Assembly Square Infill and Small Developments | Somerville

Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

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Debris from worksite seem to be roughing up the boats at the yacht club.http://www.wickedlocal.com/somervil...rom-Somervilles-Assembly-Square#axzz2CtdaEodB
 
Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

This should end the speculation about a Revolution soccer stadium on that property. I hope the supermarket is Wegman's and not Wal-Mart.
 
Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

Assembly Sq. is so isolated from other neighborhood. Cut off by the highway (great transportation and great barrier) then the River, T on the other end. I think they should be building multiple 25+ mixed use towers. Great infrastructure, definite demand, little impact on others.
 
Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

So I guess this would put the proposal in Revere as the only one left standing for the Revs.
 
Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

The Inner Belt area in Somerville was one of the other options floated, but I think the Revere site's now choice 1.
 
Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

Put the Revs next to the new Everett casino!
 
Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

underground said:
The Inner Belt area in Somerville was one of the other options floated, but I think the Revere site's now choice 1.
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I think I read somewhere that officially got scrapped as well.
 
Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

^ LOL.

Oh wait, they actually expect people to believe it'll look like that?
 
Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

czsz said:
^ LOL.

Oh wait, they actually expect people to believe it'll look like that?
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That's not far off from what their development in Arlington, VA looks like; and from what I understand, they're shaping up to be very similar developments.
 
Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

I'm sorry, but that looks like a vaguely Americanized Barcelona or something. I've been to Arlington and nowhere in Arlington looks like that.
 
Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

I don't see a single car in that rendering. Yet every site plan I've seen of A.S. shows acres of parking.
 
Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

dshoost88 said:
That's not far off from what their development in Arlington, VA looks like; and from what I understand, they're shaping up to be very similar developments.
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This developer understands urban planning, place-making, added value from "creating an urban experience", etc. I am sure some of the detail on the buildings will be value engineered away, but the overall urban form will work (that's why the T stop was a deal-breaker for them). I'd expect they'd have a well activated public space (similar to the drawing) at the core, the sea of parking will be at the periphery - at the existing strip mall.

We planning snobs at aB will always find something to critique, but this will still look better than most new developments. Picture a larger, better executed Station Landing. Not too shabby.
 
Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

I'm not saying it won't be the things you describe; I just think the render itself looks way too polished and optimistic for such an isolated site where everything will be built from scratch.
 
Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

czsz said:
... I just think the render itself looks way too polished and optimistic for such an isolated site where everything will be built from scratch.
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Agreed. It's the developer's shiny picture, for marketing purposes. Still, the massing, public space, transit access, ability to actually attract the public to populate the space, etc, are realistic.

It is impossible for a brand new project to compare with a true urban plaza that has developed organically. The question to ponder is "should we try to create good new urban spaces from scratch at a site like this, or just give up and build Natick or Saugus style strip development?"
 
Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

^ Should we try to build good urban spaces, or give up and just build Natick? Well... The right question I think, is - Why is it so hard to even try?

I think the answer is half a century of rules, regulations, and planning orthodoxies that have made it virtually impossible to create good new urban spaces. Until we fix that, every "try" will come out sub-par.
 
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Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

Shepard said:
^ Should we try to build good urban spaces, or give up and just build Natick? Well... The right question I think, is - Why is it so hard to even try?

I think the answer is half a decade of rules, regulations, and planning orthodoxies that have made it virtually impossible to create good new urban spaces. Until we fix that, every "try" will come out sub-par.
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You're right to a point, but it's still impossible to create a dense shopping district in 18 months that will match the charm and maturity of one ten times that old.
 
Re: Assembly Square Redevelopment

The buildings they are showing there look like a snapshot of Newbury St or Boylston St. They are far too ornamental. That aspect for me is what ruins the essence of this rendering of a brand new development that isn't even downtown or in a historic area. I think the public forum aspect is a realistic expectation, but it won't look quite like they are portraying it unless they rise former École des Beaux-Arts graduates from the dead! Look at the detailing on the top of the building on the right! Not even Filene's has that kind of ornament!
 
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