The Boston Herald, May 14, 1997 p008
Inside Track. Gayle Fee; Laura Raposa.
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 1997 Boston Herald
Hydrant removal gets Heinz out of parking pickle
We don't know about you, but the Track is going to rest easier tonight knowing that Sen. John Kerry and his wife, Teresa Heinz, will soon be able to park the Picklemobile right smack in front of their door at 19 Louisburg Square.
Because that pesky fire hydrant - which fueled a flurry of bad press for the ketchup heiress last year when she was bagged blocking it with her white Jeep Cherokee - is being relocated around the corner to Pinckney Street.
The Boston Fire Department confirmed yesterday that a request for the hydrant relocation came in from the Heinz-Kerrys less than a week ago.
"The chief went up there himself and didn't see any problem with moving it," said a BFD spokesman.
Talk about prompt service! Quick as you could say "the slooooooow ketchup," the jaw-clenching racket of jackhammers began blasting through Louisburg Square.
Of course Mrs. Heinz was not in residence at the time.
Kerry's people say the senator and the missus figured that the city could easily move the black-and-white hydrant around the corner since the sewer rats were in the neighborhood fixing a hinky sewer connection across the street on Pinckney.
And besides, the hydrant - which caused such painful parking problems for Teresa's HJ 57 - is such an eyesore!
No word on the ketchup queen's take on the dozen orange-and-white construction barrels lined up and down Pinckney.
And - may we add - taking up precious parking spaces!
"Now they'll be able to park directly in front of the door without complaints from neighbors," sniffed one fired-up Square-ite.
Kerry's spokesman, Michael Meehan, told the Track the removal of the funky-looking fireplug - not to mention the earlier relocation of a grating Boston Edison grate - would improve the $3 million manse's "pictorial environment."
"At least the photos will look better," he joked.
We relish the thought!
The Boston Herald, June 15, 1997 p010
INSIDE TRACK: Kerry-Heinzs bow to parking pressure. Gayle Fee; Laura Raposa.
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 1997 Boston Herald
Word from Louisburg Square is that Sen. John Kerry and Teresa Heinz led a pre-emptive strike the other night and got word to a neighborhood meeting that they would abide by the two parking-space limit.
Wonders never cease . . .
The Square-ites, steamed about the Kerry-Heinz's piggy parking practice of cramming cars into four spaces, sat down the other night to sound off about their neighbors.
But, before anyone could grouse about the haughty Heinz-Kerrys, an F.O.K. piped up saying that the residents of No. 19 would bow to pressure and only use the Square's customary - but not mandated - two-car parking allowance.
Which is the least they could do considering the couple's Fire Plug Relocation Project (also known as Little Dig) and repairs on a hinky sewer line have wreaked havoc on the elite enclave for weeks. We think Miss Manners would agree.
Kerry's spin on the meeting was that it was called "to deal with a parking issue at the opposite end of the Square."
"It was related to the two condos down there," said the senator's spokesman, Michael Meehan.
Hmmmm . . .
But we hear what really got the neighbors fired up was that Kerry had been heard joking that since he and Teresa had that pesky fire hydrant removed from in front of their palatial pad, they now had five spaces. Ha. Ha.
Just call them the Beacon Hill Pills!