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This is probably a @datadyne question: what is the proper understanding of "5 over 1" ? Or maybe the answer is "it has morphed" or "its understanding changed as it came to be widely used" Is it: Architecture: N stories over a podium of P Stories (where N = 5 and P = 1) Fire code Type 5 (wood...

The MPO makes many of these plans that the state and municipalities then do. They are out with a fairly high concept new plan that's available for public comment. It asks "what should "we all" do to improve access for the elderly, disabled, and EJ/Low income communities" What do you think? As I...

Ask most on this forum to define "Street Activation" and I think most of us go right for "street level retail" with everything else being clearly inferior. Sometimes we have a broad definition of "retail" that obviously includes not just merchandise and services (barbershop, nail salon) but...

1.2M SF Link to Banker & Tradesman: https://bankerandtradesman.com/1-2m-sf-life-science-park-proposed-in-medford/

For e-tolling to be fair, plate pass has to work. For plate pass to work, plates must be readable (not covered or effaced) Do “clear” covers make plates unreadable? Should driving effaced/covered have the same consequences as driving with no plate? I would say so. Do we (NH MA ME) have the...

Can folks share tips on how to “change the rules” on the streets of cities and towns? In Medford, for example, a new stop sign or lower speed limit takes a citizen petition and a daytime hearingin front of some kind of police board (and I don’t know whether the city engineers office is...

I'd like to log here our collective wisdom on how licensed vehicles "participate" or "opt out" of automatic enforcement in Greater Greater Boston. As we rely on plate-readers for toll collection, and potentially for congestion zones, red light cameras (Providence), or speed cameras, the ability...

I believe Mass has made the right choice to promote heat pumps (as a way of reducing natural gas usage) A quick doodle; Gas heat can never be more than 100% efficient. Burn 1 btu, get a Btu into your living space. Burn a KWh, get a KWh into your house. (Yes, you can measure gas in KWh). New...

This post by @chrisbrat inspired me to ask a bunch of questions about elevators, starting with: Do all elevators undergo burn-in testing, it’s just that when it happens in tall buildings nobody is looking through a glass elevator shaft to see it the way that @chrisbrat has seen the elevators...

NACTO, the National Association of City Transit Officers will be hosting a conference of 1,000 people (their first since 2019) , hosted by Boston, Cambridge, & Somerville. Seems like: 1) We could help show them a good time 2) They could help show us a good time Do we need to...

Two thoughts on traffic signals: Powderhouse Circle is eliminating all signals and letting the traffic circle and flex post calming do its work, even for pedestrians. I think this is good, (my wife got a ticket at the old signal from Phouse Blvd which was always confusing if you were accustomed...

Medford is looking to overhaul its zoning system, and is a good proxy for "the next ring" of towns beyond Boston. Personally, I'd like to see places upzoned (most zones were drawn to simply confirm what was there, like where the R2/R1 line was basically drawn to put all two-flats in R2 and...

In other metro areas, we see a strong share of new construction and Infill are townhomes. Why don't we see more of this "perfect compromise" style in Boston? Clearly from 1800 to 1800 it was an essential part of "filling up" Boston, but somewhere around 1890, particularly with the advent of...

The forested parcel walkable to the Alewife T will get senior housing and multi family development https://www.yourarlington.com/arlington-archives/town-school/development/19675-mugar-112421.html

Because it came up. Acronyms are a natural way that "insiders" talk, but in the spirit of "Don't Bite the Newbies" I propose that, where possible we use the AP style What Would AP Do (WWAD) of write then abbrev at first instance (and then go with the acronym from there. I'd invite others to...

It seems to me that we've had a scattered discussion of the economic and engineering reasons why buildings end up being the height they are. I thought I'd collect what I've heard here and invite community review: 1 to 2 Story: the practical limit for a building without an elevator that uses...

I'm open to contradiction, but here's my paper for peer review: Beacon Hill is essentially "Old Disney" -- a series of fakes and novelties accumulated over the course of 220 years. I'd like you to return to this thread when someone criticizes new developments as "too Disney" The reality is...

Cummings Properties, as agent for Tufts University endowment has proposed to build a new lab structure on the site of what is currently a 1.5 story parking deck at 200 Boston Ave, Medford (just steps from the Somerville "peninsula" on which the future MVP GLX 2 station would be built. A meeting...

Sorry for this orphan, but if I Could remember the answer I would know what thread to put it in What is the origin of the look-alike buildings that look like this? This one is in Woburn, but if IRC there are lots of others (including in Stoneham)

I propose a thread for: 1) nails: from hand made to airgunned 2) wood from felled chestnut to laminated 3) brick from hand made to panelized 4) gravel from scoured to crushed