Allston-Brighton Infill and Small Developments

curcuas said:
SFR is far too wide and rather dangerous because of the types of driving it encourages. Rarely actually sees too much volume.

Somewhat similarly, Western Ave just shouldn't be used for through traffic. It's not wide enough to handle it and the road diet there will make the type of travel there that shouldn't happen anyways impossible.
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So... what road does handle through traffic? Through traffic will happen. You can't road diet every road in the city, or you will get gridlock and unsafe conditions as more volume tries to handle the facility than it was designed for.

If this neighborhood were transit accessible? Diet away. But it isn't.
 
As development booms in Allston-Brighton, city to vote on plan for Western Avenue
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New zoning for the corridor would be the first neighborhood plan approved under the Wu administration.


“The Western Avenue plan is meant to work as a guide both for existing projects the BPDA is considering and for future development, BPDA director and chief planner Arthur Jemison said at a community meeting last month.”

“The plan, Jemison said, will also build on lengthy conversations the city, neighborhood, and developers have had around Harvard’s Enterprise Research Campus, a massive project being planned on university-owned land toward the eastern end of Western Avenue, near the Charles River. In one of her first major moves on the development front, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu this summer brokered a deal with neighborhood groups that enabled Harvard and developer Tishman Speyer to move forward with the ERC’s 900,000-square-foot first phase.”

“As written, the plan recommends allowing multifamily housing — which current zoning does not permit — throughout the entire study area, along with pockets of commercial and lab buildings. Developers can build taller, denser buildings if they agree to add more affordable housing, especially in the areas that would allow commercial and lab projects. Labs, with their tall mechanical penthouses, could reach up to 185 feet in some spots.”

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/10...n-western-ave-even-development-rolls-forward/
 
Looks nice with the thin side toward the street. Orienting a lot more 5 over 1’s this way could lead to better/more interesting street walls while still packing the density these deliver. Looks more natural in residential areas than the cityblock wide 5 over 1s against the street.
 
Board approves Allston landlord's plan for a condo building, but only on condition he really sell all the units and not try to hold some back for apartments
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The Zoning Board of Appeal yesterday approved landlord Anwar Faisal's plans for a 38-unit condo building at 14 Gardner St. - but only after seeking assurances he would really sell all the units as condos this time.

The board voted after an aide to City Councilor Liz Breadon (Allston/Brighton) urged the board to reject the proposal because of the repeated building and building-code violations found at the buildings run by his Alpha Management - and what she said was his predilection to win approval for condo buildings, then hold onto some of the units as rentals.

Breadon's aide, Moira McGrave, said Alpha has racked up 50 violations just this year in his Allston and Brighton rental properties and roughly 675 violations over the past decade.

"The proponent has consistently failed to provide adequate and safe housing to Allston/Brighton residents," she said.

The Allston Civic Association voted in favor of the proposal, which includes 8 affordableunits - more than required by the city - and 20 parking spaces.

https://www.universalhub.com/2022/board-approves-allston-landlords-plan-condo
 
King Street Properties Breaks Ground for $915 Million Allston Labworks
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Boston, MA — King Street Properties recently celebrated the groundbreaking of Allston Labworks, a $915 million project in the Allston neighborhood of Boston.

The 4.27-acre mixed-use project will be situated on the former Stadium Auto Body site on Western Avenue and will consist of 534,000 square feet of lab space, 20,000 square feet of retail, 35 residential units, and a 12,000 square foot public plaza with an additional 5,000 square feet of open space.

https://bostonrealestatetimes.com/k...eaks-ground-for-915-million-allston-labworks/
 
This is Boston, not LA: You can't just build a row of townhomes that don't face the street here
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The Zoning Board of Appeal today rejected plans for a row of five condo townhomes in Allston that would face an elongated driveway rather than the street.

Still, the board rejected the proposal for 108 Allston St., across from the West End House, without prejudice, which means Brian McGrath can come back with revised plans as soon as he readies them rather than waiting at least a year.

"Any time we see one of these projects that's perpendicular to the streetscape, that's a problem that has to be solved," board Chairman Mark Erlich told McGrath and his architect, Choo & Co.'s Elida Alba. Still, he added, "you're not that far off from having a good proposal, but there's still some work to do."

Among the reasons McGrath needed zoning-board approval is because Allston's zoning requires the main entrance to a residence to face the street, rather than a driveway.
https://www.universalhub.com/2022/boston-not-la-you-cant-just-build-row-townhomes
 
I think its one of those “neighborhood character” things to prevent situations like this that you see in sunbelt cities where in order to cram as many houses as possible onto a lot they build them sideways.
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Though in that case the “elongated driveway” sounds like its essentially a street so its more nuanced than this.
 
It mostly has to do with standardization for emergency services. The street pattern is chaotic as is, it can't be made worse
 
I think the townhouses perpendicular to the street can be fine as long as the unit on the end faces the street. The building two down on the corner of Glenville is sort of perpendicular, but appears to actually face Glenville, so not really the same situation. They did a horrendous renovation a couple years back.
Before https://goo.gl/maps/yEqZtBhmYZhg75AP9
After https://goo.gl/maps/WJkF8U9LonF6C8cHA
Like I really don't understand why they decided to make it look like a cheap motel https://goo.gl/maps/doKfpA6f6SSV3ZdV7
 
So, THIS is what I've been seeing rising at a distance from the Washington Street Stop on Comm. Ave. Nice!! :)
 
stick n move said:
I think its one of those “neighborhood character” things to prevent situations like this that you see in sunbelt cities where in order to cram as many houses as possible onto a lot they build them sideways.
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Though in that case the “elongated driveway” sounds like its essentially a street so its more nuanced than this.
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I like this pic and I feel like the sun belt is doing this right. People get to have their own home and a neighborhood feel while being pretty dense. I dont see whats the problem. EMT's or fireman would have to walk far in a 5-over-1 apartment building also so whats the difference? Anyway looks like in this example and in the Boston proposal vehicles could drive to each home. Maybe not turnaround, granted.
 
A 5 over 1 facing a street has an elevator and is relatively easy to extricate a patient. This is not the same as that. Boston is one of the most difficult cities for EMS and zoning should not make it worse
 
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