Green Line Extension to Medford & Union Sq

Equilibria said:
I believe there is ground level to both of them, and I believe both sites are currently under construction.
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Very little gets by this forum - - ESPECIALLY for such a high visibility location. But, for the life of me, I can't find any info on those two small, 5-7 story, unimaginative projects currently being constructed.

In the meantime, THIS particular T station should be integrated with a huge shopping mall/medical office complex if it were to be its most efficient Smart Growth self. We keep building T stations for the "few", and they should be built for the "many". Each T station is the biggest opportunity.
 
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shmessy said:
Very little gets by this forum - - ESPECIALLY for such a high visibility location. But, for the life of me, I can't find any info on those two small, 5-7 story, unimaginative projects currently being constructed.

In the meantime, THIS particular T station should be integrated with a huge shopping mall/medical office complex if it were to be its most efficient Smart Growth self. We keep building T stations for the "few", and they should be built for the "many". Each T station is the biggest opportunity.
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There's a huge mall less than a block away from this station, I just shared the info with you, and you'll keep the moving the goalposts if we keep talking about it.
 
In anticipation of a no-good-deed-goes-unpunished response, allow me an attempt to mediate between two longtime forumers I very much respect:

@shmessy , your pushing of Boston to elevate its standards for vibrant, dense work/live/play environments, especially around transit, is laudable, consistent, AND, I hope will continue. Please keep fighting the good fight, included in places where people don't necessarily want to hear it. In this case, though: a) this is the GLX thread (!), and most of your commentary should be directed to the CX thread, not here. Secondly, there is a lot of context you're not accounting for; for instance: many of the CX designs are not yet fully permitted and/or are still in-process with the city, so other than designating retail slots, tons of forthcoming detail is still missing, and, b) there are other adjacent developers (such as NED) who are very active in developing nearby retail that you are not accounting for. A good starting place for understanding CX retail (what is active to-date) is here: https://graffito.com/portfolio/cambridge-crossing/ (and specifically therein: https://graffito.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Cambridge-Crossing_032123.pdf ). Feel free to redirect commentary on aB to here: https://archboston.com/community/th...-cambridge-charlestown-cambridge-boston.1174/

@Equilibria , you know shmessy's gonna shmessy. What's great: someone who's now in Maryland yet who still cares deeply about Boston and is rooting for this city. What's tough: very hard for them to have as full a sense of nitty gritty details from afar, yet does as good a job keeping up remotely as one can imagine. Dunno what else to say
 
Equilibria said:
There's a huge mall less than a block away from this station, I just shared the info with you, and you'll keep the moving the goalposts if we keep talking about it.
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So sorry, didn't mean to upset you. You're one of my favorite posters and I was only looking for the information that was referenced about the two projects that were said to be "under construction", yet there are no mentions/pics/ or anything I can see on this website - which is odd, because almost nothing gets by Archboston (especially in a very high visibility location).

Once again, my apologies, I truly appreciate all your excellent posts and news update links that you provide.
 
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shmessy said:
So sorry, didn't mean to upset you. You're one of my favorite posters and I was only looking for the information that was referenced about the two projects that were said to be "under construction", yet there are no mentions/pics/ or anything I can see on this website - which is odd, because almost nothing gets by Archboston (especially in a very high visibility location).

Once again, my apologies, I truly appreciate all your excellent posts and news updates.
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Shmessy, Parcels Q2 and R (the two projects in question) have had basic design packaged submitted to Cambridge, but they do not appear to be at a full/final level of detail and the CX site itself hasn't been updated with respect to these two recently. I suspect more detail is forthcoming. Here are the most recent packages submitted to the city:
To orient you regarding density and proximity to the REI building (building models not fully accurate in this picture):
cx-33-7.jpg

(^from site cited above)

Regarding the "under construction" status...I think it's fair to say that some site prep has begun, but I don't think construction has really launched in earnest on these two. I think Equilibria's main point was that a substantial densification of this area is imminent.

There have in fact been mentions and discussion of both of these within the Cambridge Crossing thread. They have not been featured as individual projects, but there have been renders posted and commentary on both therein. Specifically, see Page 98 therein. I know that is a monster-sized thread, so it can be tough to catch certain short discussions that take place in such.
 
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So confused for a minute there as they didn't include the GLX viaduct in the render. Also old Lechmere becomes a park? I had thought there was a building going up on it.
 
bakgwailo said:
So confused for a minute there as they didn't include the GLX viaduct in the render. Also old Lechmere becomes a park? I had thought there was a building going up on it.
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I think you are disoriented about that view. Neither Old Lechmere nor the viaduct is/should be visible in the view I posted.

See GoldenRetriever's mark-up here: http://archboston.com/community/thr...charlestown-cambridge-boston.1174/post-442125
1669784704221-png.31204


^In this aerial view, "OId Lechmere" is "V" and this view is coming at the REI (small building in the middle) from approximately 180-degrees opposite the view I posted above.
The little triangular park you are seeing in the image I posted is not Old Lechmere
 
bigpicture7 said:
Shmessy, Parcels Q2 and R (the two projects in question) have had basic design packaged submitted to Cambridge, but they do not appear to be at a full/final level of detail and the CX site itself hasn't been updated with respect to these two recently. I suspect more detail is forthcoming. Here are the most recent packages submitted to the city:
To orient you regarding density and proximity to the REI building (building models not fully accurate in this picture):
View attachment 35842
(^from site cited above)

Regarding the "under construction" status...I think it's fair to say that some site prep has begun, but I don't think construction has really launched in earnest on these two. I think Equilibria's main point was that a substantial densification of this area is imminent.

There have in fact been mentions and discussion of both of these within the Cambridge Crossing thread. They have not been featured as individual projects, but there have been renders posted and commentary on both therein. Specifically, see Page 98 therein. I know that is a monster-sized thread, so it can be tough to catch certain short discussions that take place in such.
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Thank you, BigPic! That's great info and clarifies everything.
 
Also, if you want to go to the doctor, CHA is moving in to the new US2 development one stop away.
 
Thanks for the photos. My high school student is really looking forward to that stairway opening so they don't have to walk all the way around the school to get in. They did find the bottom-level exit door that's right by the station, but you can't go in that way.
 
Dr. Rosen Rosen said:
Gilman Sq (and it’s connection to the HS) is impressive to experience - the scale . And still much to go.


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Gilman is *MASSIVE*. It's really a shame that there are currently no plans for any nearby mixed-use development. While I'm sure the sad little convenience store attached to the Mobil appreciates the spike in business, with the increased foot-traffic (and living nearby and frequently walking my dog I can attest it has *significantly* increased since 12/12/22) the area is really begging for a coffee shop and grab-and-go restaurant type place.
 
Has there always been this much gravel called for in construction projects? Maybe I'm noticing it more frequently now, but it seems like every project recently has twice my expected amount of gravel everywhere (noting of course with no practical rainwater management/design experience).

Regarding Gilman redevelopment, I have no idea where this project is at. It's been around for some time though.
 
stefal said:
Has there always been this much gravel called for in construction projects? Maybe I'm noticing it more frequently now, but it seems like every project recently has twice my expected amount of gravel everywhere (noting of course with no practical rainwater management/design experience).

Regarding Gilman redevelopment, I have no idea where this project is at. It's been around for some time though.
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I know the owner of the Knights of Malta building filed suit to prevent construction that would "obstruct the light that flows through the Malta building." I am pretty sure the Sassoon guy who's buying up and developing 1/3 of Somerville abandoned his plans to develop what's currently the Good Gas station. Not sure if the development you shared links for on the other side of KoM was similarly shot down.
 
Apparently the MBTA is in charge of determining when the community path extension can open. I assume that means “Spring” translates to June 20th.
 
chrisbrat said:
If you're extrapolating from the timeline of the GLX, that'd be June 2039.
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I'm willing to withhold judgement until Philip Eng has a few months to clean house and change some of the Governor StudeBaker culture over there. Godspeed, Philip.
 
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