North
End
North End Park: Two ideas, one design
By Sofia Celeste
Piazza vs. Park
 |
The
cover of Vincent DiGangi’s January edition of Boston’s
North End, illustrated a piazza as a possibility in lieu
of a park.
|
But
as the date of demolition approached, other plans emerged, some
of which were pushed by various segments
of the community.
The most vigorous was that of North End businessman Vincent DiGangi,
who envisioned a piazza complete with cafés, a parking lot,
a fountain and a “Bay State Memorial to Immigrants.”
DiGangi, the owner and publisher of Boston’s North End magazine,
supports an organization known as Friends of the Piazza. Comprised
of local restaurateurs and contractors, the group has been advocating
a replica of Rome’s Piazza Navona in lieu of a park. In his
magazine, DiGangi stressed the importance of “showcasing
things Italian.”
“A Piazza for Boston will be the crowning achievement of
the Commonwealth and an international tourist attraction,” he
wrote.
But despite DiGangi’s campaign, the park
plan prevailed.
Next: Planning
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