Cambridge Infill and Small Developments

The red tape is marked asbestos. Must either have been dumped there, or an old steam pipe.
 
for anything interesting to have been built here, we would've needed much laxer zoning
 
^ yes but this is the classic cambridge issue du jour

very residential motifs directly adjacent to hyper dense biotech/lab/engineering office buildings...a few blocks down this same street!

cambridge is in the midst of an epic identity crisis...and zoning is lagging big time. the city is at a total crossroads about what is is / can be / should be.
 
To be fair, it could just be that the investor didn't have the capital for something larger, and it's not as though this development doesn't fit its neighborhood. A midrise would be preferable but this is far from the worst thing.
 
It is a very small parcel. I think anything large enough to have an elevator would be a non-starter.
 
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Central Square

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chmeeee said:
Those balconies overlooking McGrath will be a lovely place to spend an evening with a glass of wine.
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I know there are plans to put McGrath on a diet and turn it in to a Blvd with separated bike lanes. Although i'll believe it when I see it.
 
Cambridge universities' Town-Gown reports are now available.

Harvard's report includes recent, current, and future on-campus redevelopment [PDF]. They also emphasize their advocacy for West Station (including paying 1/3 the cost) and for more bike lanes on the river bridges and in their Allston developments (not included in this report).

MIT notes:
The 730-750 Main Street block (in the “North” area of the Future Development Opportunities map) is an optimal size for a research & development building. MIT anticipates renovating the existing buildings into office and lab facilities to further support the innovation ecosystem in Kendall Square. In addition, redevelopment of this site would allow for the continuation of the emerging retail corridor along Main Street.

Another key step will be the redevelopment of the triangular-shaped 600 Main Street block. This site is relatively close to the core campus and its scale makes it an attractive site for academic research or administrative uses. The site also provides an opportunity to complete the street frontage along Main Street with retail and restaurant space on both sides of the street opposite Technology Square.
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I've previously advocated for 600 Main Street as a great location for grad student/staff (and perhaps non-affiliated) housing--based on nearby buildings, it could easily reach 8-10 floors without much negative affect.

There are tons of data and figures available in these reports, including number of students, off-campus students, and staff, the transportation breakdown of students and staff, and tax and PILOT payments. I recommend looking through them.
 
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