Cambridge Infill and Small Developments

EF Building from North Point Park, today.
I guess it's pretty, but the way it looms over everything puts me far too much in mind of a suburban office park.





 
I'm trying so hard not to write this one off...just waiting for that moment when it all adds up?
 
I'm also waiting for the convex-glass front part of this ... but as it is now I would have to file the EF building under: "Could be Tampa."
 
The alternative view with no building is an elevated highway. I suggest (physical) substance over style wins every time as this and NorthPoint buildings start hiding 93. Bring on Rutherford Ave dev!
 
fattony said:
The property taxes are built into your rent. Not just in Cambridge, but everywhere.

But yes, Cambridge's humongous commercial tax base allows them to keep property taxes low.
Click to expand...

It's common to hear about this supposed link between taxes and rents but in fact it is a very weak, unofficial connection

Landlords charge what the market will bear, politicians increase taxes as fast as they can. Often the two our out of synch. A landlord certainly does not get a 2% or more increase every year in rent like cities can charge in new taxes at whim. Taxes are just another of many expenses for landlords who are on their own as businesses to make a profit or a loss. There are plenty of landlords who lose everything as taxes rise out of synch with rents in badly run cities, just look at all the abandoned rental properties in Detroit, south side Chicago...
 
tocoto said:
It's common to hear about this supposed link between taxes and rents but in fact it is a very weak, unofficial connection

Landlords charge what the market will bear, politicians increase taxes as fast as they can. Often the two our out of synch. A landlord certainly does not get a 2% or more increase every year in rent like cities can charge in new taxes at whim. Taxes are just another of many expenses for landlords who are on their own as businesses to make a profit or a loss. There are plenty of landlords who lose everything as taxes rise out of synch with rents in badly run cities, just look at all the abandoned rental properties in Detroit, south side Chicago...
Click to expand...

So what you are saying is ... The taxes are built into the rent. No one said they are precisely in sync, but taxes are a business expense for the landlord and factor into changes in rent. Taxes are passed on to the tennants.

And what do you mean that landlords "certainly" don't raise rent 2% per year? Many are raising 5% per year. Or more.
 
1st and Bent Street:
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EF Building:
i4nfVlE.jpg


Maple Leaf Apartments:
R3fJKUn.jpg
 
I know I argued before against putting residences above this project, but honestly given the market conditions, a developer would be crazy to not attempt to re-zone and invest in housing to any project in the pipeline.
 
Wait, whats going on here? Are they adding more floors then planned orrrr?


I know this has been requested before, but can we do separate threads for the large Cambridge projects? I have no idea whats going on in 90% of this thread.
 
Honestly, the existing Alewife CVS has a more attractive-looking facade than this turd is getting. Just some bland beige concrete buried in the brick. Maybe it's going to be a Rite-Aid or one of those chains that can't afford fancy-pants frills like those elitists up the street.:rolleyes:


I really want Alewife to stop looking like an off-ramp in Stoughton and start looking like it's connected to its very inviting surroundings. For every good development there's another utter waste of a ace parcel like this cropping up that is not helping matters.
 
EF Education is putting up a Ferris Wheel to celebrate the new building. Free rides on Wednesday and Thursday. I took this photo with my cell phone so not very clear. I think that the wheel will be larger and that this is only the middle part of the wheel.
 
Thanks for the heads up! I'm definitely going to try and get down there Wednesday.
 
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