We joined this team as to reflect our collective love, passion and appreciation for our city. When I was a young girl, I used to go to Academy Homes on the bus My great-grandmother would tell me “Make sure you’re home before the street lights come home”, my 9 year old self happily complied for the “freedom”. I gleefully left, hung out with friends, and mis-calculated timing. I was late, and so was the bus, I started walking home, scared. As I was walking past abandoned Parcel 3, I started crying and my grandmother’s house seemed very far (in hindsight, it was only 4 blocks away), but it seemed a lot farther. Almost miraculously, a nun appeared and asked me why I was crying, SOBBING, I told her, that my Great-grandmother warned me to not come home once the street lights came on. She asked me if I wanted her to walk me home, I said yes. I rang my great-grandmother’s bell. We lived at 1050 Tremont Street apt 308, she yelled through the intercom, “you better have Jesus with you”! I appeared at the door and “Grandmama” opened the door swiftly, as she was getting ready to “get me in order”, but when she saw the nun - literally stopped her in her tracks, seizing the moment of her awe, I said, It’s not Jesus, but his messenger, and she saved me. I could probably recount several of those happenings in my life. I tell that story, because everyone has a story to tell about where they grew up. How they played in the local park, the first time they rode the bus. 40 years later that story is poignant for several reasons: It was a constant reminder to lean on my faith, and it reminded me that in the beginning things seem far, but familiarity closes the distance, and later on in life when I recall the story, it reminded me of how we are to care about the people and places that shape our community. I used to sneak into Connolly’s as a little girl, Mrs. Hamlet would sit me at the end of the bar and allow me to “listen” to Jazz and “take care of me” as I was too young to be there, but she wanted to protect me. When I became a developer, Parcel 3 was immediately on my radar - we wanted to not only change how development occurred and by whom, but saw the redevelopment of Parcel 3 as a catalyst to give back to the community the way it gave (took care of and mentored me).
I watched the super bowl half time show and my biggest takeaway was, this (having a platform, knowing it’s value, bringing everyone together knowing this is not only a once in a life time opportunity for you, but for others, and you incorporate them as such! 400 extra’s whereas Bad Bunny as a unselfish leader shared his wealth) that is what it looks like when you have arrived and bring everyone with you.
As the commercial developer and equity partner to the Parcel 3 Development team, on behalf of my Onyx Group partners, I offer the following to my Dear Community:
We are writing to thank you for your support for the P3 Roxbury project. Each one of you is an integral part of our community, and your voices, opinions, and concerns truly matter. Your trust in us comes with a responsibility of transparency, honesty, and accountability.
We are issuing this statement because we are in fundamental disagreement with the decision to proceed with a community listening session following the recent de-designation of P3. We advised Reverend Brown to not proceed with this meeting. Our team received the news about the de-designation around the same time as the community, which should not happen on a project of this scale.
We feel it is disingenuous to leverage the community’s frustration and emotions in an attempt to be re-designated. We do not have enough information to take a position or to advise you to fight a battle that we are not equipped to win at this time. Our team is no longer on the same page.
We must speak the truth about the project’s current reality: the economic landscape has changed, life sciences investment is not coming, and there is no other single vehicle willing to make the investment necessary to truly develop P3 as originally envisioned.
We want to hold ourselves accountable to you, the community.
We believe that exploring the option of Madison Park as a contributing economic engine is a positive direction that should be pursued. P3 needs a significant investment that only a strong public and private partnership can accomplish.
We wish Reverend Brown well in all his future endeavors.
Chanda Smart is the CEO of OnyxGroup Development and Realty. A proud Roxbury resident, with the vision of transforming how development occurs and by whom. She is currently on the board of the MBTA and Pension & Workforce Committees, The Walker House, Governor Healey’s, MA 250 Committee, and a committee member of Abundant Housing of Mass.
