spoke to Bernie Regan, president of Bay Colony RR
>> >> recently
>> >> i. He says he does not want to continue to use it
>> >> ii. They so have a repair and maintenance
>> >> obligation, so they have an incentive to cease control
>> >> 7. G. L. c. 21E issues
>> >> a. Legislature amended statute recently to protect towns
>> >> acquiring old RR beds for rail trails, as long as town is following
>> >> best practices
>> >> b. Liability reverts from the town to last owner, which
>> >> would be MBTA, but by statute they sluff it off onto the owner prior
>> >> to them
Medfield02052's Blog 