Northeastern’s new dorm is moving ahead. It’s a good thing for Mission Hill because it will help to diversify residential areas that too often have become fraternity row. It is, in fact, exactly what this community asked for, and NU is doing the right thing in honoring its promise for more on-campus housing.
Everyone involved may end up regretting how the dorm plan was carried out. The City’s zoning approval of the project smacked of trickery, as a judge pointed out at one point, setting a precedent that may repeat in future plans. And the developers’ buying off of two lawsuits that had no legal standing, apparently for a lot of money, may haunt NU with nuisance suits in the future.
But the main thing is that the dorm will be done and there are now other plans to consider. NU is laying out its next 10 years of development with community input. The school has put plenty of good ideas on the table, including a more welcoming streetfront on Huntington Avenue. We look forward to NU keeping more promises that make sense for the school and the community.