East Boston Infill and Small Developments

Roiff Eyes Development Near Eastie’s Waterfront

According to a Letter of Intent filed with the Boston Redevelopment Authority, Roiff’s Heath Management plans to develop a 150 room, loft -style hotel on Orleans Street near Eastie’s waterfront. The project, dubbed Loftel Boston, plans to renovate 175 Orleans St. into a six-story, modestly priced hotel.

The proposed project will breathe new life into a long-standing eyesore that has been vacant for years,” according to a letter of intent.
The price for a night stay at the hotel would average around $200 or under per night. The loft-style rooms would include amenities like small kitchens for extended stay guests.
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http://www.eastietimes.com/2014/09/03/roiff-eyes-development-near-easties-waterfront/
 
New library branch:

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135 Bremen Street

Public meeting for the proposal at 135 Bremen St, East Boston. This is a proposal to construct 126,189 gross square feet development including 94 residential units, 7,790 gsf of commercial space, and 126 associated parking spaces in two garage levels with bike rack spaces, as well as landscaped areas. The Proposed Project is on a 35,998 square foot site at 135 Bremen Street, between Grove and Porter Streets in the East Boston neighborhood.
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http://www.bostonredevelopmentautho...endar/2014/10/23/135-bremen-st-public-meeting

Edit: Picture over at Curbed
http://boston.curbed.com/archives/2014/10/curbedwire-oct-21-1.php
 
The parking may be a bit excessive, but at least it's underground/hidden, unlike all the surface parking at Porter 156 down the street. Also, while Eastie is very walkable for neighborhood needs, to get to jobs that aren't right downtown you really need a car (or four transfers, like a coworker of my girlfriend). Bike infrastructure sucks over there too, and fixing it requires cooperation between Boston, Chelsea and Everett, or a new bridge across the Harbor.

Keep in mind too, the majority of Eastie is blue collar, and a lot of blue collar jobs require a car/truck.

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Could they have chosen a worse view of the EB greenway to use? Jesus...
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BRA Holds Meeting on Bremen St. Project

Proposed by Bremen Street LLC, the developer recently submitted a Project Notification Form to the BRA for a 126,189 sq.ft. mixed use development that includes 94 residential units, 7,790 sq. ft. of commercial space, and 126 associated parking spaces in two garage levels with bike rack space for 100 bikes, as well as landscaped areas at the site between Gove and Porter Streets.
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The Greenway façade and building program are the most challenging. The proposal attempts to “enhance “the Greenway corridor by creating a welcoming development for walkers and bikers during their Greenway travels.

“On the project property we propose a small sitting area and bike repair station to contribute to the liveliness of the Greenway,” said Drago. “This would include a 24-hour seven-day a week free air station and at designated hours offering a communal bike repair station. In addition the proposed bike storage area for the building is at this level. The exercise and community rooms look out over the Greenway. All of these functions are fully accessible through the building’s entrance and elevator system. In addition to bikes, this design will enhance wheelchair access to the Greenway.”

The overall response to the project was positive with residents like Joe Mario, of Mario Real Estate, saying that this is the type of project the neighborhood needs more of with its mixed residential and commercial uses.

Those who had some reservations were concerned about the building’s height and density. With it being over 60 ft. some said it may be a looming presence on the Greenway. However, others like Felix Arroyo said it would be a great addition to the Greenway, especially given the fact it would add more foot traffic through the area as a result of situating the restaurant and patio on on the path.
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http://www.eastietimes.com/2014/10/30/bra-holds-meeting-on-bremen-st-project/
 
Beton Brut said:
Bridging the Harbor would cost ~$100M. Who pays for that?

I've lived in East Boston for my entire life, and I agree, the transportation options are challenging if you wish to live without a car (I do not). Hourly overnight buses stopping at all East Boston T stations (funded by Massport) would be a feasible solution. Consider, if Massport is willing to fund the T for tourists and business travelers (i.e. free Silver Line) then perhaps they could do the same for the taxpayers and residents of East Boston. It would improve the quality of life at least as much as another park, and open the community to a new market of residents and homeowners like davem.
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And even if you HAVE a car, parking at night is virtually impossible!

If you're not back home by 5 or 6 in the evening, you're stuck without a place to park, and you have to keep on driving around a block or two in hopes that a space will open up on your street!!

Because parking spots disappear very fast in Eastie!! :eek: :eek:
 
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Visited Portside at East Pier to other day. Wanted to see what one of the apartments look like, so I went in and was given a tour. Found out that they are all LUXURY apartments!! Anyway;

Saw some of the amenities and a studio apartment. Looks nice, big, roomy and convenient, but it's just too bloody expensive for me!!

Supposed to be subsidized, some of them, but it STILL appears that they want bloody market rent of about $1,100 or more just for a studio apartment!!!

Nice luxury, but; Too expensive for me!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:


http://goeastpier.com/floor-plans/
 
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$1,100 for a new construction studio was cheap 10 years ago. $1,000 was about the going price for a studio in a beat up Allston building in 2004 when I graduated college.
 
I'm disabled and on a fixed income.

That is why I say that getting into one of these is more expensive, costing me close to $400 more than what I'm paying for rent now!! :eek: :eek: :eek:
 
The East Boston Museum is Closer to Becoming a Reality

Last week, the organizers trying to bring an East Boston visitors center and museum to the neighborhood held a meeting at Maverick Landing.

One significant change in the project voted on at the meeting is that the name of the proposed project is now The East Boston Museum and not The East Boston Museum and Visitor Center.

“This was considered more appropriate as the site location is now in the Shipyard, and not next to the ferry landing as had been originally envisioned,” said the group’s chair Susan Bruaner. “It was significant too that foundations and donors tend to give to museums, but not necessarily visitor centers.”

The guest speaker for the evening was Susan Schur, Publisher/Editor of Technology and Conservation. Schur is also an independent museum consultant.

Schur had a number of ideas for exhibits on immigration which would feature the community’s history and culture of how Eastie has lived and worked over the years. She suggested a important feature of the museum should be a time line and maps showing what was happening at a specific time in the many countries we all come from, and also showing what was happening in American and Eastie at the same time.

“Schur noted how varied our history is with so many activities which she listed that should be featured that she is sure the Museum could easily be a destination for the public in general, and a variety of special interest groups,” said Bruaner.

It was also suggested that East Boston oral histories be made, preferably by video. It was noted that some groups have done work on this in the past, but it is unknown what happened to the tapes.

The purpose of the East Boston Museum is to promote the collection, preservation, educational interpretation and display of those artifacts, documents and events most representative of Eastie. The museum would include its prehistory and history, its people and institutions, its cultural and economic development.

“Likewise, the primary goal of the corporation is to preserve East Boston’s heritage for the benefit of the present and future citizens; and visitors to learn the same,” said Bruaner.

Over several meetings the group has worked out a design for the proposed building.

“Architect Lyle Bradley and Designer Gabriela Dumitrescu have donated many hours and professional works for our proposed waterfront building design,” said Bruaner.
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One significant change in the project voted on at the meeting is that the name of the proposed project is now The East Boston Museum and not The East Boston Museum and Visitor Center.
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Thank goodness they've resolved that crisis.

But seriously, E Boston has a fascinating history that I really didn't know about until I went to that "E Boston Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow" lecture at the Eastie BPL branch earlier this year. A museum would be great for this area.
 
Hotel Taking Shape on McClellan Highway

The BRA approved First Bristol’s plans to build a five story, 177 rooms Hilton Garden Inn hotel. After the hotel is built, First Bristol will still have approximately 10,000 sq. ft. to work with and plans to build space for casual dining restaurants and retail opportunities.

The approved project also includes 346 parking spaces, new sidewalks, street trees, planters, and lighting.

The project will be developed in two phases with the 5-story, 102,525 sq. ft. hotel built first followed by a 6,270 SF restaurant/retail building and a 4,035 SF restaurant/retail building both facing Boardman Street.

The BRA said the project will provide 200 construction jobs and 69 to 80 permanent jobs. The developer will also provide $100,972 to a neighborhood housing trust as well as $20,143 to a neighborhood jobs trust.
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http://www.eastietimes.com/2014/12/01/hotel-taking-shape-on-mcclellan-highway/
 
BussesAin'tTrains said:
That's a lot.
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Yeah it is a lot, but it's not all for the hotel. It's being built in phases, so the hotel first and then 10,000 sf of retail after which unfortunately will need its own parking.

The project will be developed in two phases with the 5-story, 102,525 sq. ft. hotel built first followed by a 6,270 SF restaurant/retail building and a 4,035 SF restaurant/retail building both facing Boardman Street.
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Residents are also verrrrrry right to complain about traffic flow to and from 1A. It's an absolute shitshow during the peaks.

There was some concern in the neighborhood, especially from Leyden Street residents, during the community process over traffic the hotel may cause. The intersection at McClellan Highway and Boardman Street is notorious for gridlock and makes getting out of Leyden Street during rush hour nearly impossible for residents living there.

Residents expressed concerns that the hotel’s two vehicle access driveways on Boardman Street might add to the congestion that already exists. The developer for their part said they would work to improve traffic conditions by increasing the lanes leading to the highway by one. This would result in two left turn lanes to move more traffic off Boardman Street and southbound onto McClellan. The developers would also create one right turn only lane for vehicles heading northbound.

Leyden Street residents felt this would worsen and not improve traffic conditions on their street. Residents feared that now they would have to cut across three lanes of traffic to make a left off Leyden Street and onto Boardman.

Some Orient Heights residents, like Orient Heights Neighborhood Council President Joseph Ruggiero, have suggested traffic issues on Leyden Street might be solved by reversing the direction of the portion of Leyden that dumps onto Boardman Street.

Under this scenario Leyden Street would remain the same from Bennington to Breed Street with that traffic turning left down Breed Street. The other half of Leyden Street would be turned around and traffic would then head towards Breed where motorists would take a right down Breed Street.

The developer continues to take a look at that suggestion to see if it is feasible.
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