Mixed-Use Building | 21-35 W 2nd st | South Boston

stick n move · Aug 28, 2019

No thread for this yet.

“Our mixed-use project at West Second Street is located a short distance to the Broadway MBTA red line station in the heart of South Boston. It will revitalize an underutilized site with a mixed-use building consisting of 55 units, including 7 affordable units, and 2,600 sf of ground floor retail space.”

https://www.transomrealestate.com/distinct-projects

“The structure consists of 6 stories; 5 floors of residential units and a ground level of retail and building services. Approximately 2,600sf of retail space is in the westernmost portion of the plan, which addresses the public space and the primary circulation intersection of W 2nd Street and Athens Street. The ground level contains lobby spaces for the residential portion, accessible from W 2nd Street. Bike racks are accessible from Athens Street, and two (2) parking spaces are located on the ground level for a building-wide car-share service. Floors 2 through 6 contain residential units with a mix of studio, one, two, and three bedrooms. A roof deck located above floor 6 will be available to the residents. “
http://www.howeleryoon.com/work/37/west-2nd-street

#bancars · Aug 28, 2019

If I'm reading that right, this building will essentially have zero parking spaces for residents? Just the two car-share spaces? If so, that's friggin amazing. Totally makes sense given its proximity to Broadway, but still, this is awesome.

lexicon506 · Aug 28, 2019

I love that Howeler+Yoon was tapped to design this and 212 Stuart St. Really hope both get off the ground. There is an embarrassment of design talent in Boston, about time local developers start giving firms not named Elkus Manfredi a chance!

cjbski · Aug 29, 2019

lexicon506 said:
I love that Howeler+Yoon was tapped to design this and 212 Stuart St. Really hope both get off the ground. There is an embarrassment of design talent in Boston, about time local developers start giving firms not named Elkus Manfredi a chance!

Agreed. Tons of great firms out there, yet all of these companies play it safe with Elkus Manfredi.

stefal · Aug 29, 2019

cjbski said:
Agreed. Tons of great firms out there, yet all of these companies play it safe with Elkus Manfredi.

We've discussed this elsewhere on this site at some point, but it's the developers cheaping out on the design, more than Elkus Manfredi designing buildings with poor value. When they're given a workable budget, they seem to do well. Though, there is the argument that a good designer will succeed in a good design no matter what constraints they're provided, so Elkus could push a little harder on their part in that regard.

stick n move · Aug 29, 2019

Yea I think proto is a wonderful example of making the best of what you have. Its short.. so they gave it great proportions, also used angles to slim it up, its also just standard white precast.. but they used it in place of what would be used on something of higher quality just swapped out with what they had vs just slapping up massive bland panels.