Cambridge Infill and Small Developments

[Digital_Islandboy]

There are 2 large surface parking lots right across from the Sears building just begging for a couple of 15 story residential towers. That's a fantasy of course because that would require non-self absorbed neighbors who understand dense TOD and are concerned with the greater good of creating more housing. The reality will be 3-story garden apartments on one lot and a park on the other.

Porter Square is criminally underdeveloped.

Perhaps they can build over the Commuter Rail tracks at Porter and call it noise dampening of the loud train engines for local homes.

 

[Digital_Islandboy]

There are 2 large surface parking lots right across from the Sears building just begging for a couple of 15 story residential towers. That's a fantasy of course because that would require non-self absorbed neighbors who understand dense TOD and are concerned with the greater good of creating more housing. The reality will be 3-story garden apartments on one lot and a park on the other.

Porter Square is criminally underdeveloped.

So is Harvard Square. I think the Cambridge Common is crying out for a three-four story below ground parking garage with direct entry into the Harvard Square T station. Somewhat similar to the parking garage at the Boston Common. Speaking of that, the Boston Common one should be connected with the Park St. T-station.

 

[Digital_Islandboy]

Would you guys rather the Transportation Building be built out of precast or cheap glass curtain walls?

Yeah, didn't think so.

Call it a hunch, Emerson might end up with that building, and the state leasing it back. So there's still hope in offloading it.

 

[Arborway]

Call it a hunch, Emerson might end up with that building, and the state leasing it back. So there's still hope in offloading it.

True, though I believe Emerson already occupies part of it. Last I heard, the Tufte Center extends into the building, though occupants can't travel between the Emerson and State sections and are generally unaware that they're in such close proximity to each another.

 

[Ron Newman]

So is Harvard Square. I think the Cambridge Common is crying out for a three-four story below ground parking garage with direct entry into the Harvard Square T station.

No.

The only reason the Boston Common garage was feasible was that Boston Common historically had a treeless section, the Parade Ground. Nothing comparable exists on the Cambridge Common.

 

[citylover94]

I don't see why Cambridge Common needs a parking garage underneath it when the red line and several bus lines have stops right next to it adding a parking garage would only encourage people to drive and cause more congestion.

 

[fattony]

So is Harvard Square. I think the Cambridge Common is crying out for a three-four story below ground parking garage with direct entry into the Harvard Square T station. Somewhat similar to the parking garage at the Boston Common. Speaking of that, the Boston Common one should be connected with the Park St. T-station.

Harvard (and similarly for downtown Boston) is not Alewife. You don't want people driving into Harvard to catch the T. It is true that Harvard is a major transit hub, but it is painful to access by car.

If you want to talk about digging in Cambridge, let's talk (more like dream) of an Allston subway.

 

[BostonUrbEx]

Is there any way to rid Porter Square of that hideous and poorly placed substation/ventilation building? They couldn't have possibly been more intrusive in designing that hulking menace. It's taking up the best air rights space in the area.

 

[Digital_Islandboy]

No.

The only reason the Boston Common garage was feasible was that Boston Common historically had a treeless section, the Parade Ground. Nothing comparable exists on the Cambridge Common.

Hi,

What about the large open field near the baseball field where school students play soccer in the evenings?
(Street view - https://maps.google.com/?ll=42.3764...VAMwMJjTA32vVPv4dQ&cbp=12,47.35,,0,-2.88&z=15 )

The side with the small kiddies park is also fairly devoid of large tress and once down a good 20-30 feet might be pretty well devoid of much roots as well. Don't forget the Red Line is already under far eastern most portions of the Common.

(Street view -- https://maps.google.com/?ll=42.3778...oQWJ0yMKO56KvWmLjChuwg&cbp=12,166.34,,0,-2.55 )

Between Waterhouse St. and Mass. Ave. there's a large clearing where the large surface grates for the Red Line are situated that's a perfect spot for a ramp downward.
Street view - https://maps.google.com/?ll=42.3796...=7w5tmRvPbHAQ23fn9Ol3Xg&cbp=12,202.48,,0,2.14

A few years back the large grates near Mass. Ave. and Garfield were better-integrated into a new housing development. Something similar could be done with parking structure.
(Street view - https://maps.google.com/?ll=42.3836...=ZFakUMZaBeLEPdy7P3hH1A&cbp=12,102.35,,0,1.32 )

Like Alewife station, I bet it would often be full between Harvard University, local businesses, residents, and MBTA riders. The increase in new buildings around Harvard is going to make the parking situation tougher and tougher.

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

Is there any way to rid Porter Square of that hideous and poorly placed substation/ventilation building? They couldn't have possibly been more intrusive in designing that hulking menace. It's taking up the best air rights space in the area.

That's going to be damn hard to try to relocate. It serves as a substation for both the Red Line and the TT network, and it has to be larger than the average substation because it feeds both DC power to the RL third rail and AC to the TT overhead. There really aren't any places you can move that half (Cambridge side of the canyon) of the building.

The ventilation portion (Somerville Ave. side + overhanging the Fitchburg Line) also has to be pretty large for a station that cavernous and to cool a substation that large. Although I'm wondering if they might be able to retrofit it with HVAC units a little smaller and more efficient than the circa-1984 monsters inside and rework the building so it doesn't jut out so far on the Somerville Ave. side. If for no other reason than to widen that awfully narrow and congested sidewalk and give the 83 a real curb turnout that doesn't squeeze nearly as much EB traffic.

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

Hi,

What about the large open field near the baseball field where school students play soccer in the evenings?
(Street view - https://maps.google.com/?ll=42.3764...VAMwMJjTA32vVPv4dQ&cbp=12,47.35,,0,-2.88&z=15 )

The side with the small kiddies park is also fairly devoid of large tress and once down a good 20-30 feet might be pretty well devoid of much roots as well. Don't forget the Red Line is already under far eastern most portions of the Common.

(Street view -- https://maps.google.com/?ll=42.3778...oQWJ0yMKO56KvWmLjChuwg&cbp=12,166.34,,0,-2.55 )

Between Waterhouse St. and Mass. Ave. there's a large clearing where the large surface grates for the Red Line are situated that's a perfect spot for a ramp downward.
Street view - https://maps.google.com/?ll=42.3796...=7w5tmRvPbHAQ23fn9Ol3Xg&cbp=12,202.48,,0,2.14

A few years back the large grates near Mass. Ave. and Garfield were better-integrated into a new housing development. Something similar could be done with parking structure.
(Street view - https://maps.google.com/?ll=42.3836...=ZFakUMZaBeLEPdy7P3hH1A&cbp=12,102.35,,0,1.32 )

Like Alewife station, I bet it would often be full between Harvard University, local businesses, residents, and MBTA riders. The increase in new buildings around Harvard is going to make the parking situation tougher and tougher.

Ugh. There's no way that'll work with the street layout around the Common. It's a death-defying experience trying to get from Broadway/Cambridge St. across every lane of Mass Ave. and onto Garden with all the weaving required. Everything in the whole world, including all the buses, converges at that very spot. To say nothing about how fucked-up the rest of the street grid is around Harvard Sq. Where could you possibly put a garage entrance around there...and flush twice as much traffic into the Square from parkers...without making an already bad and dangerous traffic situation incredibly worse? There's no place you can put it that would serve traffic from all directions except for somewhere between the center of the auto universe and the Garden side.


Alewife works just fine as the de facto Harvard Sq. garage. Improve the ramp access to/from 2 to divert traffic away from that godawful rotary and it works better than it does now. Or open up a garage on the Stadium side where Soldiers Field Rd. can funnel the traffic and let the Harvard shuttle bus get people across. We're trying to get away from making the very densest and oldest neighborhoods gigantic car sinks. I can't think of anything more destructive than plunking a massive garage right in the Square.


And forget about Cantabrigians ever supporting something like that. There'll be a massive hunger strike on the Common if officials even proposed it in passing.

 

[gooseberry]

Is there a need to encourage more people to drive to Harvard Square? It seems like the streets around there are already maxed out.

 

[kz1000ps]

EF Education First:

 

[kz1000ps]

Watermark II

The Google bridge:

17 Cambridge Center:

 

[kz1000ps]

150 Second:

The site at First and Rogers:

there's 150 Second in the background VV

Also, does anyone know why the lab 650 East Kendall is completely vacant? It's the building right next to the Genzyme building and completed in 2009....makes no sense why it would be empty with the market so hot.

 

[stellarfun]

650 East Kendall supposed to be occupied by Aveo, at end of summer.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/business...dall-square/IjMB9kKmpg3RyeVty26CcP/story.html

However, AVEO's kidney cancer drug did not get a favorable vote by FDA advisory panel.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-...-panel-backing-for-kidney-cancer-drug-1-.html

 

[George_Apley]

The new EF building is deceptively small in the pics. The picture of it behind the MoS captures best how much it hulks in the area.

 

[BeeLine]

Google Bridge 5/4 looking N

 

[Digital_Islandboy]

Is there a need to encourage more people to drive to Harvard Square? It seems like the streets around there are already maxed out.

Many times people just drive in circles all day seeking to find parking. Parking lots on Church St, Charles Hotel, 124 Mt. Auburn, Elliot St. Parking Garage, the Charles River Hotel, The new law school building, the Broadway garage, and the Inn at Harvard parking all fill up quick. I've noticed more people joining the gimmick around the square of paying some of the pan handlers to feed meters up and down the street.
The Red Line isn't currently meeting the needs of many travelers so some have no alternative. The Red Line really needs express tracks or some other alternative into town. The E-Z Ride shuttle is getting pretty packed too from around Central to Kendall/North Station as well. Harvard Sq. is destined to go ever more vertical as Kendall Spread is likely to start heading west.

 

[Matthew]

That's a sign that parking is too cheap in Harvard Square. The last thing they need is to try and attract more cars. It's already too jammed.