East Boston Community Council (EBECC)

The total project cost is $3,998,012 of the purchasing and renovation of the former Boston Public Library branch building at 280-282 Meridian Street, East Boston. This cost has been partially covered by New Market and Historic Tax Credits. The New Market and Historic Tax Credits required a complex financial arrangement for the financing of the project. We started a capital campaign to help with the acquisition and renovation cost of the project. On the first phase of the capital campaign we raised $400,000 which, along with funding, permitted the initial acquisition to go forward. The result is that there remains $1,000,000 to be raise. The capital campaign will continue until 2022.

The East Boston Community Development Corporation (EBCDC) will provide an additional $150,000 matching grant to East Boston Ecumenical Community Council to help pay for the purchase and renovation of Building total costs. We are confident that this matching grant will encourage members of the community to donate to EBECC to help cover the full cost the project. The match share is intended to supplement, not supplant existing funding already applied to the project. When this amount is paid EBECC will assume control of EBECC Library Inc. EBCDC will remain involved in the management of the building.

East Boston Ecumenical Community Council (“EBECC”) has been working with and serving the needs of minorities and immigrants since 1978. For the last 15 years its focus has been on Latino Immigrants in the East Boston community. EBECC has been successfully helping Latino immigrants maneuver through a myriad of barriers to become productive US citizens. EBECC’s mission is to promote the advancement of immigrants of all ages through education, including citizenship and ESL classes, naturalization assistance and social services and leadership development. Today, among East Boston’s organizations, EBECC is unique in its sole focus on Latino immigrants, its support of citizenship attainment and leadership development.

In October 2016, EBECC retained K. Weill Consulting Group, LLC to conduct a feasibility study prior to launching its capital campaign. The results found that one of the most appealing aspects of EBECC’s acquisition of the former branch library is the opportunity to forge strong relationships with its three tenants, the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, Urban College and Veronica Robles Cultural Center. They will be strategic and mutually reinforcing partners in service to the East Boston and surrounding communities. Together, they will create a “one-stop-shop” for residents to access wellness services, adult education, cultural programming, youth development programming, immigration assistance, and more.

The first phase of the capital campaign raised $400,000 which, along with funding, permitted the initial acquisition to go forward. In this continuation of the capital campaign, EBECC seeks to raise an additional $1,000,000.

In September 2018, with development plans and financing in place, the City of Boston conveyed the Meridian Street Library to EBECC Library Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation formed by EBECC and EBCDC to hold title to and develop the Library. The intent of EBECC and EBCDC was and is that EBECC Library Inc. should become an affiliate of EBECC. The Bylaws of EBECC Library Inc. require a five-member Board of Directors, three of whom are appointed by EBCDC and two of whom are appointed by EBECC. This Board arrangement was specified by the East Boston Savings Bank as a condition to its loan of $1,700,000 to fund the acquisition and development of the Library.

We feel very strong we have the infrastructure and know how to make this project a success fro the East Boston Community.

We brought the project to completion.-EBECC offers profound benefits to effect East Boston and surrounding communities in this new facility in its assistance to the immigrant community.

Many changes are impacting East Boston in the form of high-end waterfront and non-waterfront development resulting in rising rents that are pushing Latinx immigrants out in search of more affordable housing in nearby towns like Chelsea, Everett and Lynn. EBECC’s new offices will permit it to respond to the challenges of a changing East Boston.