Dorchester Infill and Small Developments

[stick n move]

Wu offers ‘back to basics’ budget aimed at staffing up for effective programs that are ‘fully accessible’

A rendering of the new Fields Corner library. Courtesy BPL

“The proposal would add a to-date uncertain number of employees to a City Hall workforce of nearly 20,000 people, but it is otherwise littered with other numbers, including $43 million for new libraries in Codman Square, Fields Corner, and Egleston Square.”

https://www.dotnews.com/2023/wu-offers-back-basics-budget-aimed-staffing-effective-programs-are

 

[cburns]

Wu offers ‘back to basics’ budget aimed at staffing up for effective programs that are ‘fully accessible’

A rendering of the new Fields Corner library. Courtesy BPL

“The proposal would add a to-date uncertain number of employees to a City Hall workforce of nearly 20,000 people, but it is otherwise littered with other numbers, including $43 million for new libraries in Codman Square, Fields Corner, and Egleston Square.”

https://www.dotnews.com/2023/wu-offers-back-basics-budget-aimed-staffing-effective-programs-are

I wish they would consider a 5 over 1 treatment here to offer more housing like the move in the West End.

 

[stick n move]

LOL

Developer tries to rename part of Dorchester as 'Seaport South'

By adamg on Sat, 04/29/2023 - 2:54pm
"Morrissey Boulevard" apparently isn't upscale sounding enough for Beacon Capital Partners, the developer behind that new life-sciences complex where the Globe used to be, so they've decided it's now located in "Seaport South:"

Vibrant neighborhood
Surrounded by destinations like the Washington Village and the Boston Flower Exchange, as well as hip, new restaurants, and developments, the Seaport South neighborhood is quickly emerging as the place to be in Boston.

Oh, come on. Everybody knows it's the North Chest, right on the border of SoBo. Also, as Matt Frank notes in the comments below, it's nowhere near the Boston Flower Exchange, because the exchange shut its Albany Street location and moved to Chelsea and then renamed itself the New England Flower Exchange in 2017.

https://www.universalhub.com/2023/developer-tries-rename-part-dorchester-seaport

 

[Arenacale]

LOL

Developer tries to rename part of Dorchester as 'Seaport South'

By adamg on Sat, 04/29/2023 - 2:54pm
"Morrissey Boulevard" apparently isn't upscale sounding enough for Beacon Capital Partners, the developer behind that new life-sciences complex where the Globe used to be, so they've decided it's now located in "Seaport South:"

Oh, come on. Everybody knows it's the North Chest, right on the border of SoBo. Also, as Matt Frank notes in the comments below, it's nowhere near the Boston Flower Exchange, because the exchange shut its Albany Street location and moved to Chelsea and then renamed itself the New England Flower Exchange in 2017.

https://www.universalhub.com/2023/developer-tries-rename-part-dorchester-seaport

Well, they changed it already:

Vibrant neighborhood
Surrounded by destinations like the Washington Village and the Savin Hill, as well as hip, new restaurants, and developments, Dorchester is quickly emerging as the place to be in Boston

THE Savin Hill! Accept no substitutes.

 

[stick n move]

Four-story residential building could replace former 7-Eleven in Fields Corner

By adamg on Thu, 05/04/2023 - 9:37am

The owner of 1420 Dorchester Ave. in Dorchester, until recently home to a 7-Eleven, has filed plans with the BPDA to build a four-story, 41-unit residential building with 33 underground parking spaces and a tree.
Plans by David Gordon, whose City North Development owns the nearly half-acre lot, show a split between one- and two-bedroom units. The plans do not specify if they will be rented as apartments or sold as condos.
The building will have ground-floor retail space. Just three weeks ago, City North said the space vacated by that chain would be filled by a Richdale convenience store. The plans call for the new commercial space, of roughly 2,000 square feet, to be filled by a market.
In addition to planting a tree, the proposal calls for a small plaza in which "to host public art installations."

https://www.universalhub.com/2023/four-story-residential-building-could-replace

 

[Treviot]

and a tree.

take that, climate change

 

[DAVE]

No photos but looks like this got its building permit and there's definitely a lot of activity on the foundation:

1121 Dorchester Avenue | Boston Planning & Development Agency

Learn about the BPDA's development review process, view information about development projects in the BPDA approval pipeline, and learn how you can get involved.

www.bostonplans.org

 

[stick n move]

29 High Street

“Erect a new three-story multifamily building to contain 31 residential condominium units with 23 accessory below-grade garage parking spaces.”

https://www.bostonplans.org/projects/development-projects/29-high-street

 

[stick n move]

Harvard Street Health looks to close on former Franklin Park Theatre

“
Phase 1 proposes to redevelop parcels located at 8 Old Rd., 14 Ellington St., and 16 Ellington St. with the new construction of a 42,300-square-foot health center with clinical, laboratory, and pharmacy sub-uses. Most neighbors are acquainted with the proposal already, as it has been shopped around in pre-filing public meetings sponsored by the health center.

Murphy said the potential new building combined with Phase 1 and all the ongoing investments in Blue Hill Avenue and Franklin Park bring some real excitement to that neighborhood.

“The timing is perfect with the health center going up, and potentially this second building going up across from what will be a new-look Franklin Park entrance and ongoing changes to infrastructure on Blue Hill Avenue – all at similar times,” he said. “It puts a new face on Blue Hill Avenue.”

https://www.dotnews.com/2023/harvard-street-health-looks-close-former-franklin-park-theatre

 

[ritchiew]

Harvard Street Health looks to close on former Franklin Park Theatre

“
Phase 1 proposes to redevelop parcels located at 8 Old Rd., 14 Ellington St., and 16 Ellington St. with the new construction of a 42,300-square-foot health center with clinical, laboratory, and pharmacy sub-uses. Most neighbors are acquainted with the proposal already, as it has been shopped around in pre-filing public meetings sponsored by the health center.

Murphy said the potential new building combined with Phase 1 and all the ongoing investments in Blue Hill Avenue and Franklin Park bring some real excitement to that neighborhood.

“The timing is perfect with the health center going up, and potentially this second building going up across from what will be a new-look Franklin Park entrance and ongoing changes to infrastructure on Blue Hill Avenue – all at similar times,” he said. “It puts a new face on Blue Hill Avenue.”

https://www.dotnews.com/2023/harvard-street-health-looks-close-former-franklin-park-theatre

It's sad they're planning to tear down that old theater. Not saying it isn't the right thing to do. Just sad.

Franklin Park Theatre

The Franklin Park Theatre opened on December 8, 1914 in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Designed by Funk and Wilcox, who also designed the nearby Strand Theatre. The th…

afterthefinalcurtain.net

 

[stick n move]

Bad news

From Savin Hill, a pitch to Wu for city parking lots along the Avenue

“With hundreds of new housing units in the pipeline nearby, some community leaders in Columbia-Savin Hill want the city to convert vacant lots on Dorchester Avenue into municipal parking lots.

“There’s a lot of support in the neighborhood and a lot of support in the business community and I’m in the process of getting that documented now,” said Eileen Boyle, vice president of Columbia-Savin Hill Civic Association.

Boyle said the idea has been a topic of discussion among the membership at civic meetings in recent months. The group has sent a letter to Mayor Wu that focuses on three vacant lots, most notably one at the corner of Dorchester Avenue and Pearl Street. Two others— at the corner of Dorchester Avenue and Dewar Street and r at Roach Street and Dorchester Avenue are also being mentioned.

“Columbia and Savin Hill neighborhood leaders and some business owners are hoping to get the city’s attention in their recent call to turn two large, privately owned vacant lots into municipal parking lots to support businesses and new developments. This lot at the corner of Dewar Street and Dorchester Avenue is one they are pinpointing. Seth Daniel photos

The idea would be to convert the empty lots into two-hour municipal parking spaces and electric vehicle charging stations. Boyle and others believe it will ease the current double-parking problem at various businesses along the avenue and reduce congestion when hundreds of new units scheduled for the neighborhood come online in the next two years.

“I think a lot of the upcoming development here is going to lead to a lot of double parking on Dorchester Avenue and traffic chaos. It’s not going to be pretty,” said Boyle…”

https://www.dotnews.com/2023/savin-hill-pitch-wu-city-parking-lots-along-avenue

 

[stick n move]

More downsizing is in place at the Shawmut development
By Gintautas Dumcius, Managing Editor
June 14, 2023

A rendering included in a May 2023 BPDA presentation shows the look of a proposed new building at 150 Centre St. near the Shawmut MBTA station. Image courtesy Trinity Financial


“The proposal to replace an auto body shop next to the Shawmut MBTA Station with rental housing has shrunk again as it remains under review by the board of the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA).

The developer, Trinity Financial, has continued to make a series of changes to the project as it seeks the public authority’s approval to build the units. At the city’s request, Trinity agreed to eliminate parking as part of the project because it would sit next to a station on the T’s Red Line. The project at one point had 39 parking spaces in planning documents.

The development is known by its address, 150 Centre St., the current location of the Fitzpatrick Brothers auto body shop.
The original proposal called for 91 units, and Trinity had agreed to reduce the number to 74. The number is now 72, after discussions with an advisory group that includes local residents.

The development company, which is led by Dorchester resident Jim Keefe, has sought to placate some of the opponents of the project in the neighborhood. Some have continued to argue that the project is too big for the site, while supporters have said the proposal, which sets aside 60 percent of units as affordable housing and 40 percent as market rate, will help the city deal with a crisis driven by high demand for housing.

The reduction to 72 units is the result of turning four studio and one bed-room units into four additional two-bedroom units. “These changes have largely been made possible by utilizing space in the building that had been used to access the parking garage and instead using that space for housing and resident amenity space,” Trinity said in a presentation.

The change was in response to some members of the Impact Advisory Group (IAG) asking for three-bedroom family units. Several members of the group, which includes residents, oppose the project, though such panels are tasked with determining mitigation measures and do not get to vote on the project itself…”

https://www.dotnews.com/2023/more-downsizing-place-shawmut-development

 

[sm89]

Bad news

From Savin Hill, a pitch to Wu for city parking lots along the Avenue
View attachment 39255

“With hundreds of new housing units in the pipeline nearby, some community leaders in Columbia-Savin Hill want the city to convert vacant lots on Dorchester Avenue into municipal parking lots.

https://www.dotnews.com/2023/savin-hill-pitch-wu-city-parking-lots-along-avenue

Sounds like I need to start going to my neighborhood association meetings... Honestly parking is not a problem on Dot Ave. Food pickup is. A municipal lot is not going to change that. Most of Dot Ave in this stretch has no parking restrictions at all. Before having the city buy all these lots for parking or whatever maybe they could sign some pick up zones in front of the restaurants?

 

[DAVE]

Sounds like I need to start going to my neighborhood association meetings... Honestly parking is not a problem on Dot Ave. Food pickup is. A municipal lot is not going to change that. Most of Dot Ave in this stretch has no parking restrictions at all. Before having the city buy all these lots for parking or whatever maybe they could sign some pick up zones in front of the restaurants?

No for real same. This just really pissed me off. The new developments nearby aren't gonna have people driving to park in front of the liquor store that is a minute walk from them...I live very close to this and bike on dot ave very frequently and adding a parking lot will just encourage more cars in the area and have them entering and exiting this area more frequently, and make walking/biking here even more dangerous than it already is.

 

[stick n move]

Dorchester Food Co-Op sees August as the end of long wait to open doors

“The Dorchester Food Co-Op will open at 195 Bowdoin St. in August. It’s the city’s only community and worker-owned grocery store. Image courtesy Dorchester Food Co-Op

For the past 11 years, the Dorchester community has patiently awaited the opening of a neighborhood food cooperative. This summer, the wait will be over, according to John Santos, the general manager of the Dorchester Food Co-Op at 195 Bowdoin Street, soon to be operating as Boston’s only community and worker-owned grocery store.
The facility’s goal is to challenge the traditional food system by nourishing, employing, and reinvesting in the neighborhood. The store will offer produce, pantry staples, household goods, and prepared foods while supporting local farmers and producers. In addition to aisles full of healthy items, the co-op will offer memberships, community spaces, outdoor seating, a living wall, and a cafe…”

https://www.dotnews.com/2023/dorchester-food-co-op-sees-august-end-long-wait-open-doors

 

[stick n move]

Codman Sq. NDC wants to add four stories to its headquarters
By Seth Daniel, News Editor
July 12, 2023

“The rendering shows the view on Washington Street of what the Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corp. building would look like with four stories added. Photo courtesy CSNDC

The Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation (NDC) hopes to add four floors of housing above its existing one-story headquarters at the intersection of Southern Avenue and Washington Street. The proposal was made public during a July 5 meeting of the Codman Square Neighborhood Council.
The NDC envisions 45 new units of housing on top of the existing building, which contains its offices and several other businesses. The residential units would include 3 studios, 15 one-bedrooms, 22 two-bedrooms, and 5 three-bedrooms – all of them available to those with income at 60 percent AMI or less…”

https://www.dotnews.com/2023/codman-sq-ndc-wants-add-four-stories-its-headquarters

 

[DAVE]

734 Dudley St

 

[stick n move]

CONSTRUCTION SET TO BEGIN AT 120-122 HANCOCK STREET IN DORCHESTER

“The Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH) and MassHousing recently announced that Urbanica Inc. has initiated construction on the new homeownership development at 120-122 Hancock St. in Dorchester. The primary objective of this project is to provide high-quality, affordable homes while preserving the Dorchester neighborhood's distinct character.

The building will consist of 15 condominiums, comprising a mix of five one-bedroom and ten two-bedroom units. To ensure affordability, eight homes will be designated for households earning up to 80 percent of AMI, while the remaining seven units will be affordable for households earning below 100 percent of AMI. This project was made possible with funding from the City of Boston and utilizes a parcel of land that was in the City of Boston’s inventory.”

https://www.boston.gov/news/latest-updates-mayors-office-housing-july-28-2023

 

[stick n move]

Wtf.. Is this a first in the history of Boston? Hopefully we see more where that came from. Aug 8 2023 will go down in infamy, the day they actually added a floor vs taking one off.


Board approves extra floor for apartment building already under construction in Uphams Corner

By adamg on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 12:50pm

“The Zoning Board of Appeal today approved a sixth floor for a five-story building now under construction at 734-742 Dudley St. in Dorchester.
Property owner Valdomiro DePina's attorney, John Pulgini, told the board that the bank financing the development essentially said it would provide no additional funds. He said DePina, who lives in the neighborhood and has owned the property for three decades, proposed adding an additional floor, increasing the number of units from 20 to 25 - and reducing the parking from 12 to 5 spaces.
The building will have ground-floor retail space.
The BPDA originally approved the five-story project in 2017. It approved the extra floor this past April.
Pulgini said one of the five new units would be rented as affordable, in addition to the three DePina had already agreed to provide.
Nobody spoke against the proposal. Through an aide, City Councilor Frank Baker (Dorchester) supported the idea.”

https://www.universalhub.com/2023/board-approves-extra-floor-apartment-building

 

[DAVE]

Wtf.. Is this a first in the history of Boston? Hopefully we see more where that came from. Aug 8 2023 will go down in infamy, the day they actually added a floor vs taking one off.


Board approves extra floor for apartment building already under construction in Uphams Corner

By adamg on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 12:50pm

“The Zoning Board of Appeal today approved a sixth floor for a five-story building now under construction at 734-742 Dudley St. in Dorchester.
Property owner Valdomiro DePina's attorney, John Pulgini, told the board that the bank financing the development essentially said it would provide no additional funds. He said DePina, who lives in the neighborhood and has owned the property for three decades, proposed adding an additional floor, increasing the number of units from 20 to 25 - and reducing the parking from 12 to 5 spaces.
The building will have ground-floor retail space.
The BPDA originally approved the five-story project in 2017. It approved the extra floor this past April.
Pulgini said one of the five new units would be rented as affordable, in addition to the three DePina had already agreed to provide.
Nobody spoke against the proposal. Through an aide, City Councilor Frank Baker (Dorchester) supported the idea.”

https://www.universalhub.com/2023/board-approves-extra-floor-apartment-building

I feel like they sort of accidentally planned this? Because the elevator core has been at 6 floors for a while and the rest of the building shot up to five floors and then has been looking like its on the verge of finishing that last floor for a minute now.