New 400-Unit Development Proposed In Medford
The Mystic Valley Parkway proposal was filed under a state law facilitating the development of low- or moderate-income housing.
patch.com
Modera Mystic (400 low/moderate income units) | 4000 Mystic Valley Pkwy | Medford
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patch.com
Good for Medford on doing its part for adding housing, but there's going to be 2 Modera's in Medford under a mile from each other? https://goo.gl/maps/C98wDyTY5wz9xXas7
With the mess of traffic in that area coupled with the proximity to Wellington, I hope they figure out how to severely limit parking more than what the code requires:
Parking for Multiple Dwellings
b. Not over 125 feet 2 per DU + 1 Visitor per 10 units
c. subsidized elderly or handicapped housing regardless of height .5 per DU
d.Affordable or subsidized housing: 1.5 per affordable unit, regardless of height
e.Within the MUZ district (which adjoins public transportation at the Wellington MBTA Station) 1.5 per DU, inclusive of visitor parking
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With the mess of traffic in that area coupled with the proximity to Wellington, I hope they figure out how to severely limit parking more than what the code requires:
Parking for Multiple Dwellings
b. Not over 125 feet 2 per DU + 1 Visitor per 10 units
c. subsidized elderly or handicapped housing regardless of height .5 per DU
d.Affordable or subsidized housing: 1.5 per affordable unit, regardless of height
e.Within the MUZ district (which adjoins public transportation at the Wellington MBTA Station) 1.5 per DU, inclusive of visitor parking
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Equilibria
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It's not as great for Wellington as you think, though. The first part of the walk can be through the park and is nice. The second half is across a highway, up 3 flights in a parking garage, across the garage (with no dedicated sidewalk or directional signage) and then across the non-climate-controlled skybridge. All told, it's 0.8 miles at least and involves crossing two big roads and climbing 3 flights of stairs.
Unless you live at Station Landing, Wellington is not a great neighborhood T station. The OL yard is a huge obstacle.
cadetcarl
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I remember long ago somewhere on here there was discussion of an OL stop between Wellington and Malden Center. I used to wonder at that, but it makes a lot of sense. Wellington is a great place to dump a car or get a bus to, but it is an awful walking station. Station Landing itself is an island.
Forget about Wellington; with a stop about halfway, somewhere around where Commercial St kinks opposite that shopping plaza, near the gym, you could instantly transform that stretch of Highland Ave from a bunch of huge parking lots to the next great residential neighborhood. I'm not sure what's going on with the empty land north of BJ's, is it contaminated or something?
Who says no?
Forget about Wellington; with a stop about halfway, somewhere around where Commercial St kinks opposite that shopping plaza, near the gym, you could instantly transform that stretch of Highland Ave from a bunch of huge parking lots to the next great residential neighborhood. I'm not sure what's going on with the empty land north of BJ's, is it contaminated or something?
Who says no?
DrFreewind
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I go to golds, someone told me that they might sell the property, i thought it was just speculation. I guess they were right!
Although I don't want the gym torn down/relocated. It is a very good spot for residential development. Walking distance to wellington, right across the street from a park, and easy access to 93.
Although I don't want the gym torn down/relocated. It is a very good spot for residential development. Walking distance to wellington, right across the street from a park, and easy access to 93.
stick n move
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This had an update in january.
“Multifamily developer Mill Creek Residential is seeking to expand its portfolio in the Wellington Circle area by replacing a vacant commercial property with a 350-unit apartment complex.
The redevelopment plan at 4000 Mystic Valley Parkway in Medford was paused while state officials weighed and eventually rejected local officials’ argument that the city was exempt from Chapter 40B, the affordable housing zoning law.
Since then, Mill Creek and The Davis Companies have sought approval for a pair of projects under Chapter 40B totaling 639 units.
Mill Creek Residential’s project would replace a vacant 66,000-square-foot commercial building with a pair of eight-story residential buildings totaling 430,000 square feet, including 88 income-restricted units representing 25 percent of the total. Three podium levels of parking would include 396 spaces, according to a submission to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
The project would include a private shuttle for residents to the MBTA’s Wellington station…..”
bankerandtradesman.com
Mill Creek Submits 350-Unit Housing Development in Medford
“Multifamily developer Mill Creek Residential is seeking to expand its portfolio in the Wellington Circle area by replacing a vacant commercial property with a 350-unit apartment complex.
The redevelopment plan at 4000 Mystic Valley Parkway in Medford was paused while state officials weighed and eventually rejected local officials’ argument that the city was exempt from Chapter 40B, the affordable housing zoning law.
Since then, Mill Creek and The Davis Companies have sought approval for a pair of projects under Chapter 40B totaling 639 units.
Mill Creek Residential’s project would replace a vacant 66,000-square-foot commercial building with a pair of eight-story residential buildings totaling 430,000 square feet, including 88 income-restricted units representing 25 percent of the total. Three podium levels of parking would include 396 spaces, according to a submission to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
The project would include a private shuttle for residents to the MBTA’s Wellington station…..”
Mill Creek Submits 350-Unit Housing Development in Medford
Multifamily developer Mill Creek Residential is seeking to expand its portfolio in the Wellington Circle area by replacing a vacant commercial property with a 350-unit apartment complex.
bankerandtradesman.com
The problem with parking requirements is (mostly) about:
- Mandating parking in transit rich and highly walkable areas
- Mandating far too much parking for commercial (or residential)
- Mandating parking in areas where you can park on the street easily enough
The problem isn't 1/unit for residential near the end of a transit line in a not particularly walkable location.
Shouldn't be mandated, but I'm not going to blame a developer for proposing it.
- Mandating parking in transit rich and highly walkable areas
- Mandating far too much parking for commercial (or residential)
- Mandating parking in areas where you can park on the street easily enough
The problem isn't 1/unit for residential near the end of a transit line in a not particularly walkable location.
Shouldn't be mandated, but I'm not going to blame a developer for proposing it.
I feel like many of the large, national developers tend to have more stringent standards for their parking ratios no matter their location. 1.13 spots per unit feels high, but is pretty comparable to other parts of the nation for them. These national developers are kinda similar to grocery stores and big box stores (ie Home Depot/Best Buy/etc) where they have a model and they tend to stick to it.
So much about the Mystic River Parkway and Revere Beach Parkway make this feel like a suburban hell. Can't expect this one developer to sacrifice their model if the city isn't willing to tackle the problem that drives that model.
So much about the Mystic River Parkway and Revere Beach Parkway make this feel like a suburban hell. Can't expect this one developer to sacrifice their model if the city isn't willing to tackle the problem that drives that model.
There's actually quite a bit of shopping, as well as an elementary school and two middle schools, within easy walking distance (in strip malls, yeah, but they're right there). Plus there's a beautiful park right across the street. The orange line is not too far away. There's no bus stop right there, but with 350 units added to the existing ones in the area, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't take much to add a bus stop on one of the nearby lines.
stick n move
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-Work has started here
“What is happening at 4000 Mystic Valley Parkway, former site of CKS Furniture and Gold’s Gym?
You may have noticed the start of construction work there. According to the developer, Mill Creek Residential, “a contemporary mixed-use community” consisting of 350 units will be constructed on these about three acres of land, with the first move-ins anticipated for the fall of 2027. The units will be one, two, and three bedroom. The development will be called Modera Mystic.
This is a “40B project”. The reference is to a complex state law, and regulations, which allow zoning boards of appeal to bypass normal permitting procedures and approve “comprehensive permits” for projects where 20-25% of the units have long-term affordability restrictions. In July 2023, our Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) approved the project on conditions which included that 25% of the units (88 of them) be “low- or moderate-income units”, defined as affordable to households whose income is no more than 80% of Area Median Income.
Mill Creek applied for a comprehensive permit in 2020 requesting construction of a project consisting of 30 more units. The ZBA initially determined that a so-called “safe harbor” provision of the law applied allowing the ZBA to deny the permit on General Land Area Minimum (GLAM) grounds. The GLAM exception permits denial of a comprehensive permit where at least 1.5% of a municipality’s developable land area is already used for state-recognized affordable housing. Following an appeal to the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development, the city and the developer entered into negotiations which resulted in a deal in which the plan was modified from 380 units in one building to 350 units in two buildings with ground floor commercial space.”
www.facebook.com
“What is happening at 4000 Mystic Valley Parkway, former site of CKS Furniture and Gold’s Gym?
You may have noticed the start of construction work there. According to the developer, Mill Creek Residential, “a contemporary mixed-use community” consisting of 350 units will be constructed on these about three acres of land, with the first move-ins anticipated for the fall of 2027. The units will be one, two, and three bedroom. The development will be called Modera Mystic.
This is a “40B project”. The reference is to a complex state law, and regulations, which allow zoning boards of appeal to bypass normal permitting procedures and approve “comprehensive permits” for projects where 20-25% of the units have long-term affordability restrictions. In July 2023, our Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) approved the project on conditions which included that 25% of the units (88 of them) be “low- or moderate-income units”, defined as affordable to households whose income is no more than 80% of Area Median Income.
Mill Creek applied for a comprehensive permit in 2020 requesting construction of a project consisting of 30 more units. The ZBA initially determined that a so-called “safe harbor” provision of the law applied allowing the ZBA to deny the permit on General Land Area Minimum (GLAM) grounds. The GLAM exception permits denial of a comprehensive permit where at least 1.5% of a municipality’s developable land area is already used for state-recognized affordable housing. Following an appeal to the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development, the city and the developer entered into negotiations which resulted in a deal in which the plan was modified from 380 units in one building to 350 units in two buildings with ground floor commercial space.”
Nick Giurleo for Medford
What is happening at 4000 Mystic Valley Parkway, former site of CKS Furniture and Gold’s Gym? You may have noticed the start of construction work there. According to the developer, Mill Creek...
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