75 Morrissey Boulevard | Dorchester

Its the tallest buildings ever in Dorchester. Once these get in, then theres a reference point and developments can incrementally get taller and taller in the area which will be good for the bayside site. Thats really how it works everywhere. Im sure they knew the climate, proposed high, and got what they want. Im actually surprised they were able to go this high. This is good as a starting point.
 
Its not all bad

“To be clear: There are some residents supportive of the density that the taller buildings would’ve brought, per Dorchester Reporter’s Katie Trojano.”

“Besides, Center Court isn’t done with proposals for the site. The developer sees several new buildings there with an additional 1,080 housing units and tens of thousands of square feet of retail and approximately 1,000 parking spots. There is certainly demand for such residential development in Boston. Stay tuned.”

Link to article



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Political reality yes but actual reality means we need way more housing not less.

I don't think anyone here disagrees with that. But since we're a very complicated representative democracy, we have to work within the constraints of the political realities. It shouldn't be controversial to say "if you wanna beat the well-organized, loud voters, you have to organize equally loud and effective advocacy groups." To expect officials to ignore loud voters and "do the right thing because reality requires it" is not reasonable and not how the world works.
 
Well, if this gets through as it is, even in reduced form..........

Jesus Christ. There is no height issue here whatsoever, save for the ~350' FAA.
The only possible thing neighbors have to complain about is the total number of units.
Its the tallest buildings ever in Dorchester. Once these get in, then theres a reference point and developments can incrementally get taller and taller....

The pace is untenable to overcome the severe lack of housing.
How's Roxbury working out? How bout those New York Streets
(right up against the Pike no less/ fucking joke).
Even Tom Menino would drop the hammer (here).
 
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Jesus Christ. There is no height issue here whatsoever, save for the ~350' FAA.
The only possible thing neighbors have to complain about is the total number of units.

The reduction in height is also likely an attempt to mitigate risk. You wouldn't think this would have to be said to someone over the age of twelve but just because zoning and/or the FAA allow for a certain height, that doesn't always mean that it makes economic sense to build to it. Other than proximity to the T this location has very little to offer in terms of neighborhood amenities so it'll probably be a lot more difficult to get rents commensurate with the cost of new construction and attract the volume of interest that new buildings in the Seaport or Kendall might command. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see this reduced even further or never materialize at all due to failure to obtain financing.
 
Accordingly the master plan there will be 8 buildings with heights of between 15 and 25 stories.
 
The reason these projects aren't getting the financing, is probably 1/3rd the risk and 2/3rds the project teams unwilling-ness to program enough equity into the projects. This isn't my area, but perhaps, the fix (might possibly be) more REIT equity participation. At Boston's current rate of supply addtion/s i think they'll continue to fill the units. Like i've mentioned, there's already a dip the size of Copper Canyon on supply just a couple of years out from so many failed + stalled projects---which brings us to the next point. Marty Walsh's 2030 has most unquestionably hit some detours in recent months, (if not the full "skids....")
Carry on.
 
You’re not wrong. But at the same time these are long standing low-rise residential neighborhoods. Dorchester has never had a skyline. Not because of opposition, but because there wasn’t demand for it. It’s hard to blame long-time residents for their opposition. Pro-development folks just need to get better organized. Residents vote when they’re mad. That influences the pols. Pro-dev folks will keep being disappointed in the neighborhoods until they can offer up a sufficient political counterweight.
I really think there needs to be less neighborhood input into these things. It's unfortunate that the opposite of that is and has in the past been an overbearing govt running roughshod over the wishes of locals, but the degree of control exercised by local groups to defeat these things is completely over the top in Boston. There needs to be some statewide, or at least citywide, statue that limits this. Maybe we don't need to abolish single family zoning like Minne' did, but something similar needs to be put in place where if a project meets a certain algorithm it legally has to be approved, regardless of what any city council member or group thinks or wants.
 
I guess it is natural for people to resist anything that is change, as it represents a higher degree of unknown and uncertainty. They may feel like they are just passengers in this world and paic any time something is proposed that is a major departure from their norm - even if it is a product of Boston's amazing resurgence since the recession, which means a dramatic need for more office space and more housing. People downtown and in Cambridge or near the universities are used to this.

This is brand new to Dot, IMO. Although I would like to see 30+ stories, I say build what you can here, involve / placate the community, have lots of public open space, be an awesome neighbor, donate to some community programs and when a phase 2 or whatever comes up, then you bargain for more scale. 350 ft tall of nothing is nothing rather than 150 feet of something.
 
I really think there needs to be less neighborhood input into these things. It's unfortunate that the opposite of that is and has in the past been an overbearing govt running roughshod over the wishes of locals, but the degree of control exercised by local groups to defeat these things is completely over the top in Boston. There needs to be some statewide, or at least citywide, statue that limits this. Maybe we don't need to abolish single family zoning like Minne' did, but something similar needs to be put in place where if a project meets a certain algorithm it legally has to be approved, regardless of what any city council member or group thinks or wants.

Perhaps, but that change would have to go through the state legislature, which always has a wary eye on the electorate (sometimes too much of a wary eye IMO). It just goes back to my point that if we want significant change, the "YIMBY" cohort needs to get organized on the same level as neighborhood groups. And part of the YIMBY charge has to be led by people who actually live in these places.
 
^ I hope you do open mic nights. This is like beat poetry.
 
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By the looks of it there will likely be 3 buildings that break 200' here. Buildings D and G are both residential. Building E is a lab and the top will likely be at least 35' (but no more than 50') which would put that one right up to or over 200'.
 
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