AP+Old+Colony+Housing+Project

Old Colony Housing Project Shelby Fenderson Audience The Old Colony Housing Project is a very important aspect that the author of //All Souls// uses to appeal to his audience. As it states in a Wikipedia article, “This project is where Michael Patrick MacDonald, an anti-gun activist and author, grew up. Today he writes of his experiences in the memoir //All Souls: A Family Story From Southie//” (Old Colony Housing Project). MacDonald uses his experiences growing up in this area to tell his audience about the story of his life. This area is very important to him not only because it is where he grew up, but also because he can use it to give his audience a visual of what it was like for him and his family while he lived there. In a memoir like //All Souls,// it is important to give the audience a visual of what it was like, because it creates more emotion and gives the reader the opportunity to connect with the author’s experiences.

The author not only needs to use this area as a visual, he also can use it to give the reader an idea of the conditions he lived in due to the location of where he lived. It states on another website, “Old Colony is located in South Boston by the sea” (Boston Housing Authority). By giving the audience a sense of where this area is located, it allows the author to give a better understanding of what he had to go through growing up as well as some background knowledge on the area. It is important for the audience to understand the conditions of the Old Colony, because it allows them to feel what the author had to go through, as well as connect to the story by similar experiences.

"Old Colony Housing Project." //Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia.// Web. 27 March 2012.
 * Works Cited**

"Boston Housing Authority-Old Colony." //Boston Housing Authority-Welcome to the Boston Housing Authority.// Web. 27 March 2012.

**Destiny- Historical ** The Old Colony Housing contains the oldest housing areas in South Boston. The Old Colony Housing Projects is the City of Boston restoring some of the oldests housing developments in South Boston. The housing developments were built in 1940, which makes it one of the oldest developments in South Boston, Ma. The Boston Housing Authority (BHA) writes, “Built in 1940, the Old Colony development is currently the most physically distressed site in the BHA’s federal portfolio, with aged systems and infrastructure and an annual energy and water cost of over $4,000 per unit” (Housing). The Old Colony developments are “the most physically distressed site” in all of South Boston due to the fact that all of the buildings are old and need to be fixed. For instance the water cost “$4,000 per unit” which is an excessive amount of money for a relatively poor area in South Boston.

As of right now there are, “more than 16 acres of 873 apartments in 22 three-story brick walk up buildings” (Housing). Theres buildings are still functional today. Although some of the buildings need major repair due to their old age. These old housing departments were home to many people. Some included, “Whitey Bulger and associates Buddy Francis and Kevin Weeks grew up” (Old Colony). It was home for some of the most dangerous criminals that were involved in the Irish Mob. This neighborhood is South Boston is also the home of the author Michael Patrick MacDonald who wrote the book All Souls: A Family Story From Southie. **Works Cited** "Housing Developments." Boston Housing Authority. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar 2012.

"Old Colony Housing Project." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 27 March 2012.

**Dillon- Aim **

The Old Colony Housing Project is the city of Boston restoring some of the Old colonies that were constructed in 1940. “Built in 1940, the Old Colony development is currently the most physically distressed site in the BHA’s federal portfolio”(Boston). Through public and private partnerships, many investors seek the restoration of this poor quality housing area. Incorporating new strategies and technologies will be vital in changing the housing infrastructure. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is the main group funding this transformation and projects similar to this across the states. “A major emphasis of the redevelopment will be the inclusion of green building and energy efficient measures”(Boston). “Green building and energy efficient measures” is what will make older homes and facilities more up to date and environmentally and economically sustainable. The residents and local community around the Old Colony Housing will receive a presentation about future changes and services to help through this transition phase. “Resident self-sufficiency services will also be provided for job connection and training, transportation, educational and recreational and wellness opportunities”(Boston). The transition between old to new is something that the community needs to be as much apart of as the actual renovation of the housing complex. However some of the residents recall what they have remembered of the area by writing a story about it. “This is where Michael Patrick MacDonald, an anti-gun activist, grew up” (Wiki). Through growing up and changing he helps the community who lived in the old colony housing understand the times there once was and how life can only get better. He wrote of his experiences in the memoir, All Souls: A Family Story From Southie. MacDonald uses the area he grew up in, to help explain his thought process of what life was like and how things have or have not changed. Also through the renovation of the Old Colony Housing project, this might actually change the community forever and maybe create better lives for those who live there.

“Old Colony”. Boston Housing Authority.Web. 28 Mar 2012 “Old Colony Housing Project”. Wikipedia. Web. 28 Mar 2012 **Patrick- Cultural **  The Old Colony Housing Project was a project to create affordable housing in South Boston in 1940. “The site is one of the largest in the BHA's portfolio and is comprised of more than 16 acres, with 873 apartments in 22 three-story, brick walk-up buildings” (Waypoint). This neighborhood was largely white, and was arguably prejudice against blacks, with evidence such as when “Vaillancourt reports that civil rights... advocates accuse the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) of ignoring non-white families on the waiting list for apartments in South Boston projects” (Vaillancourt').  The streets if Southie were dangerous despite the claims that the Old Colony Housing Project was such a great place to live because, “Southie was the best place in the world and that bad things only happened in black neighborhoods” (Lowenstein). White Americans living in these neighborhoods were heavily racist, and even still, despite their beliefs that white neighborhoods were better, or safer, the streets of Southie were tough and dangerous. Culturally survival was the key in such a dangerous, and prejudice place, and people living there would have to find ways to either survive there or leave. In the case of MacDonald who “shows the importance of physically removing himself from Southie’s dangerous streets and immersing himself in the Kenmore Square punk scene played a critical role in his survival” (Lowenstein). What is most likely a common remedy in the Old Colony Housing Project was music, such as what was what MacDonald had used to momentarily escape Southie’s danger. **Works Cited** Lowenstein, Jeff K. "Tag Archives: Old Colony Housing Project." Old Colony Housing Project. Web. 28 Mar. 2012.
 * Works Cited**

"Old Colony Public Housing Development | Waypoint Construction Consultants | Needham, MA." Professional Construction Consulting & Owners Representative | Waypoint Construction Consultants. Web. 28 Mar. 2012.  Vaillancourt, Meg. "Open Vault." WGBH Open Vault. Web. 28 Mar. 2012.