Radius Apartments (née The Icon née Western Av Residence) | 530 Western Av | Brighton

datadyne007

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530 Western Ave

Developer: The Mount Vernon Company, Inc
Architect: Prellwitz Chilinski Associates

Description:
Proposed Large Project of 132 rental units and retail at the corner of Western Ave and Birmingham Parkway

Building Size: 128,052 sq ft
Uses: Rental / Retail
Residential Mix: (20) 2BR, (16) 1BR+, (43) 1BR, (53) studio units
Parking: 108 vehicles, 132 bicycles
Height: ~68'-0"

PNF Filed 01/04/16: http://www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org/getattachment/c3af5015-5b57-4f70-b771-3e97dddfe4d1 (97 MB)

Render:
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Context:
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Plans:
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Before/After Renders:
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Sections:
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Elevations:
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Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

Nice addition -- I especially like the color palette and materials on a rather dreary corner.
 
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

A few quick observations

1) It actually fits in well with New Balance and WGBH. Charlesview and Continuum could also be lumped into that too. Bit of a localized architectural vernacular is starting to accrue in this area?

2) It's too bad that the neighborhood association will reflexively blow a gasket about this - hopefully won't be taken too seriously

3) Seeing the radius map, it's hard to believe that all the amenities of Arsenal Street are only a 10 minute walk away. It really goes to show how important it will be to invest in street calming, wider sidewalks, bike lanes, and all that other good stuff along Birmingham Parkway (or could we just make this Market Street again?), Arsenal and Western.

4) Someone please remind me - is there a Market St entrance/exit to Brighton Landing? Or will you need to walk over to Everett?
 
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

It's too bad that the neighborhood association will reflexively blow a gasket about this - hopefully won't be taken too seriously

I was thinking about the neighbors as well. It looks like a pretty busy area/street. What might be the objections since it's falling within what looks like the zoning of the area so height shouldn't be an issue.
 
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

I was thinking about the neighbors as well. It looks like a pretty busy area/street. What might be the objections since it's falling within what looks like the zoning of the area so height shouldn't be an issue.

Zoning only permits 35'-0".

PNF said:
In a CC-1 subdistrict, the Floor Area Ratio
is 1.0; there is a height restriction of 35 feet; and multi-family residential apartments are conditionally
allowed under Article 51 of the Boston Zoning Code (Allston Brighton). In addition to the proposed use,
the Project will rely upon zoning relief for FAR, which we estimate will be 2.6; building height, which will
be approximately 68 feet; and other dimensional and parking requirements under the Article 80 process.
 
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

Sorry, the pic that showed the Western Ave. zoning threw me off, the arrow (which immediately caught my attention) pointing to the base height allowed seems higher than the new building when, in fact, if I had followed the allowed actual zoned height shaded, I would have seen, that in fact, it's higher than allowed. Time to dust off the pitchforks! ;)
 
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

No reason for that curve radius to stay so large. It increases the size of the intersection and promotes high speed turns. There is a serious lack of crosswalks at this intersection. They could milk this project for some substantial pedestrian improvements.
 
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

No reason for that curve radius to stay so large. It increases the size of the intersection and promotes high speed turns. There is a serious lack of crosswalks at this intersection. They could milk this project for some substantial pedestrian improvements.

It was noted in an earlier discussion in the A/B thread that New Balance has already agreed to pay to improve this intersection, including adding crosswalks.

http://www.archboston.org/community/showpost.php?p=248339&postcount=1215
 
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

They need to lose the Sunoco Blue in the palette.

sunoco_logo.jpg
 
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

I like it a lot. Impressed they figured out how to house 132 units in a 5-story building (technically 6 counting amenity suite) and on a relatively small parcel. More inventory like this will help the overall neighborhood remain affordable.
 
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

Yea that was an attempt to be as negative as he could possibly be. Nothing new
 
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

I like it a lot. Impressed they figured out how to house 132 units in a 5-story building (technically 6 counting amenity suite) and on a relatively small parcel. More inventory like this will help the overall neighborhood remain affordable.

53 studios will do that for you. That's an insane number of studios in a building. Looks like they're going right after the college demographic for this building.
 
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

Great added density! Not to keep beating the drum, but it's about time to start looking into transit improvements on the 70/70A.
 
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

I love all this development happening in my neighborhood. :D I just hope that my rent doesn't skyrocket. :eek:
 
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

Funny, I've always just called that "blue."

Dudes .. look at the context photos ...

Its "Irving Blue"

Geez
 
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

I will be at the BCDC meeting for this and other projects tonight. Anyone else?

Going to push for temporary improvements/painting crosswalks to the Western/Arsenal/Birmingham mess before HYM/Boston Landing's various fixes take place. (Semi-related: is there a timeline for those road improvements? I was browsing Boston Landing's documents on the BRA site and couldn't find anything concrete.)
 
Re: Western Ave Residence | 530 Western Ave | Brighton

cant go, but i also suggest advocating for getting rid of the right turn slip and making the corner a corner proper.
 

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