Allston-Brighton Infill and Small Developments

looking better every week
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Wow, this render really captures the growth happening here. Also a pretty solid design for infill. More of this.

Though... I can't help but wonder how they could better execute those setback floors. Is it trying to mimic those height extensions on older buildings?

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“Brighton’s Speedway project sets a date for groundbreaking”
“The redevelopment of the old racetrack at Western Avenue and Soldiers Field Road will include a Notch Brewery outpost”

Article Link

Speedway_Aerial_Looking_NW_hres.0.jpg
 
DigitalSciGuy said:
Wow, this render really captures the growth happening here. Also a pretty solid design for infill. More of this.

Though... I can't help but wonder how they could better execute those setback floors. Is it trying to mimic those height extensions on older buildings?

View attachment 741
Click to expand...

I dig the design, and am always a fan of infill density, but with 51 parking spaces and only 41 units, this is not a progressive parking ratio the City of Boston should be permitting.
 
stick n move said:
“Brighton’s Speedway project sets a date for groundbreaking”
“The redevelopment of the old racetrack at Western Avenue and Soldiers Field Road will include a Notch Brewery outpost”

Article Link

Speedway_Aerial_Looking_NW_hres.0.jpg
Click to expand...

I am really looking forward to this project. As much as I would love plopping some higher density infill into this spot, this project is one of the more unique adaptive reuses of a historic building that we have had in this neighborhood. I am hoping it is successful and encourages more foot traffic in this area. I am curious how the streetwall will look and feel on the ground though.
 
stick n move said:
“Brighton’s Speedway project sets a date for groundbreaking”
“The redevelopment of the old racetrack at Western Avenue and Soldiers Field Road will include a Notch Brewery outpost”

Article Link

Speedway_Aerial_Looking_NW_hres.0.jpg
Click to expand...
This is really cool. There's another brewspace just down the road on Western that I walked by the other day, and it was a very nice little nexus of activity. Western Ave is actually shaping up to be a potentially lively little zone in 5 years.
 
That's really cute. I'm glad they are going to reuse it. What's the old racetrack they mention?
 
vanshnookenraggen said:
That's really cute. I'm glad they are going to reuse it. What's the old racetrack they mention?
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Charles River Speedway was a former racing track designed by a firm cofounded by Olmstead. The structure in question is all that remains, the former superintendent's building.
 
Speedway1899_Lo.jpg


It was a harness racing track, although the above photo suggests there were days when anyone with a horse and buggy could parade around the track.


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Aerial from a balloon, 1899. One can orient the Speedway by its proximity to Harvard Stadium.
 
stellarfun said:
393236_orig.jpg


Aerial from a balloon, 1899. One can orient the Speedway by its proximity to Harvard Stadium.
Click to expand...
Im confused: the speedway should be right next to Western Ave/Arsenal St, but I dont see a bridge there, and you can trace Western Ave as continuing further out of view of this image. So, is it possible this is actually a different racetrack? Or was the superintendant's building not actually all that close to the Speedway?

Edit - after some googling, I am not actually sure if the Speedway was that oval track, or the segment of SFR from Western Ave to the tip of the bend in the river — the old maps I found seem to call what now is SFR the Speedway. Any info, anyone?
 
FK4 said:
Im confused: the speedway should be right next to Western Ave/Arsenal St, but I dont see a bridge there, and you can trace Western Ave as continuing further out of view of this image. So, is it possible this is actually a different racetrack? Or was the superintendant's building not actually all that close to the Speedway?

Edit - after some googling, I am not actually sure if the Speedway was that oval track, or the segment of SFR from Western Ave to the tip of the bend in the river — the old maps I found seem to call what now is SFR the Speedway. Any info, anyone?
Click to expand...

Looking at 1909 and 1916 atlases on https://mapjunction.com/, it looks like the speedway ran along the SFR:

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^^ That's what I used, too. But there's also an oval racetrack, so what was that? Images of the oval are what comes up when you google "Charles River Speedway".
 
Yes, it is. This is seen as a way to keep the major cornice line at a lower level and have more mass above. Using the vertical metal panel is historicist but it is something that the public and designers are comfortable with in Boston because it mimics an older type and downplays the height.

To my mind, the fussiness of the upper stories is more of a problem than the cladding. Everything is so chopped and shuffled these days. Or it's a hanging-over-the-property-line tight-skin box. There doesn't seem to be much in between.

DigitalSciGuy said:
Wow, this render really captures the growth happening here. Also a pretty solid design for infill. More of this.

Though... I can't help but wonder how they could better execute those setback floors. Is it trying to mimic those height extensions on older buildings?

View attachment 741
Click to expand...
 
The 27 foot tall bronze statue at Smith playground was donated by Boston Properties.
The statue, whose real name is “Quest Eternal,” occupied the Boylston Street side of the Prudential Center, depicting a large, nude male reaching to the heavens. The sculpture was moved in 2014 when the Pru began construction on a new entrance on Boylston Street.
Click to expand...
www.boston.gov

'Quest Eternal' statue moving to Smith Playground in Allston

The statue, whose real name is “Quest Eternal,” occupied the Boylston Street side of the Prudential Center, depicting a large, nude male reaching to the heavens. The sculpture was moved in 2014 when the Pru began construction on a new entrance on Boylston Street.
www.boston.gov www.boston.gov

They spent millions reconstructing this playground, and I didn't think there was money in the budget for a giant bronze.
 
Quite a downgrade for QE, why here at such a non-place location. It belongs back at the Pru.
 
Brad Plaid said:
Quite a downgrade for QE, why here at such a non-place location. It belongs back at the Pru.
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Brad -- It doesn't fit in a Playground -- But the Seaport -- its gradually acquiring significant and non-significant public art -- Questman would be excellent in the Seaport -- both thematically [Innovation -- Quest] and artistically

Of course in a perverse way I still like my original idea -- suspend [magnetically] a basketball above his outstretched hand -- then have a huge Bill Russel hand block the attempt at a finger roll -- it would really complement the Bobby Statue at the Hub on Causeway
 
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