119 Braintree Street | Allston

Equilibria

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Existing conditions

Very much echo the sentiment about saving the brick building. Reminds me of the industrial-turned-residential by me in Williamsburg/Bushwick. Very interesting part of the fabric in this corner of Allston, even when zipping by on the pike.
 
If they're anything like Trac75 then I'm sure they'll preserve what really matters here, the billboard.
 
PNF:


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This looks awesome. Never thought of it, but giant physical wall is actually pretty smart urbanist solution to highway, and way cheaper than decking.
 
I really like this, especially the pedestrian access bridge. It would be so frustrating to have to walk all the way to the end of the ramp, then turn back to get to the building.
 
One of the interesting things about this growing cluster is that while the highway runs through it, it's got essentially zero highway access. A lot of pressure being put on Worcester Line urban rail.
 
I wouldn't say that there is no highway access (it's pretty close to the Allston/Cambridge exit). It is somewhat less than straightforward access, though.
 
Dig all of this. Even the people in the renders are people I'd love to chill out and have a Soy Latte with.
 
Going to be funny if private developers build all the office + lab space this area demands while Harvard dilly dallies and ends up missing the boom....
 
The taller structure is well done, but the 7-story low-rise is pretty bad.. Overall a winner though.
 
Real question -- is there a true need for all that Lab/Office space that is now starting to become the replacement of Office for the development community?

My guess is that as has happened before -- the exponential growth continuing forever syndrome has set in -- everyone thinks every parking lot will now become a Lab/Office for another Moderna. However, while currently the vacancy rates in Kendall and the Seaport are very low -- there is a lot of proposed buildings in the pipeline.

Meanwhile the demand is currently unfulfilled for the much less sexy and to be honest less lucrative bio-industrial buildings -- these will be needed for the Boston Area to prosper in the longish-term and continue as one of the key hubs of the Bio/pharma world

Note that Bio-industry kind of buildings are: lower, with bigger footprints, need for more access for vehicles [e.g. loading bays], consume more power, possibly more water, and will employ a lot fewer people per unit area than Lab/Office. Oh yea -- since they are more like Amazon Shipping Centers than a typical Kendall Lab -- they don't need fancy landscaping or have much need for a whole lot of retail and places for smoozing and playing foosball.
 
Fujifilm is turning a large section of Arsenal Yards into biomanufacturing. Another big development in Worcester. We'll see these springing up soon likely in industrial areas.
 
Real question -- is there a true need for all that Lab/Office space that is now starting to become the replacement of Office for the development community?

My guess is that as has happened before -- the exponential growth continuing forever syndrome has set in -- everyone thinks every parking lot will now become a Lab/Office for another Moderna. However, while currently the vacancy rates in Kendall and the Seaport are very low -- there is a lot of proposed buildings in the pipeline.

Meanwhile the demand is currently unfulfilled for the much less sexy and to be honest less lucrative bio-industrial buildings -- these will be needed for the Boston Area to prosper in the longish-term and continue as one of the key hubs of the Bio/pharma world

Note that Bio-industry kind of buildings are: lower, with bigger footprints, need for more access for vehicles [e.g. loading bays], consume more power, possibly more water, and will employ a lot fewer people per unit area than Lab/Office. Oh yea -- since they are more like Amazon Shipping Centers than a typical Kendall Lab -- they don't need fancy landscaping or have much need for a whole lot of retail and places for smoozing and playing foosball.

.......which is why they are perfect for Woburn and Burlington.
 
.......which is why they are perfect for Woburn and Burlington.
Yeah, exactly. Moderna and Pfizer, for example, both have R&D facilities in Cambridge but manufacturing facilities in Norwood and Andover, respectively. Low-density low-slung industrial buildings are perfectly suited for the suburbs, not the urban core.
 
What about lab/r&d downstairs, free clinics, day and in-patient detox programs upstairs, plus a shelter with zones for singles and families? These market-rate and lottery units are unneeded and near-impossible to score, respectively. If the need for labs is as great as claimed, then a far greater need for the people of Boston should be rolled into this and other projects.
 

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