Beverly Infill/Small Developments

JeffDowntown said:
^ Beverly seem to totally understand and embrace TOD.
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The administration of the city seems to understand it but so many residents do not.

kz1000ps said:
Why is this? Clear lack of NIMBYs? Extremely pro-growth government? Favorable middle class economics? Obviously there was lots of underutilized land around the station, but none of what I listed is unique to Beverly. And yet their TOD growth is clearly unique among the suburbs.

And I ask this as someone whose mom grew up in Beverly and yet knows very little about the current sociopolitical climate there.
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There is PLENTY of “NIMBY’s” in Beverly.

5 or 6 years ago there was a (I wouldn’t say high end but definetly not bargain shopping) strip mall development that was to be built near the 128 Rotary up by the North Shore Music Theather. The plan was controversial - so much so there was a city wide vote on it.

It passes easily - something along the lines of 60-65% (maybe even higher) but the neighborhood the development is in - voted against it to the tune of 90%.

Another case: Beverly probably cares more about it’s HS football team then maybe any city in the entire state - the football boosters have a decent amount of influence. But for some reason despite having a gem of a stadium - it’s been a virtually impossible to task to get lights at the place - something that 95% of the city wants and would be a great asset to the district - but it’s been an near impossible task due to… unrelenting bitching by neighbors.

Back to the Downtown growth… there has been constant bitching about every step of the way. Why? no one knows considering what it used to be which BeeLine described perfectly. Frankly most of these new structures could’ve and probably should’ve been a little taller
 
NoShJFK said:
The administration of the city seems to understand it but so many residents do not.


There is PLENTY of “NIMBY’s” in Beverly.

5 or 6 years ago there was a (I wouldn’t say high end but definetly not bargain shopping) strip mall development that was to be built near the 128 Rotary up by the North Shore Music Theather. The plan was controversial - so much so there was a city wide vote on it.

It passes easily - something along the lines of 60-65% (maybe even higher) but the neighborhood the development is in - voted against it to the tune of 90%.

Another case: Beverly probably cares more about it’s HS football team then maybe any city in the entire state - the football boosters have a decent amount of influence. But for some reason despite having a gem of a stadium - it’s been a virtually impossible to task to get lights at the place - something that 95% of the city wants and would be a great asset to the district - but it’s been an near impossible task due to… unrelenting bitching by neighbors.

Back to the Downtown growth… there has been constant bitching about every step of the way. Why? no one knows considering what it used to be which BeeLine described perfectly. Frankly most of these new structures could’ve and probably should’ve been a little taller
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Even if the height is a little lacking, there is a lot more new dense multi-family housing near Beverly Depot than near most suburban commuter rail stations.

Also the height is likely controlled by the cost effectiveness of 5 over 1 construction.
 
NoShJFK said:
The administration of the city seems to understand it but so many residents do not.


There is PLENTY of “NIMBY’s” in Beverly.

5 or 6 years ago there was a (I wouldn’t say high end but definetly not bargain shopping) strip mall development that was to be built near the 128 Rotary up by the North Shore Music Theather. The plan was controversial - so much so there was a city wide vote on it.

It passes easily - something along the lines of 60-65% (maybe even higher) but the neighborhood the development is in - voted against it to the tune of 90%.

Another case: Beverly probably cares more about it’s HS football team then maybe any city in the entire state - the football boosters have a decent amount of influence. But for some reason despite having a gem of a stadium - it’s been a virtually impossible to task to get lights at the place - something that 95% of the city wants and would be a great asset to the district - but it’s been an near impossible task due to… unrelenting bitching by neighbors.

Back to the Downtown growth… there has been constant bitching about every step of the way. Why? no one knows considering what it used to be which BeeLine described perfectly. Frankly most of these new structures could’ve and probably should’ve been a little taller
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Having my aunt and uncle who have lived in this town for well over thirty years, and whose children were/are Panthers, I can attest to this. They’re also both NIMBYS, but I love ‘em regardless.
 
Anchor-Point-Update.jpg

“BEVERLY, MA – Harborlight Homes (formerly Harborlight Community Partners), in partnership with SV Design, Groom Construction and the City of Beverly, will be celebrating the opening of Anchor Point (Phase 1) affordable home community in Beverly, with a ribbon cutting Friday, July 29th at 9:30am, 108 Sohier Road…”

https://bostonrealestatetimes.com/h...ebrate-the-opening-of-anchor-point-on-friday/
 
BeeLine said:
While I was away they topped off "The Block @ Odell Park". This is acomplex of 106 apts 110 parking (under ground) and 9k sq ft retail.

IMG_6866 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_6867 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_6871 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_6872 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_6877 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_6878 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

How about this for TOD?
IMG_6881 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
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Regarding loud NIMBYs for this site.

They had a legit point that Windover, the developer, designated some delapitated buildings on the site as a historic district in order to get tax credits for some affordable housing next to it (a 2 million dollar grant). They then proposed taring down that "historic district" 5 years later.

It's why one of the old buildings is being preserved. It's the brown cladded building at the moment.

They're (of they were) wood buildings that date to the 1800s when the railroad entered Beverly.

A developer has bought some vacant land on the other side of the tracks and the city has been exploring for years to change the zoning to allow additional TOD. Alongside Rantoul street, the zoning is pretty damn progressive, only requiring 1 car per unit. I can't think of many other area suburbs with that low of a parking minimum (and stuff in Everett, Medford etc much closer to the core is being built with more parking).

And it's awesome how downtown Beverly keeps becoming more vibrant with new developments. Plus there are 5 breweries (one opening this fall), and who dosn't love beer.
 
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tysmith95 said:
Regarding loud NIMBYs for this site.

They had a legit point that Windover, the developer, designated some delapitated buildings on the site as a historic district in order to get tax credits for some affordable housing next to it (a 2 million dollar grant). They then proposed taring down that "historic district" 5 years later.

It's why one of the old buildings is being preserved. It's the brown cladded building at the moment.

They're (of they were) wood buildings that date to the 1800s when the railroad entered Beverly.

A developer has bought some vacant land on the other side of the tracks and the city has been exploring for years to change the zoning to allow additional TOD. Alongside Rantoul street, the zoning is pretty damn progressive, only requiring 1 car per unit. I can't think of many other area suburbs with that low of a parking minimum (and stuff in Everett, Medford etc much closer to the core is being built with more parking).

And it's awesome how downtown Beverly keeps becoming more vibrant with new developments. Plus there are 5 breweries (one opening this fall), and who dosn't love beer.
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I’ll have to take a trip there this summer. I biked around there in summer 2019 and was amazed at the vibrancy on the main drag, glad more has developed since.
 
Are they trying to make it harder to comply with the transit community housing law?
 
Of interest, Zillow.com, December 21, 2022:

Most popular seaside town: Beverly, Massachusetts
This Boston suburb features miles of coastline and easily accessible public parks, helping to make it Zillow’s most popular seaside town [4] in 2022. Top rankings for page views and relatively low home values compared to its competition helped propel Beverly to the crest of the category. The typical home in Beverly is valued at $657,334.

Gloucester, Massachusetts, and Newport, Oregon, (the most popular beach town in 2021) ranked second and third for similar reasons.
 
Took a trip to Beverly this weekend and snapped some shots of new or U/C infill development. All of this multi-family development is within a 2 minute walk of Beverly Depot commuter rail station, largely along Rantoul Street, which seems to be developing as a secondary retail corridor / High Street that could, if nurtured properly, be as dynamic and interesting as Cabot Street someday.

I can see the appeal of these developments--Beverly is only about a 30 minute train ride to North Station; you can leave your apartment 5 minutes before the train departs, and Beverly Depot has some of the best frequencies on the entire commuter rail network because it is the last stop before the branch between the Newburyport and Rockport lines.

It is disappointing to see Beverly trying to restrict this growth and economic dynamism--all height limits are going to do is drive up home values...

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That looks outstanding, and I'm not sure how anyone can complain that these are too short. Five, six, and seven story buildings are perfect for this location. If this was repeated at half of the commuter rail stations in the MBTA system, we wouldn't have a housing crisis.
 
The Globe reads aB?

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/01...lately-now-some-there-say-its-time-slow-down/

“We are long overdue for a conversation about our future,” said St. Hilaire, who represents a ward on the east side of the city. “What are we looking to achieve? Do we have the resources to support the pace of our current growth? And how much more growth do we want? I don’t know that we can handle another thousand units over the next 10 years.”
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East side of the city to me means Prides Crossing and Beverly Farms, with the estates of the landed gentry, who probably don't want to pay increased property taxes for the increased city services that go along with increased population.
 
stellarfun said:
The Globe reads aB?

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/01...lately-now-some-there-say-its-time-slow-down/



East side of the city to me means Prides Crossing and Beverly Farms, with the estates of the landed gentry, who probably don't want to pay increased property taxes for the increased city services that go along with increased population.
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Mayor Cahill, great guy. Sounds like he was a major influence in all the developments.
This is so dumb:
But the pace of growth has aggravated some residents. St. Hilaire said the influx of new housing has brought new residents to the city and stretched its resources thin. He said he regularly fields complaints about poorly-maintained streets and public properties — including a bridge that connects the city’s west side with downtown that was shut down last year by the state due to disrepair — which he attributed to the city failing to properly plan for growth.
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Yeah because those extra housing units definitely are the cause of potholes and a failing bridge? Gimme a break. More residents does mean city services cost more, but 1400 units does not = that much more wear and tear on the road pavement. Come on, dude.
 
FK4 said:
Mayor Cahill, great guy. Sounds like he was a major influence in all the developments.
This is so dumb:

Yeah because those extra housing units definitely are the cause of potholes and a failing bridge? Gimme a break. More residents does mean city services cost more, but 1400 units does not = that much more wear and tear on the road pavement. Come on, dude.
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What he's basically saying is that the new residents have *the horror* expectations for City Government that they raise with him. Either the longtime residents were more resigned or he simply doesn't like having more people who can complain.
 
stellarfun said:
The Globe reads aB?

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/01...lately-now-some-there-say-its-time-slow-down/



East side of the city to me means Prides Crossing and Beverly Farms, with the estates of the landed gentry, who probably don't want to pay increased property taxes for the increased city services that go along with increased population.
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Seems like NIMBY nonsense to me. Increased property taxes from new construction don't count against the prop 2.5 cap and the buildings are downtown so the cost of services is very low. If anything, this will dramatically strengthen Beverly's finances.
 
Interesting read! Honestly, going from a 7-story limit to a 5-story one (while certainly regressive) doesn’t seem like the end of the world. Let’s all be thankful that Mr. Three Story Everywhere didn’t get his way.
 
Beverly Planning Board Approves Multifamily Project ‘Amara’

Amara.png


“BEVERLY, MA– The Procopio Companies, a fourth-generation, full-service real estate development and construction management firm, announced that Amara, the firm’s mixed-use development planned for 26, 28, 28R Cabot St and 4-6, 8 Rantoul Street in Beverly, MA, is now underway, after receiving approval from the Beverly Planning Board in December of 2022.

The five-story multifamily building will feature a mix of 60 studio, one- and two-bedroom units, as well as a garage and adjacent surface parking and views of Beverly Harbor. Amara will have easy access to waterfront paths, local beaches, downtown Beverly, and the city’s MBTA commuter rail train station at Beverly Depot. 5 units will be designated as affordable.”

https://bostonrealestatetimes.com/beverly-planning-board-approves-multifamily-project-amara/
 
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