Assembly Square Infill and Small Developments | Somerville

[Beton Brut]

The nuances of this argument are beyond what can be achieved on an Internet post:

• We are all aware of the loss of pre-21st century living styles, and are constantly sentimental and self-conscious in our tastes...
• (T)he present middle-aged generation is in some ways more sentimental about the past than anyone realizes or admits....
• (S)ince the fall of modernism, people have shied away from truly believing in the future...
• (S)omething that went wrong in the past, rather than putting stock in a confident vision of the future that is untethered from the past.

Not much to argue with here.

All the new thinking is about loss...

It's never too late to start! You just might find it surprisingly enjoyable!

Depends on who's watching. :-/

 

[FK4]

All the new thinking is about loss...

That is excellent. Thank you.

 

[falcon42]

What is going on here? How is this a conversation. Its an entertainment facility. Many of them exist, all over the country. Kings and Lucky Strike do very well all over the country. If you can't accept that people enjoy these facilities, that's your issue.

 

[statler]

We speak of things that matter/
Of words that must be said/
Can analysis be worthwhile?/
Is the theater really dead?

 

[cca]

What is going on here? How is this a conversation. Its an entertainment facility. Many of them exist, all over the country. Kings and Lucky Strike do very well all over the country. If you can't accept that people enjoy these facilities, that's your issue.

What is going on here is an intellectual discussion. Is there no place for that? Maybe the mods should make another section of the site where this kind of thing can be discussed while the rest of us can just think about if the ROI of a bowling alley really makes sense.

cca

 

[falcon42]

Its an architectural forum, not a philosophy forum. I can link you over some of those if you'd like.

 

[Beton Brut]

Perhaps I should repackage this discussion:

We've built a spit-shined, auto-centric, lily-white simulacrum of an urban experience within sight of an actual city. Maybe this is something to celebrate, but count me the fuck out.

The fact that happy and prosperous post collegiates wanna tear the ass out of a Saturday night indulging their Lebowski fetish just gives me douche-chills. (Cue the Demi Lovato track...)

Sometimes a bowling alley isn't just a bowling alley...

 

[Ruairi]

Perhaps I should repackage this discussion:

We've built a spit-shined, auto-centric, lily-white simulacrum of an urban experience within sight of an actual city. Maybe this is something to celebrate, but count me the fuck out.

The fact that happy and prosperous post collegiates wanna tear the ass out of a Saturday night indulging their Lebowski fetish just gives me douche-chills. (Cue the Demi Lovato track...)

Sometimes a bowling alley isn't just a bowling alley...

ha, what would you have preferred on the site?
Assembly is pretty straight forward. It's a shame there isn't more affordable units in the development and the garages are pretty ugly but it seems like sensible development of industrial wasteland, shuffleboard and all!

 

[statler]

BB is more than capable of answering for himself but if I were to guess, he is looking for something a u t h e n t i c.

My problem is, and this may just be a lack of imagination on my part, I have no idea what an authentic, built-from-scratch, circa 2018 urban development would even look like.

If it's the Seaport, I'll take a hard pass.

 

[tangent]

Its an architectural forum, not a philosophy forum. I can link you over some of those if you'd like.

Really? Architecture has been a reflection of contemporary art, philosophy and human values since the dawn of architecture.

That said. I really hate that transportation has been so fetishized into becoming a divisive subject to the point that it is partisan.

Republicans drive cars and Democrats take the train. And if there is no train a good Democrat will wait by the side of the road until the trolley is built.

Come on folks. Cars, trains, buses, boats, planes, bicycles and even our own two legs all have their strengths and weaknesses and we should plan accordingly.

 

[Blackdog]

Perhaps I should repackage this discussion:

We've built a spit-shined, auto-centric, lily-white simulacrum of an urban experience within sight of an actual city. Maybe this is something to celebrate, but count me the fuck out.

The fact that happy and prosperous post collegiates wanna tear the ass out of a Saturday night indulging their Lebowski fetish just gives me douche-chills. (Cue the Demi Lovato track...)

Sometimes a bowling alley isn't just a bowling alley...

Oh man you must be fun at parties.

 

[cadetcarl]

Yeah I'm not even sure what to say to that. If I don't like some piece of culture, I just...don't consume it. I'm not much of a bowler so I don't go bowling. But I'm not gonna begrudge other people their favorite leisure activities. Whether they like bowling or playing dress-up, they're still buying lane time, still buying drinks, still laughing, still taking pictures for memories. I for one make no pretense at being able to distinguish that from a "truly authentic recreational experience™."

 

[chrisbrat]

I live walking-distance from Assembly and appreciate having a super-close movie theater, the beer garden (although I think that's gone as of this summer?), I even like a couple of the restaurants fine and once bought some converse at a ridiculously low price, so: thumbs up to all that.

I also recall what was there (nothing), so since (generally speaking) something is better than nothing: thumbs up to all that, too.

The area does, however, feel like Epcot Center. It's a little mini pretend-city that feels like a movie set where they forgot to age/patina anything.

I've spent considerable thought (not that I'd put overmuch value on THAT) into how they could've done more to make the place seem "real" and I really don't know.

Some of the newer and ongoing developments look a little less homogeneous and I think that'll help and aging will certainly help, overall, but (just as in the Seaport) if every building in a specific area is built within a few years of one another, I just don't know how it's going to have much true diversity. Them tossing in some faux Victorians or Federal-style buildings would only enhance the Disney/fake-effect.

 

[cden4]

What is "authentic"? Many of the neighborhoods we love today and consider to be historic and authentic were built by a handful of developers as tract housing. The triple decker, the brownstone, they were all built as run-of-the-mill housing. It's only time that has allowed us to look back with a warm fuzzy feeling about these neighborhoods. I suppose one could say that the main difference between these old neighborhoods and a place like Assembly Row is that the buildings and the land are all individually owned, and evolve and change over time in different ways. There is a more of a sense of community based on individual ownership, without the ever-present corporate overlord.

 

[statler]

I suppose one could say that the main difference between these old neighborhoods and a place like Assembly Row is that the buildings and the land are all individually owned, and evolve and change over time in different ways. There is a more of a sense of community based on individual ownership, without the ever-present corporate overlord.

This is exactly correct. Unfortunately none of us will ever see this kind of development in our lifetimes.

 

[chrisbrat]

What is "authentic"? Many of the neighborhoods we love today and consider to be historic and authentic were built by a handful of developers as tract housing. The triple decker, the brownstone, they were all built as run-of-the-mill housing. It's only time that has allowed us to look back with a warm fuzzy feeling about these neighborhoods. I suppose one could say that the main difference between these old neighborhoods and a place like Assembly Row is that the buildings and the land are all individually owned, and evolve and change over time in different ways. There is a more of a sense of community based on individual ownership, without the ever-present corporate overlord.

i suppose you've got a point there. as i noted, as these areas age i think it'll feel differently, but it's a strange experience to walk around there now. to me, anyway. and i guess i'm not articulating why that is especially well.

 

[bigpicture7]

This is exactly correct. Unfortunately none of us will ever see this kind of development in our lifetimes.

Dare we say, then, that the only way we'd get there is with a society that distributes ownership, rather than concentrates it?

 

[Beton Brut]

My problem is, and this may just be a lack of imagination on my part, I have no idea what an authentic, built-from-scratch, circa 2018 urban development would even look like.

Sadly, there's no such thing these days, statler.

Speaking urbanistically, "authenticity" is derived of an organic developmental process (i.e. the Back Bay, the South End, Davis Square). It's the confluence of planned and unplanned events over an extended timescale. It's an evolutionary, not a revolutionary process. Authenticity cannot be planned, because it's an acquired attribute - you don't take your boots out of the box with mud already on them. Architects, planners, and policy-makers can only imagine how a development of this scale will be used, but residents, visitors, and time will determine what it "means."

It's a shame there isn't more affordable units in the development and the garages are pretty ugly...

Because nothing short of alchemy would conjure "a place" for this site, perhaps something revolutionary would have worked here. The quote above shows that the flaws in the plan are clearly visible...

How about:

• A larger residential component with a higher percentage of affordable units;
• Condominiums targeted for bicyclists and public transportation advocates, with covenants that restrict (or curtail, or at least disincentivize) car ownership;
• Significantly reduced parking counts for both residents and visitors;
• A fleet of sharable vehicles, serviced by students of an on-site vocational training program;
• In the same mode as affordable housing requirements, affordable commercial leasing for local retailers and restaurants (likely part of a public-private partnership).

When there's no time for evolution, revolution.

I really hate that transportation has been so fetishized into becoming a divisive subject to the point that it is partisan....Cars, trains, buses, boats, planes, bicycles and even our own two legs all have their strengths and weaknesses and we should plan accordingly.

Word.

Oh man you must be fun at parties.

You've really no idea...

 

[Ruairi]

I live walking-distance from Assembly and appreciate having a super-close movie theater, the beer garden (although I think that's gone as of this summer?), I even like a couple of the restaurants fine and once bought some converse at a ridiculously low price, so: thumbs up to all that.

I also recall what was there (nothing), so since (generally speaking) something is better than nothing: thumbs up to all that, too.

The area does, however, feel like Epcot Center. It's a little mini pretend-city that feels like a movie set where they forgot to age/patina anything.

I've spent considerable thought (not that I'd put overmuch value on THAT) into how they could've done more to make the place seem "real" and I really don't know.

Some of the newer and ongoing developments look a little less homogeneous and I think that'll help and aging will certainly help, overall, but (just as in the Seaport) if every building in a specific area is built within a few years of one another, I just don't know how it's going to have much true diversity. Them tossing in some faux Victorians or Federal-style buildings would only enhance the Disney/fake-effect.

Yup, I live near by and echo these sentiments. It's still early days and it needs to turn from a development into a neighborhood. Hopefully in a few years draw 7 park will be redone, there will be a foot bridge linking to Everett, there'll be better pedestrian links to East Somerville and the Boston section of the Mystic river bank will start to open up. I saw talk of a bike path linking to sullivan sq and on to the innerbelt and the GLX path.
The architecture is not my cup of tea but I haven't heard one person go 'Assembly... ugh.. that place is horrible' so it must be ok.
It's also catering to an existing market rather than trying to impose it's self where it's not wanted.

 

[statler]

Dare we say, then, that the only way we'd get there is with a society that distributes ownership, rather than concentrates it?

No doubt, but as I said, it's not happening in our lifetime. (Sorry, I've been feeling a bit pessimistic lately)