PAX Centurion - September / October 2015

Page 12 • PAX CENTURION • September/October 2015 617-989-BPPA (2772) New BPPA building taking shape By James W. Carnell, Pax Editor T he new BPPA building site, located at 295 Freeport Street, Dorchester and overlooking the expressway and UMass Bos- ton campus, is rapidly taking shape and was recently opened to the membership during the annual open meeting (October 7 th ) for inspection, comments and review. The parking lot has been re-surfaced and paint-marked and the outer fence has been replaced. An architect has been going through the building and will soon have proposals/plans ready for review by the BPPA officers and building committee members, who will then present the plans for inspection, review and approval to the BPPA House of Representatives. During the open house, many members had the same comment: the building is incredibly deceiving when viewed from the outside. Located opposite theYale Electric Supply andAppliance Company and 100 yards down the street from the IBEW Local 103 Union Hall, the building appears from the outside as a one story, brick office building. But inside, it contains 28 offices, conference and meeting rooms both large and small on two stories, and a huge, unfinished hall in the rear which is capable of being improved into a variety of possible uses. Some uses which have been mentioned and are being explored may be a function/meeting hall for use and rental by mem- bers, gym facilities, additional office space, etc., etc. At this point, the possibilities and ideas are endless and all suggestions are welcome. You really do have to visit the building and see it for yourself to get a good idea of what an outstanding site this truly is for the BPPA. 50 years ago, the BPPA used donated office space at the Tunnel Administration building in the North End before moving to rented offices above a parts-supply store at 752 East Third Street, South Boston (now condos, apartments). In 1995, we purchased 9-11 Shet- land Street in Roxbury at public auction for $210,000. (The property is now estimated to be worth well over $1,000,000.00 and has several offers.) 295 Freeport Street was purchased under the current BPPA leadership for $3,001,000.00 (Three million, One Thousand , not one hundred thousand…) in July, 2015 and has already been appraised at $4,250,000.00. We will be looking at the possibility of leasing/renting some of the office space to other unions; perhaps encompassing all Boston Police Unions and EMT’s under one common roof with associated services and facilities (legal, health and welfare, etc., etc.) readily available in one building. Again, at this point, the possibilities are endless, so we may be getting ahead of ourselves in the “ideas department.” But fi- nally, the BPPA will be another shining and prominent star on “Union Row”– Freeport Street (electrical workers, bricklayers, construction and asbestos workers, among others) and an important and vital part of the Dorchester neighborhood and the City of Boston. Plenty of room for the BPPA canteen truck, the Blue Goose, and delivery trailers in our loading dock.