Cambridge Infill and Small Developments

$120M in Construction Financing Secured for Cambridge Affordable Housing Project​

“The Cambridge Housing Authority has closed on a $120,000,000 construction loan through TD Bank to redevelop Jefferson Park. Cambridge Housing also secured $7,160,000 from the Mass Housing Fund Board. The new development will consist of six four-story buildings, and contain a mixture of townhouse units, flats, walkups, and elevator buildings, with 278 residential units. The construction of Jefferson Park has been split into 2 phases, with the first phase to include 195 units. Construction on phase 1 is expected to be complete in spring 2026.”

jefferson park

https://www.bldup.com/posts/120m-in...ured-for-cambridge-affordable-housing-project
 

$120M in Construction Financing Secured for Cambridge Affordable Housing Project​

“The Cambridge Housing Authority has closed on a $120,000,000 construction loan through TD Bank to redevelop Jefferson Park. Cambridge Housing also secured $7,160,000 from the Mass Housing Fund Board. The new development will consist of six four-story buildings, and contain a mixture of townhouse units, flats, walkups, and elevator buildings, with 278 residential units. The construction of Jefferson Park has been split into 2 phases, with the first phase to include 195 units. Construction on phase 1 is expected to be complete in spring 2026.”

jefferson park

https://www.bldup.com/posts/120m-in...ured-for-cambridge-affordable-housing-project
Jefferson Park is where I grew up. We moved there in 1954, and left in 1966. I remember before we moved in, walking into Jefferson Park from Rindge Ave with my mother and my Irish grandmother, when I was 4 years old. Seems like yesterday.
 
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149 Sidney St (Formerly Acceleron Pharma before Merck acquired them).

Not sure what is going to happen here, since it’s only selective demolition. I’m old enough remember when it was a pipe supply house.
 
What is the background behind why this park is being renovated? It didn't really seem like it was in poor condition before, but I hadn't paid close attention to it.
You can read about the process and impetus here: https://www.cambridgeredevelopment.org/danny-lewin-park-enhancement

In February of 2021, the Cambridge Community Development Department (CDD) and the CRA conducted an open space survey, that sought to ask community members about privately-owned public spaces (POPS) in Cambridge, which included Danny Lewin Park. The results showed that 25% of respondents did not feel that Danny Lewin Park was intended for them to use it, and roughly another quarter responded that they neither agreed nor disagreed with that statement. Additionally, an open-ended response question provided the opportunity for respondents to comment on what aspects of the park they were more or less drawn to. A number of respondents noted that they appreciated the seating, trees, greenery, and shade the park provided. Others commented that the space looked and felt private, and was designed for the use of the adjacent buildings rather than as a public park. A handful of other respondents identified that the fence made the park less noticeable and that the narrow entry gates made the space feel private.
 

New Building Taking Shape at 116 Norfolk in Cambridge​

“Work is progressing on the $32M gut rehab of a 1907, 4 1/2-story masonry building and construction of a 25,000 SF wood frame addition for the Cambridge Housing Authority at 116 Norfolk Street in Cambridge. The project will convert the building from 38 single-room-occupancy units to 62 studio apartments. The building will receive a new common kitchen, waste disposal system and an expanded laundry room.”

116 norfolk

https://www.bldup.com/posts/new-building-taking-shape-at-116-norfolk-in-cambridge

116-Norflk-Street-Rendering.jpg

 
I'm a bit confused - how does the floor area math work on this?!
With a fairly major addition. The brick building is existing, everything else (the white wrapped bit, blue siding in renders) is an addition built on what was a parking lot. The building is going from ~24k sqft to 43k.

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Lewin Park is complete. Photos from 9/10 - then remembering they probably wanted it done for 9/11...
 

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Apparently Biomed Realty is considering redeveloping 350 Mass Ave (former Asgaard building @ Mass Ave & Sydney). I'd missed this among the goings on. There was a community meeting on Sept 18th - any one catch it?

Perhaps not coincidentally, it's been discussed that as Takeda's huge new u/c lab building in Kendall (585 Kendall) reaches completion and they consolidate there, this is one of the sites where Takeda has a current lease that they may vacate.

Curious to see what gets proposed here in terms of redevelopment. It's a key parcel.
 
That will always be CompUSA to me… 😀

It’s fun to see the earliest Simplex redevelopment buildings up for redevelopment themselves.
 
More park news - Binney St Park looks super close to opening. Construction vehicles are gone. Just the fence remains. Large portion is a dog park, but there is a lot of seating outside of the park. Curious how busy it will be during lunch come Springtime. This is at Binney, Galelio Gallalee way, and Main st, adjacent to Grand Junction tracks. Was supposed to be completed 'summer 2024'. Quick internet search couldn't find any notice of 'opening day'. And apologies for the rotation - didn't feel like going to photoshop to make the rotation look prettier.
 

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