Lab Building (née Hotel Hampshire) | 34-40 Hampshire St. | Cambridge

BronsonShore said:
It is extremely possible to build a lab building that has street facing retail.
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Doesn't seem like that is all that popular. Now they could have put the mechanical on top like normal and have the 'first floor' be street level. But they also wanted the parking.
 
This project is a bitter pill to swallow, given that it was approved for the hotel and then quickly revised to an awful money grab of a lab project.
 
jklo said:
Doesn't seem like that is all that popular. Now they could have put the mechanical on top like normal and have the 'first floor' be street level. But they also wanted the parking.
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So it sucks BOTH ways. Misanthropic street level AND car-centric.

Eff this absolutely horrible monstrosity and anyone involved in it.
 
This now appears to be a fully active site (8/4):

hmpsl-3.jpg
 
Figured we were due for an update on everyone's favorite hotel-turned-lab bait-and-switch...
Foundation hole appears to be fully excavated and seems like they're getting ready to go vertical soon (2/3):

36hmp-lb-7.jpg

36hmp-lb-6.jpg

36hmp-lb-8.jpg


Architect's site w/ renders:
www.balance-architects.com

36 Hampshire

TYPE: Life Sciences LOCATION: Kendall Square STATUS: Under Construction, Completion Expected Jan 1, 2024
www.balance-architects.com

cm-hampshire_orig.jpg
 
That definitely looks a lot better than the previous iteration, but it's pretty disappointing that there is nothing but a blank white wall at the ground level on a fairly busy corner. I'm surprised Cambridge allowed this.
 
mdd said:
That definitely looks a lot better than the previous iteration, but it's pretty disappointing that there is nothing but a blank white wall at the ground level on a fairly busy corner. I'm surprised Cambridge allowed this.
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Agree on both points. While the previously proposed hotel for this parcel required a special permit (which was ultimately approved but then shelved), this u/c building apparently is permitted as-of-right so they did not need to go through planning board review. I'm pretty sure they would have at least gotten some...feedback...if it required a full special permit review.
 
Pretty good job on the brick panels. They will never look as solid and good as real hand-laid and mortared brick, but not a bad job on this one.
 
Charlie_mta said:
Pretty good job on the brick panels. They will never look as solid and good as real hand-laid and mortared brick, but not a bad job on this one.
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Are you referring to the brick panels on the existing building that encircles this corner lot? If so, I agree that building was done tastefully (for its day) and has actually aged quite well. That's not part of this project as far as I'm aware (and wasn't sure if you mean that it was or not). Either way I agree with the observation!
 
bigpicture7 said:
Are you referring to the brick panels on the existing building that encircles this corner lot? If so, I agree that building was done tastefully (for its day) and has actually aged quite well. That's not part of this project as far as I'm aware (and wasn't sure if you mean that it was or not). Either way I agree with the observation!
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I was discussing the building in this photo:
bigpicture7 said:
hmpsl-3-jpg.26955
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The tall vent stack is a solution, but not a pretty one. The building being layered on top of an entire floor of service alley frontages is the topper.

The whole building is malicious addition to the community.
 
bigpicture7 said:
Agree on both points. While the previously proposed hotel for this parcel required a special permit (which was ultimately approved but then shelved), this u/c building apparently is permitted as-of-right so they did not need to go through planning board review. I'm pretty sure they would have at least gotten some...feedback...if it required a full special permit review.
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Yeah, I don't think any city or town around here requires as-of-right projects to go through design review. Obviously, they should.
 
Equilibria said:
Yeah, I don't think any city or town around here requires as-of-right projects to go through design review. Obviously, they should.
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Or maybe as-of-rights zoning requirements need to be tweaked a bit to require street activation for certain classes of projects, or something like that.
 
Dr. Rosen Rosen said:
Still at a loss as to how this is getting built. Really seems to be an affront to the pedestrian.
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I was over here the other day, walking on the opposite corner. I didn't notice an issue- are you just referencing the sidewalk closed on that side or something else? I'm not super familiar with that area so I don't know what the foot traffic flow is.
 
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