Brookline Infill and Small Developments

Smuttynose said:
to my knowledge hasn’t resulted in any actual new development.
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I have no idea what I’m talking about here, other than growing up in Brookline, but I imagine that, given the fact that Brookline has always been a solid place to invest in property, and prices have been generally resistant to overall market downturns, there’s less urgency for owners to sell at any particular time, which is what leads to development. If you’re a shop owner on Harvard, you’re always going to get a good price when you sell regardless of how the market’s doing, so if you’re not ready to sell, you’re not going to sell.
 
The Bartlett, right behind the Brookliner, making vertical progress.
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stick n move said:

New affordable senior housing building opens on Centre Street, with apartments still available​

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“An apartment building which recently opened at 108 Centre Street includes 54 affordable units for seniors, and some of them are still available.

The building, built and operated by the housing nonprofit Hebrew SeniorLife as part of its broader Center Communities of Brookline complex, opened earlier this year. It features 54 one-bedroom apartments designed specifically for seniors aged 62 and older, offering a mix of affordability levels to serve different income brackets.

“This building is 100% affordable,” said James Brown, Executive Director for Center Communities of Brookline…..”

brookline.news

New affordable senior housing building opens on Centre Street, with apartments still available - Brookline.News

An apartment building which recently opened at 108 Centre Street includes 54 affordable units for seniors, and some of them are still available. The building, built and operated by the housing nonprofit Hebrew SeniorLife as part of its broader Center Communities of Brookline complex, opened...
brookline.news brookline.news
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I was thinking about this development and this thing is soo much uglier than it needs to be. With essentially the same massing and a smidge better materials this could have looked a million times better.

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They both use precast brick and black fiber cement panels. Its just that in the top example theyre arranged like a kindergarden art project. If they just arranged them better they could have had a much better product. Randomly splotching windows and boxes across the facade is never going to look good. Put the brick in vertical columns with darker colored slightly recessed floor plates in typical classical design language and youre 90% of the way there. Just because its affordable senior housing doesnt mean it need to look like crap.
 
stick n move said:
I was thinking about this development and this thing is soo much uglier than it needs to be. With essentially the same massing and a smidge better materials this could have looked a million times better.

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They both use precast brick and black fiber cement panels. Its just that in the top example theyre arranged like a kindergarden art project. If they just arranged them better they could have had a much better product. Randomly splotching windows and boxes across the facade is never going to look good. Put the brick in vertical columns with darker colored slightly recessed floor plates in typical classical design language and youre 90% of the way there. Just because its affordable senior housing doesnt mean it need to look like crap.
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I honestly believe that there is intentional design sabotage with affordable housing in the US. There is a strong thread of "poor people don't deserve better" that runs through large segments of our society. "Good design" is reserved for those who can pay for it. Poor people get the remnants.
 
JeffDowntown said:
I honestly believe that there is intentional design sabotage with affordable housing in the US. There is a strong thread of "poor people don't deserve better" that runs through large segments of our society. "Good design" is reserved for those who can pay for it. Poor people get the remnants.
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I hear you, but the cost to build affordable housing is typically higher than the cost to build private market rate buildings.
 
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