Malden + Melrose Infill and Small Developments

I don't get why 37 Washington is so short. The old building was at least another story taller and didn't they originally intend to convert it?
 
I can't help but notice the power poles along the street in front of the new construction. Are developers not required to put the utilities underground along the block that they are building? Atlanta is a prime example of every size and shape of power poles/telephone poles lining most streets (with the exception of parts of Peachtree St) in the center parts of the city. Seriously, like spiderwebs above the streets, it's awful. I can't imagine spending literally thousands of dollars a month in a brand new apartment and seeing a huge transformer within feet of your balcony.
 
atlantaden said:
I can't help but notice the power poles along the street in front of the new construction. Are developers not required to put the utilities underground along the block that they are building? Atlanta is a prime example of every size and shape of power poles/telephone poles lining most streets (with the exception of parts of Peachtree St) in the center parts of the city. Seriously, like spiderwebs above the streets, it's awful. I can't imagine spending literally thousands of dollars a month in a brand new apartment and seeing a huge transformer within feet of your balcony.
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Agreed. Above ground power lines are ugly and should not be permitted on city streets.
 
The power lines do not appear in the renders for any of the developments on this page...so there's hope. Probably false hope.
 
Huh. I guess this is really going to happen. Was thinking it might just be a pipe dream.

City Hall to Close on Fridays to Accommodate Move to Temporary Space
Monday, June 13, 2016

Employees at Malden City Hall have begun preparing for the move from 200 Pleasant Street to a temporary location while the present site is demolished and a new City Hall constructed. In order to accommodate for the time needed to accomplish the various tasks associated with moving each department, as of Friday, July 1st, Malden City Hall will be closed to the public on Fridays. Anyone who is in need of service from any department within City Hall either in person or by phone must do so during normal business hours Monday through Thursday. Effective Friday, July 1st City Hall hours of operation will be as follows:

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 8AM – 4 PM
Tuesday 8AM – 7 PM

ONLY City departments located at 200 Pleasant Street will be affected. The Library, Schools, MTEC, Senior Center, Police, Fire, Cemetery and Recreation Departments will operate on their regular schedules. Once City Hall offices are relocated and fully operational, the public will be notified of updates on hours of operation.

Released by the Office of Mayor Gary Christenson
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It's amazing how Malden has changed.

Not sure how I feel about Malden Center---So much potential especially with the Orange line running right to the center-- but I never really evolved into anything Unique like Somerville.

The developments being built in Malden are 2nd and 3rd tier standard buildings to host residents. NOTHING SPECIAL
 
Malden doesn't know if it wants to be an an inner ring city (it is) aka Somerville or an inner ring suburb (it will never be) aka Melrose.

I feel that Christenson leans towards a more urban model but I don't think he has the political will to go full Somerville.
 
statler said:
Malden doesn't know if it wants to be an an inner ring city (it is) aka Somerville or an inner ring suburb (it will never be) aka Melrose.

I feel that Christenson leans towards a more urban model but I don't think he has the political will to go full Somerville.
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Not sure if Malden could have ever gotten the hip feel like Somerville or Cambridge. Just not close enough to a college (Harvard, MIT or Tufts.)
GREAT MBTA Access (Thou)

Malden Highlands is a very beautiful quiet area. A hidden Gem in my opinion.
Huge Victorian Houses, near the Malden Hospital, cemetery area.

Downtown Malden (Missed Opportunity) The buildings and the above garages are so uninviting its ashame they had no vision for this area.
The Strip alone could have been something Unique. not crazy about the new YMCA building along with the new constructions on the other street.

In the end it's MALDEN---What do you expect.
 
hockey92 said:
Some Melrose updates:
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I was really impressed with how big this project is: how tall and wide, and how transit-oriented. The pictures upthread don't quite capture the impressive way that it looms over low-rise Melrose.

If Melrose filled in everything between Main Street and the Haverhill Line with this kind of density, it would create an amazing downtown (which is already pretty awesome) surrounded by single family living, not unlike the way that density in DC/MD/VA is piled for a 4 block mass atop transit stations but then transitions down to single-family by 4 blocks away. It is a real "best of both worlds" setup (which not even Porter Sq or Davis Sq have yet managed)

We criticize Melrose for killing the Orange Line beyond Oak Grove (as "not in keeping with the character of the town" <eyeroll>), but kudos to them for building transit-oriented development all along the Right-of-Way (this is midway between the Melrose Cedar Park and the Wyoming Hill CR stops)

I missed (if it was upthread) that this was the long-decaying Deering Lumber site. WHat is the name of the project (I drove right past it, but didn't spot a sign)
 
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Arlington said:
I was really impressed with how big this project is: how tall and wide, and how transit-oriented. The pictures upthread don't quite capture the impressive way that it looms over low-rise Melrose.

If Melrose filled in everything between Main Street and the Haverhill Line with this kind of density, it would create an amazing downtown (which is already pretty awesome) surrounded by single family living, not unlike the way that density in DC/MD/VA is piled for a 4 block mass atop transit stations but then transitions down to single-family by 4 blocks away. It is a real "best of both worlds" setup (which not even Porter Sq or Davis Sq have yet managed)

We criticize Melrose for killing the Orange Line beyond Oak Grove (as "not in keeping with the character of the town" <eyeroll>), but kudos to them for building transit-oriented development all along the Right-of-Way (this is midway between the Melrose Cedar Park and the Wyoming Hill CR stops)

I missed (if it was upthread) that this was the long-decaying Deering Lumber site. WHat is the name of the project (I drove right past it, but didn't spot a sign)
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http://www.wickedlocal.com/article/20131010/NEWS/310109684/?Start=1
http://callahan-inc.com/project/residence-melrose-station/
http://www.seniorshousingbusiness.c...onstruction-financing-for-two-lcb-communities

It's 90 units of assisted living. I don't know if that changes your opinion.. It's within walking distance of downtown and the supermarket, so that's good for midday foot traffic. Though it's next to the commuter rail, I doubt many retired people will be commuting to the City.

I drove by yesterday and did not realize how tall it actually is.
 
sm89 said:
It's 90 units of assisted living. I don't know if that changes your opinion.. It's within walking distance of downtown and the supermarket, so that's good for midday foot traffic. Though it's next to the commuter rail, I doubt many retired people will be commuting to the City
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Somewhat dims it to learn, but getting in the habit of putting big stuff near transit is still laudable (and until so much of Porter Sq gets above 1 or 2 stories, I"m not going to pick on Melrose for a lack of density)
 
Arlington said:
Somewhat dims it to learn, but getting in the habit of putting big stuff near transit is still laudable (and until so much of Porter Sq gets above 1 or 2 stories, I"m not going to pick on Melrose for a lack of density)
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Arlington -- If its assisted living with a high degree of assistance -- then unfortunately, the residents probably could mostly care-less where the facility is located

However, it might be beneficial for the staff to have an easy T ride from Boston, or Medford. Thus this development might become an actual example, of the often mentioned phenomena, of the T mediated reverse commute. In reality the reverse flow T numbers so far are hardly statistically significant in the context of Million-scale daily flow mass of people in the Greater Boston Region.

Here's the Sunrise Senior Community in Arlington Heights right next to the old Arlington Heights Trolley / Bus Station where three bus lines interconnect -- a lot of the staff arrives by bus
SunriseOfArlingtonSunriseOfArlington63149_SunriseofArlingtonMA_Arlington_MA_Exterior2
 
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The hospital project is so depressing. All those homes torn down for parking lots.
 
Here's an update from the city's website:

http://www.cityofmelrose.org/2016/07/28/summer-local-business-development-update/


Here's another house in downtown Melrose (1 Kimball Ct.) torn dorn for parking. It will add 23 spots, you can see the new senior living facility in the background of this photo.


The Moynihan building fronting Main st and rearing this lot, was purchased by developer John Wise. I'm not sure what the plan is for this building. Its a unique retail venue to say the least, but i wouldn't be sad to see it torn down and redeveloped for a 3-4 story mixed use building.

"Mr. Wise added, “We are thrilled to be investing in Melrose and to be a part of the future of Main Street. We are currently in the initial design phase of the project and are expecting to submit our plans for review within the next 60 days."





 
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