Mixed Use (40B Fmr Star Market) | 299 Broadway | Winter Hill | Somerville

[chrisbrat]

Hey, everyone is fully entitled to their own opinion and taste. Duly noted that you like that building with its window unit air conditioners, sloping/crooked signage and two story billboards in that location. I'd be willing to bet most others don't. My guess is, eventually, the building owner (whether that's Winter Hill Liquors or someone else) will eventually wise up and realize they can make a pile of money more by redeveloping the spot (probably keeping the business on the bottom floor) and adding units above it - while also doing something for the public good and making it a great architectural corner. But, yes, everyone has different tastes.

The 316 new apartments have great access and can just go downstairs to the liquor store. I have empathy for those that want to drive to this liquor store. It's too bad they couldn't do the underground parking due to the asbestos from the former cinemas curtains below ground. There's a tradeoff for everything.

“that building with its window unit air conditioners, sloping/crooked signage and two story billboards in that location.”

Way more interesting than some prefab Alucobond-heavy, offset window boring nothing like 99% of what’s going up these days, including the upcoming development of the old Star Market and parking lot; which is only an upgrade because anything is better than an abandoned supermarket.

 

[shmessy]

“that building with its window unit air conditioners, sloping/crooked signage and two story billboards in that location.”

Way more interesting than some prefab Alucobond-heavy, offset window boring nothing like 99% of what’s going up these days, including the upcoming development of the old Star Market and parking lot; which is only an upgrade because anything is better than an abandoned supermarket.

Oh, I agree.

However, I think this type of "character" (let's face it - low slung, and ramshackle) type building works best in the MIDDLE of a block, instead of on the high visibility corner of a four way intersection. Plus, what I was proposing was not "Everett". It was for keeping the store and building a higher (6+) building with more - - resi units/stores/restaurants/clubs? - - and a signature turret/45 degree angle arched entrance etc.

Right now that building looks like Pawtucket, RI........(Seinfeld voice) 'not that there's anything wrong with that....' and I fully respect that some people want to keep much of that kind of character. To me, it's more location than anything else.

 

[shmessy]

Lol. You just can’t let it go.

I can, but this is a forum and I like talking about it - - and from the looks of it, so do several others. The last two pages are a good exchange of opinions and ideas on that building. The exchange of different opinions and ideas is kind of the goal of this forum - - architecture and urban planning involves a cauldron of ideas, not some sort of rubber stamp/certitude shutdown that, evidently, you want. If the subject doesn't interest you, move along.

 

[Badusername]

what I was proposing was not "Everett". It was for keeping the store and building a higher (6+) building with more - - resi units/stores/restaurants/clubs? - - and a signature turret/45 degree angle arched entrance etc.

I like this idea, but the site design sticks heavily to the MR zoning that applies to the parcel. The biggest fight with the neighborhood was getting it built with no parking, which was challenging enough to get approval. There is no way they would have even tried to get the corner zoned highrise (6+ in Somerville zoning) when their key focus was on getting it built with no parking. Lumping the corner in with the eminent domain the city was exercising would've just meant longer landscrapers. Developing the corner independently gives it the (small) chance of approval for a signature building you're describing.

 

[shmessy]

I like this idea, but the site design sticks heavily to the MR zoning that applies to the parcel. The biggest fight with the neighborhood was getting it built with no parking, which was challenging enough to get approval. There is no way they would have even tried to get the corner zoned highrise (6+ in Somerville zoning) when their key focus was on getting it built with no parking. Lumping the corner in with the eminent domain the city was exercising would've just meant longer landscrapers. Developing the corner independently gives it the (small) chance of approval for a signature building you're describing.

Good points - - and I hope the current owners of that corner lot, in the future, redevelop in into something taller, more interesting and dynamic (while keeping the current business). IMHO, they couldn't get rid of the freaking billboards soon enough, however.

 

[FK4]

I can, but this is a forum and I like talking about it - - and from the looks of it, so do several others. The last two pages are a good exchange of opinions and ideas on that building. The exchange of different opinions and ideas is kind of the goal of this forum - - architecture and urban planning involves a cauldron of ideas, not some sort of rubber stamp/certitude shutdown that, evidently, you want. If the subject doesn't interest you, move along.

Everyone loses their composure on here sometimes, it’s ok. Just funny to observe you explode all over this thread over a local liquor store.

 

[NHMaples]

One of the claims in the chapter linked above is that cities need older buildings to create business diversity. There are obviously businesses that cannot afford to lease space in new construction and can only survive in older buildings where the rent is much cheaper. What is the feeling here concerning this liquor store? If an architecturally prominent building were to appear on this corner lot, are the margins on liquor sales high enough that the store would be a tenant or would the business need to find another location in a building that didn't demand top dollar for retail space?

 

[Hydrobus]

I like Boston and the grittyness and history and charm. And I think a lot of people do and thats part of why they film movies here. (Also the film credit.) And people come here and fall in love with the city. If you want a cleaner look with all mid-rise modern buildings there are many cities with blocks and blocks and blocks of it with no history at all. Dallas, Denver, some DC suburbs. Im sure these cities are great and offer a low cost of living and efficient modern everything. But Boston is special.

 

[stick n move]

Whats even better than grittiness and charm or modern and glistening… is both, and everything inbetween. Diverse built environments with lots of structures from different time periods and architectural eras make for the most interesting and exciting cities. The seaport isnt my favorite neighborhood, but the best part about it is that we didnt have to bulldoze a historic neighborhood in order to build it. Fort point, north end, beacon hill, back bay are all still there. At the same time we have modern areas like the seaport or kendall sq. Having such drastically different neighborhoods all within the same city is great, it leaves something for everyone.

All of that being said I think the current style of modernism which has been fairly constant for over 3 decades now is getting a bit long in the tooth, especially the blue glass everything aspect. Id love to see tastes change again for a while where we go back to building traditional and regionally distinct architecture that would allow lots of cities that either never got the chance to build it in the past or went too far with urban renewal be able to get a whole bunch of new traditional stock added to their built environments. There are some architects out there that are already doing this and its really gaining a foot hold overseas first. I think if that could combine with the current trends of wanting to stitch many cities back together and densify around transit it could be a massive win for cities all over the world. I’m hopeful.

 

[Banker & Tradesman]

An update and a new rendering for you:

Samuels Joins Team to Redevelop Somerville Star Market Property

Developers to have financing in hand this summer to begin construction of the $105 million mixed-income housing project.

bankerandtradesman.com

A development team expects to have financing in hand this summer to begin construction of a $105 million mixed-income housing project at the former Star Market property in East Somerville.

Boston-based Samuels & Associates has joined two other local developers, Beacon Communities of Boston and Newton-based Mark Development, on the 319-unit project at 299 Broadway.

The city provided $6 million from the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust and MassDevelopment awarded a $2 million public realm grant.

Developers now are beginning the process of selecting an equity partner and are seeking approximately $65 million in construction financing [...]

 

[chrisbrat]

An update and a new rendering for you:

Samuels Joins Team to Redevelop Somerville Star Market Property

Developers to have financing in hand this summer to begin construction of the $105 million mixed-income housing project.

bankerandtradesman.com

View attachment 60275

Appreciate the new renders and this is (of course) better than the vacant lot that's been there for going on 20 years, but when I talked to someone allegedly working on the project last fall I was told they were breaking ground this coming spring. Now they "expect" to get going sometime this summer? How is it so challenging to get financing for a development in one of the most in-demand cities/zip codes in the country?

 

[stefal]

Appreciate the new renders and this is (of course) better than the vacant lot that's been there for going on 20 years, but when I talked to someone allegedly working on the project last fall I was told they were breaking ground this coming spring. Now they "expect" to get going sometime this summer? How is it so challenging to get financing for a development in one of the most in-demand cities/zip codes in the country?

Just guessing, and this is an outsider's perspective with no knowledge of the inner workings of this deal: Mark Development doesn't have a huge amount of ground-up development experience as a firm - it's probably looking a little risky for investors. They've attempted a really great looking project here, in Newton Riverside (has since been re-scoped), and Kenmore, but none have taken off. Their VPs have a lot of experience elsewhere, and they count those on their portfolio, as well as a lot of corporate retail work, but projects where it was Mark Dev building a new building(s) out of the ground by themselves are very limited in numbers currently. I think partnering with Samuels and Beacon is giving it some more legitimacy to investors. Both partners are very well established, and Samuels and Mark have some history together as well.

 

[JeffDowntown]

Appreciate the new renders and this is (of course) better than the vacant lot that's been there for going on 20 years, but when I talked to someone allegedly working on the project last fall I was told they were breaking ground this coming spring. Now they "expect" to get going sometime this summer? How is it so challenging to get financing for a development in one of the most in-demand cities/zip codes in the country?

Interest rates still remain high -- the Fed has not brought them down very far yet. That has a huge impact on project financials. And now inflation expectations are heating up again, so they are not likely getting any lower soon.

 

[chrisbrat]

I hear ya and that's unquestionably true. I still find it remarkable that such a large parcel in such a competitive market segment would remain vacant for so long. I used to live right near that former Star Market and my rinky-dink condo is now worth nearly 4x what it sold for in 2008.

 

[Banker & Tradesman]

This chart from JLL uses national-level data, but those bid and materials price increases should give you a general idea of how much multifamily construction costs have jumped since the pandemic started. (WPC = "wood, plastics and composites")

Developers and designers tell us it's put an incredible strain on their ability to make a new project pencil when you combine it with the cost of debt and equity, high affordability mandates in places like Somerville and Boston and things like the new state energy code and the no-natural-gas pilot program.

2025 U.S. Construction Outlook

Shifting foundations: Building momentum for 2025 and beyond

www.us.jll.com

 

[chrisbrat]

This chart from JLL uses national-level data, but those bid and materials price increases should give you a general idea of how much multifamily construction costs have jumped since the pandemic started. (WPC = "wood, plastics and composites")

Developers and designers tell us it's put an incredible strain on their ability to make a new project pencil when you combine it with the cost of debt and equity, high affordability mandates in places like Somerville and Boston and things like the new state energy code and the no-natural-gas pilot program.

2025 U.S. Construction Outlook

Shifting foundations: Building momentum for 2025 and beyond

www.us.jll.com

View attachment 60314

Extremely informative and fascinating info. Thanks for sharing!