Chinatown Infill and Small Developments

Another R-1 virtual meeting on 1/20

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Parcel R-1 Chinatown Disposition Planning
Virtual Public Meeting
Presentation of Draft Development Guidelines
Wednesday, January 20, 2021 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) invites you to a community conversation to discuss possible development guidelines for inclusion in a Request for Proposals (RFP) for BPDA-owned Parcel R-1, Chinatown, South Cove Urban Renewal Area. This 18,714 square feet vacant site is currently used as a parking lot and is located at 48-58 Tyler and 49-63 Hudson Streets.

How to Participate
This meeting will be hosted online, using Zoom. You must register using this link, then you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the meeting. You will also receive an email prior to the meeting regarding technical assistance. The meeting will open about 15 minutes before 6:00 PM so that you can join and troubleshoot any technical issues. If you're calling in by phone, you'll need to download the Zoom application to see our presentation.

Register in advance for this meeting:
bit.ly/3rl4kM0

Toll Free Call in Number: (833) 568 - 8864
Meeting ID: 160 105 7775
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So many days of my childhood waiting for the 11 across the street from that place. Always looked like it was about to fall down on it's own, such a contrast from the hustle and bustle of Downtown Crossing just a block over. Any word on what's replacing it?
 
Arenacale said:
So many days of my childhood waiting for the 11 across the street from that place. Always looked like it was about to fall down on it's own, such a contrast from the hustle and bustle of Downtown Crossing just a block over. Any word on what's replacing it?
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I wonder if the liability of the dilapidated building was such that it was easier long-term to demolish it and figure something out down the road, even if there are no obvious development plays for a very long time.

It's such an obviously challenging location, given the homeless shelter one door down and the unfortunate dead zone created by the Fortress Of Ultimate Doom, I mean, Eversource substation, across the street. (Though the odd-numbered side of Kingston Street has such great texture and scale).

EDIT: interesting that this got classified as a "Chinatown" demolition. Sure, there is the Gene's Chinese Flatbread next-door, but how many people if randomly surveyed would classify this location as "Chinatown"? Always felt more like Downtown Crossing to me, with Chinatown only beginning south of Boylston/Essex corridor...
 
DBM said:
EDIT: interesting that this got classified as a "Chinatown" demolition. Sure, there is the Gene's Chinese Flatbread next-door, but how many people if randomly surveyed would classify this location as "Chinatown"? Always felt more like Downtown Crossing to me, with Chinatown only beginning south of Boylston/Essex corridor...
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but there is no thread for DTX Infill projects?
 
abdinoor said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but there is no thread for DTX Infill projects?
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I imagine you're right! (in which case, yes of course, Chinatown Infill is obviously the next-best alternative...)
 
Boston02124 said:
This was proposed 32 years ago 🤣
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How lucky for them that it got proposed at the extreme tail-end of the late 1980s CRE speculative mania, which suffered such a heinous bust in 1990-1991. If they'd gotten under construction in 1989 such that it opened for tenants in 1990 or 1991... yikes. Can you imagine trying to tenant a new office tower in 1990/1991?! Ulcer-inducing....
 
DBM said:
I wonder if the liability of the dilapidated building was such that it was easier long-term to demolish it and figure something out down the road, even if there are no obvious development plays for a very long time.

It's such an obviously challenging location, given the homeless shelter one door down and the unfortunate dead zone created by the Fortress Of Ultimate Doom, I mean, Eversource substation, across the street. (Though the odd-numbered side of Kingston Street has such great texture and scale).

EDIT: interesting that this got classified as a "Chinatown" demolition. Sure, there is the Gene's Chinese Flatbread next-door, but how many people if randomly surveyed would classify this location as "Chinatown"? Always felt more like Downtown Crossing to me, with Chinatown only beginning south of Boylston/Essex corridor...
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I live around the corner and the back exit from my building exits through that tunnel space between Genes and the Clements. It was, at times, occupied by unsavory characters. Other times it's used as a bathroom stall. And one time, I stepped over what I can only assume was a used condom.

It was totally dilapidated and I'm hoping that with the building gone that space can be fenced or boarded up more securely. Or a new development would also be great. Tiny footprint but no reason they couldn't go up to 150 feet like its neighbors.
 
abdinoor said:
I live around the corner and the back exit from my building exits through that tunnel space between Genes and the Clements. It was, at times, occupied by unsavory characters. Other times it's used as a bathroom stall. And one time, I stepped over what I can only assume was a used condom.

It was totally dilapidated and I'm hoping that with the building gone that space can be fenced or boarded up more securely. Or a new development would also be great. Tiny footprint but no reason they couldn't go up to 150 feet like its neighbors.
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Going by your geographic references, i'm guessing you live here. Glorious facade. And given the amount of garbage marketing out there re: alleged "industrial lofts," it must be nice to have the bragging rights in saying you live in a genuine one.
 
The materials on that building are so out of place in that neighborhood enclave... wooden siding construction looks good in Dot and Southie, but horrible in a mostly brick and concrete neighborhood.
 
This looks so Boston. I actually love seeing it on the bottom edge of the skyline from the highway. It feels like it would be in an urban collage, which this whole area already kinda feels like and the color is reminiscent of the red brick all over the city but the style is something of an expanded triple decker with 5 1/2 floors.
 
393b40 said:
The materials on that building are so out of place in that neighborhood enclave... wooden siding construction looks good in Dot and Southie, but horrible in a mostly brick and concrete neighborhood.
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Somehow missed the update on this - but, yeah, I can't believe a row house was torn down for a hardie plank three (5) decker.
 
bakgwailo said:
Somehow missed the update on this - but, yeah, I can't believe a row house was torn down for a hardie plank three (5) decker.
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The south-facing windows must do wonders for the interior vs the blank brick wall that was there before.
 
The windows on the side make sense but the windows on the front are confusing as hell. The windows in the middle must be a stairwell right?
 
Blackbird said:
The south-facing windows must do wonders for the interior vs the blank brick wall that was there before.
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Sure, certainly better than the blank party wall before. Still doesn't mean they couldn't have at least tried to fit the new building in with the context of the rest of the neighborhood, especially given all of the other destruction over the years there of the row house stock.
 
Chinese Evangelical Church demolition, 249 Harrison Ave. More apathy and disregard for Boston's mid-century legacy. Unknown what will replace this.
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Brad Plaid said:
Chinese Evangelical Church demolition, 249 Harrison Ave. More apathy and disregard for Boston's mid-century legacy. Unknown what will replace this.
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The site was sold to the city, right? Might it be used, in part, for a more permanent structure for the Quincy school that is behind it?
 
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