Cambridge Infill and Small Developments

Modifications proposed to "The Collection at Harvard Sq" (Curious George Store, Urban Outfitters, etc.)... sorry, I could not embed images this time.

https://www.cambridgema.gov/~/media/Files/historicalcommission/pdf/casefiles/case3678_plans2B.pdf?la=en

There is a public hearing on 12/1/2016 to discuss the changes.
https://www.cambridgema.gov/historic/permitsApplications/staffreportsandprojectplans

There also is a petition that has been signed by over 5000 people to help save the store and is urging the city of Cambridge to help the store in it's transition.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/nov/16/curious-george-store-closes-cambridge-massachusetts
 
Modifications proposed to "The Collection at Harvard Sq" (Curious George Store, Urban Outfitters, etc.)... sorry, I could not embed images this time.

https://www.cambridgema.gov/~/media/Files/historicalcommission/pdf/casefiles/case3678_plans2B.pdf?la=en

There is a public hearing on 12/1/2016 to discuss the changes.
https://www.cambridgema.gov/historic/permitsApplications/staffreportsandprojectplans

There also is a petition that has been signed by over 5000 people to help save the store and is urging the city of Cambridge to help the store in it's transition.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/nov/16/curious-george-store-closes-cambridge-massachusetts

Looks much better than the first attempt, but if they don't promise to keep the CG store at its current rent, this one's a nonstarter.
 
A thousand times better than the unhinged weirdness of the last render. But CG's space is still destined to be a lobby...
 
A thousand times better than the unhinged weirdness of the last render. But CG's space is still destined to be a lobby...

Amazing how badly they blew it the first time. This is infinitely better. I'm pretty sure they will find a way to save Curious George, but it looks unlikely that it will be in the same location as present.
 
I wonder if the first plan was a proverbial dead cat, to distract and get the second plan through.
 
Why the hell are they even proposing a change of first floor tenant/ a change of facade. It would be more economical and less likely to piss people off to minimize the disturbance to the current ground floor tenants.
 
A petition to liberalize the zoning in Cambridge’s Central Square was presented to the Cambridge Planning Board Tuesday night....

The goal is to amend the city’s zoning code in Central Square to allow for greater density, more housing and greater height. According to the text of the petition, many buildings in the neighborhood were once taller, but had their owners had the upper stories dismantled during the Great Depression in order to reduce the property tax burden.
...
According to Jesse Kanson-Benanav, the Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend the city council adopt the petition.

https://urbanliberty.wordpress.com/2016/12/01/bringing-housing-back-to-central-square/
 
What will become of all these buildings after today's conflagration?
 
What will become of all these buildings after today's conflagration?

Depends on how badly they're damaged. There was a big fire in Cambridgeport last year that incinerated the inside of an old brick building, but I think since the structure was still there, they were able to rehabilitate it.

So some buildings may be able to be rehabilitated; the rest I imagine will be torn down and new multi-level houses will be put in their place?
 
Some are saying the fire started at a site under construction.

On a windy day.

Perfect.
 
Haven't seen anything posted about these - six units at 125 Brookline Street in Cambridgeport:

aFx1KFFh.jpg


Architect is Peter Quinn; only place I could find a site plan was in this filing for a curb cut.
 
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Couple of Central Square-area updates:

78-80 Pearl Street was demolished before the holidays; not sure what's going here:

rMjVX2vh.jpg


Looks like Partners decided to keep the Lyndell's building after all:

IU8D3yxh.jpg
 
Not much info, but I saw surveyors in the parking lot of Vail Court (dilapidated wreck in Central Square) this morning.
 
I honestly liked the old brutalist facade better than the (also) already-out-of-date looking tiling.
 

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