Alewife Park | 36-64 Whittemore Ave. | Cambridge

That is probably referring to the area closer to Concord Ave.
 
Its unfortunate that labs are like the worst building typology for good urbanism but this is a whole new level, these are low-rise monoculture beasts! They feel like sterile federal government buildings in DC.

Way too long, the elevations are a thing of nightmares. No where near enough façade articulation/fenestration or street activation. I think there is just one 3,500 retail space on the interior of the campus. Yikes, try harder.


1649967309597.png


1649967344192.png


1649967711372.png


1649967679957.png
 
goody said:
Its unfortunate that labs are like the worst building typology for good urbanism but this is a whole new level, these are low-rise monoculture beasts! They feel like sterile federal government buildings in DC.

Way too long, the elevations are a thing of nightmares. No where near enough façade articulation/fenestration or street activation. I think there is just one 3,500 retail space on the interior of the campus. Yikes, try harder.


View attachment 23444

View attachment 23445

View attachment 23448

View attachment 23447
Click to expand...
21st century mill buildings
 
You can have your choice of low-slung lab buildings or low-slung logistics buildings. There’s no money in anything else.
 
RandomWalk said:
You can have your choice of low-slung lab buildings or low-slung logistics buildings. There’s no money in anything else.
Click to expand...

I would contest that. Low slung isn't the issue, its the management of the design team. Many, most, developers, are not designers/urbanists. They approach development from the perspective of creating an investment product. They undervalue that they are also creating a physical product that is being consumed by tenants and thereby by workers. They further undervalue the externalities their products create on the community because it does not generally impact their bottom line.

This is where cultural expectations for better design and better policy are required. The analogy I use is Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola stock, its investment product, is worthless if Coca-Cola, the consumer product, is not tasty and safe to consume. Its safety is regulated by the FDA, this would map on to building code, but because there is a systematic undersupply of real estate products, limited land, and high barriers to entry; American's settle for subpar real estate products.

I think it is mostly apathy or laziness, not the budget or demand, that results in project like this.
 
goody said:
I would contest that. Low slung isn't the issue, its the management of the design team.
Click to expand...

It definitely seems like low rise is the preference for lab space. If the bag men will only fund lab space, lab space is what you are going to get.
 
Lab space is in huge demand right now so that is what you are getting. Developers build what people will profitably lease.
 
They have the building abutting the Bikeway bagged up for remediation. I guess this is under construction now.
 
Charlie_mta said:
Aaah, the old Dewey and Almy chemical plant, later W.R Grace. Used to swim in Jerry's Pond (Jerry's Pit) when I was a kid, which was allegedly tainted by the chemicals from this plant. Oh well, I turned out fine. I only glow in the dark a little.
Click to expand...

Here is a link to a Cambridge Day article about Jerry's Pond you might find interesting, there is an effort to open the area as a public wild life park. I learned about Grace Co. when I used to work in the One Alewife Center building at the end of Harvey St. There were guys in Tyvek suits taking boring samples in the parking lot area year after year. I believe the developer was hoping that what ever is in that soil would fall within acceptable exposure levels so development could begin on the rest of the office park. On page 7 of the link there is a plan that shows the proposed office park that never came to be. I assume it's because the soil is still that contaminated. I wonder if that has anything to do with the rotten egg smell and orange stalactites in the Alewife station? I walked thru that station every day for three years but so far so good for me as well.

poster_board_Jerrys_Pit_ca_1945-best_swimming_pic.jpg
 
dhawkins said:
Here is a link to a Cambridge Day article about Jerry's Pond you might find interesting, there is an effort to open the area as a public wild life park. I learned about Grace Co. when I used to work in the One Alewife Center building at the end of Harvey St. There were guys in Tyvek suits taking boring samples in the parking lot area year after year. I believe the developer was hoping that what ever is in that soil would fall within acceptable exposure levels so development could begin on the rest of the office park. On page 7 of the link there is a plan that shows the proposed office park that never came to be. I assume it's because the soil is still that contaminated. I wonder if that has anything to do with the rotten egg smell and orange stalactites in the Alewife station? I walked thru that station every day for three years but so far so good for me as well.

View attachment 30047
Click to expand...
Thanks for the article. That photo shows the old beach and bath house perfectly. Later around 1960 they built the public swimming pool in Russell Field, and the beach was shut down. I grew up in Jefferson Park housing project just down the street. Actually a great area to grow up in at the time. Everything was within walking distance: department stores (Davis Square), food stores, several corner candy stores in the neighborhood, a drugstore, schools, everything. Too bad post-WW 2 America hadn't developed in that model instead of sprawling car oriented suburbs.
 
Charlie_mta said:
...... Everything was within walking distance: department stores (Davis Square), food stores, several corner candy stores in the neighborhood, a drugstore, schools, everything. Too bad post-WW 2 America hadn't developed in that model instead of sprawling car oriented suburbs.
Click to expand...

Humans are closer to dogs than we realize.

Only difference is we mark OUR territory with concrete and cement. :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top