Braintree infill and small developments

Amazing! They've been doing some major resiliency work with the river there. Would really love to see the state reward them by working to advance a Randolph<->Braintree rail trail, which would presumably go right by this development and provide easy access to Braintree station.
 

Some felt it was a “missed opportunity” for the project to incorporate mixed-use elements.

Why didn’t it?

Frank Marinelli, the attorney representing the developer, noted that a mixed-use project would require a larger lot and even greater parking considerations.

“To be perfectly honest, the reason that we don’t do mixed use in any of our developments unless required is because it doesn’t work economically,” said Mark Baranski, vice president and development manager of Trammell Crow Residential.
Click to expand...

Parking minimums continue to be an albatross on the neck of the commonwealth, even in MBTA communities act zones.
 
stick n move said:
-750 units!


Alexan Braintree​

750 Units Planned for 30-Acre Braintree Site​


“An agreement to purchase the 30+ acre site at 10 Plain Street in Braintree has been entered into and is planning a multiphased residential project. The first phase of the project would include 5 four-story buildings with 427 apartments. Phase 2 would then involve the construction of a single 4-story building with 325 residences. Plans also call for 22K sf of resident amenity space.”

alexan_braintree_1.png

alexan_braintree_3.png

750 Units Planned for 30 Acre Braintree Site

750 Units Planned for 30 Acre Braintree Site
www.bldup.com www.bldup.com

e5bdffcbdf01dc0f9c680b1b918f82a10400ac0f.webp


View attachment 65582
Click to expand...
Heres another render from bisnow

fit

https://www.bisnow.com/boston/news/...to-see-influx-of-development-proposals-130464
 
KCasiglio said:
Parking minimums continue to be an albatross on the neck of the commonwealth, even in MBTA communities act zones.
Click to expand...

It's the Suburbs. You. Need. A. Car. It's not that complicated.
 
jklo said:
It's the Suburbs. You. Need. A. Car. It's not that complicated.
Click to expand...
I think there's a middle ground between "ban cars in the inner suburbs" and "the government needs to mandate 1.5 spaces/unit in it's transit/multifamily zone". A housing crisis seems like a perfectly appropriate time to let individuals decide for themselves whether they prioritize a car or cheaper rent more.
 

A proposal to build apartments on Washington Street in South Braintree is back on the table for a third time.

Architect and developer Steven Young will be before the town’s zoning board on Monday, Oct. 27, to seek three variances for his four-story, 43-unit apartment building, formerly referred to as The Dalton.

[...]

The newest proposal for 1139-1151 Washington St. seeks 13 fewer apartments and one less variance request than the previous proposal, which had been withdrawn without prejudice in August. Young asks for variances for the open space required per unit, the number of stories allowed and the density.
Click to expand...
 
Makes sense, it's only been a main thoroughfare through the area for centuries, wouldn't want to upset the people that bought investment properties nearby in the last 17yrs
 
greenbeans said:
Makes sense, it's only been a main thoroughfare through the area for centuries, wouldn't want to upset the people that bought investment properties nearby in the last 17yrs
Click to expand...
It doesn't fit the neighborhood character of *checks notes* a 700+ unit apartment going up within eyeshot and commercial center less than half a mile up the road.

Best quote in there is the resident saying developers shouldn't be able to hold the town hostage. Small groups of unelected residents, on the other hand...
 
A: Still overall thrilled that this is happening, but man the parking minimums making the mixed use aspect impossible is such a missed opportunity. A mixed use site would have made the failed Dalton proposal all the more viable.

B: Not doing a bike/ped bridge over the railroad to connect with the Shaws+ plaza is mind boggling.

C: If nothing else, the restoration and resiliency projects around the river make even an auto-oriented development worth it.
 
jklo said:
It's the Suburbs. You. Need. A. Car. It's not that complicated.
Click to expand...

The problem is that we are not building new highways or even expanding existing ones. So where are these 1,100+ cars going to go? They're going to be sitting next to you in traffic on 93 or 95 and likely aggravating the congestion problem. The only way to build our way out of the problem is to promote alternative travel modes, particularly in locations with subway/heavy rail facilities. It's not going to happen overnight, particularly in Braintree, but the residential is going to increase demand for associated commercial/amenities and if these can be laid out in a relatively connected/walkable way, the area will transition to a less car-dominant environment over time.
 
KCasiglio said:
A: Still overall thrilled that this is happening, but man the parking minimums making the mixed use aspect impossible is such a missed opportunity. A mixed use site would have made the failed Dalton proposal all the more viable.

B: Not doing a bike/ped bridge over the railroad to connect with the Shaws+ plaza is mind boggling.

C: If nothing else, the restoration and resiliency projects around the river make even an auto-oriented development worth it.
Click to expand...

Yea I feel like for this project at the bare minimum they should have included at least 1 retail space to put a small corner store/convenience store in to at least keep a lot of the car trips off the road that would be happening for quick trips. Nobody this close to boston should ever have to drive to go to the store to get some milk imo. Theres 752 units here, so with studio, 1 bed, 2 bed, 3 bed options I feel like this place at a minimum is going to house at least 1500 people. That definitely should be enough to keep the lights on at a small convenience store imo, especially when itll be the only place the residents can easily walk to.
 
It's sad to see Uno's apparently shutting down region wide. They have good food and decent gluten free options.
 
If you live long enough you will see everything. Quincy Center was largely hollowed out by the mall nearby (and the shipyard closing). It seems that after 64 yrs of competition, Quincy Center is somehow in a better place than the SS Plaza sustainably and it will be the Plaza that has to change its business model in order to survive.
 
Road Safety Audit for Five-Corners and the intersection of Forbes/Granite has been published:

tooledesign.egnyte.com

2026-01-22_Braintree RSA Final Accessible Report on Egnyte

Folder 2026-01-22_Braintree RSA Final Accessible Report shared using Egnyte
tooledesign.egnyte.com tooledesign.egnyte.com

The biggest piece I'd note is the recommendation to remove the slip lane at the I-93 NB Exit 6 ramp that empties onto Granite St SB. Mostly otherwise a lot of commonsense stuff to make the area a little less of a nightmare.
 

A parcel of land in Braintree slated to become a life sciences complex is now being proposed as a new residential community.

Chris Reale, the principal of the Banner Park Campus LLC, is pitching 220 units on 30 acres of land at 60 Columbian St. in Braintree, on the Weymouth town line.

The project calls for a mix of high-density apartments; clustered, two-story cottage-style units; and three-bedroom townhomes. In all, there would be 119 one-bedroom units, 44 two-bedroom units and 57 three-bedroom units.

[...]

"The market is shifting toward mixed use and attainable housing in formats we haven't seen enough of in Massachusetts," Reale said. "Working with the New England Wildlife Center on the trail corridor showed us residential is a far more compatible use with the existing buildings and natural features of the property. A mixed-use campus that integrates those natural amenities is exactly what this corridor of the South Shore is missing."

The project is expected to be before Braintree’s planning board on May 12, Pittroff said.
Click to expand...

If approved, we're looking at over 1100 units across three projects coming down the pike in Braintree in over the next couple of years. Though this one would have to be fully auto-oriented. It's a mile from even the closest bus route, and even farther from any commuter rail connection.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top