"Washington's admonition to Americans to avoid foreign entanglements stemmed from his own personal experience. He knew first hand how costly wars could be and wanted the young nation to maintain a goal of neutrality with all foreign governments as much as possible. Washington continued his commentary by noting: 'so far, I mean, as we are now at liberty to do it; for let me not be understood as capable of patronising infidelity to existing engagements' - Washington still intended for the United States to honor all existing international treaties."

https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/past-projects/quotes/article/it-is-our-true-policy-to-steer-clear-of-permanent-alliance-with-any-portion-of-the-foreign-world

From https://www.massdailynews.com

"A Change.org petition, a Neighborhood Council deferral, condo owners' concessions won, and rooftop-variance approvals granted. The fight over Frank DePasquale's grey glass gateway at 60-80 Cross Street has been playing out in the North End for more than two years."

"...the grey glass gateway rising at 60-80 Cross Street..."

"Welcome to the fight over Boston's Italian neighborhood's new front door.

The North End has spent more than two years trying to stop the grey glass box going up between Hanover and Salem Streets, across from the Rose Kennedy Greenway. It's the most-photographed entrance to the neighborhood, and the neighborhood is not amused.

The developer is Frank DePasquale, a longtime North End restaurateur who snapped up the vacant parcel for $8 million in 2023. His pitch: shops, restaurants, apartments, and La Scuola, an Italian culinary school built with Italy's Dolce & Salato institute. But the modern-grey, glass, and metal-paneled facade rising behind the fencing clashes hard with the North End's red brick and wood-shuttered streetscape.

The pushback got organized. A Change.org petition titled "North End Residents AGAINST the Proposed Cross Street Hotel" warned Cutillo Park would lose sunlight and Morton Street would lose all of it.

The Neighborhood Council deferred its vote after residents packed a late-night meeting. Salem Street condo owners forced DePasquale to strip a proposed third story. None of it stopped the project.

Emphasis added below.

The Boston Zoning Board of Appeal rubber-stamped it on November 19, 2024, granting variances for building height, floor area ratio, roof deck, and rear property-line setbacks. In plain English: the zoning code said no. The Board said yes anyway."

[James first read and then while recalling passed inacurate information along. It was thought one body stated "no" yet the "board" approved. It is the variances that allowed the project. ]

James did not know Guitar Center moved from 750 Commonwealth Avenue to 1255 Boylston Street and is now no more, including the posters that had been in windows for years, Ringo, Page, Clapton, Harrison? and lastly (maybe) Dylan.