By Judy Vance
Contributing Editor

The controversial quest for a high school in Mattapan gained more momentum last month as ACORN, the nation's largest community organization representing low and moderate income families, joined Mattapan residents and other community activists to discuss the importance of education. More than 30 residents gathered on July 8th at the Mildred Avenue Middle School in Mattapan to hear from ACORN organizers, City Councillor Charles Yancey and members of the Citizen Advisory Committee for the Boston State Hospital grounds where residents had long hoped at high school would be built. Their message was clear: They will not give up on the building of a high school in Mattapan.

"Education is the basic fundamental structure and so no one should get in the way of it," said Keslock Mitchell, moderator for the event and pastor with the Boston Church of Christ Seventh Day in Mattapan. "We need to be vigilant, courageous and fight for what we need for our children."

Four years ago, as decisions were being made about the future development of 125 acres at the Boston State Hospital Grounds along Morton Street, both the City of Boston and the State were in favor of siting a high school there. At the time, State legislation was passed to allocate approximately 20 acres of the land for a high school. Yet last February, Mayor Thomas Menino and Governor Mitt Romney issued a joint press release in which they announced that they were turning the 20 acres of land over to a real estate developer, StonyBrook LLC, for the construction of affordable housing. The move angered residents, particularly the members of the CAC who had been working for 20 years on selecting suitable uses for the state property. Property that had been ignored by the state after the closing of the Boston State Hospital more than three decades ago left crumbling buildings and overgrown weeds.

After two decades of negotiations what will become of the 125 acres is more than 300 units of affordable housing, a biological lab being built by UMass-Boston and land set aside for the Boston Nature Center. What remains in limbo is the 20 acres for a high school. The City claims that with no funding for the high school and a stipulation that all projects at the State Hospital must commence by July 2005, that it was not possible to fulfill their promise.

This week, however, Mayor Menino told the Reporter that he remains committed to the idea of building a Mattapan high school in the "very near future."

"We're committed to have a high school in Mattapan," said Menino while standing at an unrelated press event on Clarkwood Street. "We made a decision on the state Hospital because there wasn't any funding available for (a high school). So we made a conscious decision not to continue to land bank that parcel and (instead) build affordable housing on it.

"One of the commitments we got from the group was that the state would find another piece of property in the Mattapan area where we could build a high school in the very near future. They just came out with a new school building assistance program, so we'll be able to move forward in the very near future."

Menino said that state officials would work with officials from the Boston Redevelopment Authority to find a suitable site.

But the Mayor's stance continues to come under fire, particularly from Councillor Yancey, who said that the decision to dispose the land into the hands of developers now made that preferred site ineligible for the new state funds. Yancey, still holding out hope, has begun to distribute petitions to Mattapan residents to show their support for a High School on the site. Yancey contends that the city has the ability to fund the project through a loan order.

"Every capital project we do goes through a loan authorization process," said the Councillor.

But even if a loan order was approved for the building of a high school in Mattapan it is not conceivable that construction would begin by the 2005 date set in legislation. Representative Shirley Owens-Hicks, whose district covers much of Mattapan, said she has been asked to look into extending the deadline for construction but said it is contingent on the community and political supporters ability to sort out the funding and other key elements needed to build a school.

"Those things have to come in place in a timely manner so the land at the State Hospital grounds doesn't just sit there," said Owens-Hicks.

For the developers, StonyBrook LLC who in February were awarded the land, it has been a bittersweet win. The community strongly opposed to StonyBrook's acquisition have stated that the organization made up of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) and the Mattapan Community Development Corporation were not qualified to build housing. Further StonyBrook had bid on another parcel of land at the State site and lost the bid to another developer.

"We rejected them for valid reasons," said Frank Bispham, Chairman of the Citizen Advisory Committee. "They're not developers, they're ministers," added Bispham, referring to the GBIO.

Further, what may be kindling the fire against StonyBrook is the fact that the Mayor and Governor awarded the land to StonyBrook without re-opening the Request for Proposal process, which Councillor Yancey called an illegitimate if not illegal process.

"As a consolation prize, without the CAC's input, they [City and State] gave the land for a high school to the losing developer," said Yancey.

StonyBrook, trying to recover from the bad publicity, have enlisted the help of Patrick Lee with Trinity Financial. Lee's company brings instant credibility as a developer , having built the new Shaw's Supermarket and the Foley Building, both on River Street. Lee has begun to sit down and meet with members of the Citizen Advisory Committee trying to iron out some of the wrinkles.

"The way we start this process is to talk to people about their hopes and dreams," said Lee.

The meetings, some conducted individually with members of the Citizen Advisory Committee, has raised suspicion that there is an attempt to divide and conquer the group. It is a move that Rita Dixon, Vice Chairperson for the CAC said will not work, "We are one body."

Lenzer Evans, another CAC Board Member, speaking after his meeting with Lee said he made it clear he would not support the StonyBrook project. "You came to the wrong man," Evans said he told Lee. "The Mayor and the Governor can't approve the land without legislative approval and the CAC," said Evans.

What may have set this whole deal on the wrong footing is that the CAC had no prior knowledge of Mayor Menino and Governor Romney's decision.

Mark Maloney, Director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority speaking at an earlier meeting on behalf of Mayor Menino, said the City is still committed to a high school in Mattapan. Lee reiterates the City's claim, saying he is looking at this in a positive light for Mattapan to end up with both the StonyBrook housing and a high school.

"This strikes me as a win-win situation," said Lee. "The dynamics are changing and I am optimistic."

Menino, too, struck an optimistic tone while on his most recent visit to the neighborhood.

"At the time we made the decision there was no school building assistance plan in place. Everything's great in hindsight, but at the time we had to make a decision," said Menino. "Do you do the affordable housing or just land bank the land. We have a solid commitment from the state and the developers to find the land."

Menino added: "I think a high school or middle school is necessary."