11-21 Bromfield Street | DTX | Downtown

Ya I like those things too...just don’t like all the empty storefronts.
 
Neither do I. It would be much better if they were filled. But that doesn't mean a developer should ignore the nature of the street.
 
617 said:
Ya I like those things too...just don’t like all the empty storefronts.
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How many empty storefronts are there? I walk up it regularly, and off the top of my head can think of no more than three. Next time I walk up, I'll do a count...
 
It should be noted that empty storefronts in an otherwise active retail district is often "manufactured blight," a tactic used by property owners as a precursor to radical redevelopment. See Ronald Drucker for details.
 
Roxxma said:
How many empty storefronts are there? I walk up it regularly, and off the top of my head can think of no more than three. Next time I walk up, I'll do a count...
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You can probably add the video store and pen shop to the count. They're not long for this world.
 
Beton Brut said:
It should be noted that empty storefronts in an otherwise active retail district is often "manufactured blight," a tactic used by property owners as a precursor to radical redevelopment. See Ronald Drucker for details.
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Right, I am fairly certain that the landlord has made zero effort to fill those spaces in the past couple of years.

If your goal is to tear a building down, the last thing you want to do is fill it with tenants on multi-year leases.
 
dotdude78 said:
My guess is you rarely leave Cambridge.

I walk down this street daily. Currently, it's a dump. Mostly abandoned/empty retail. The only non-horrible thing is Silvertone up the street.
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617 said:
Totally agree...this is the most depressing part of Boston to walk around... it’s just disgusting. It has a ton of potential I think they should knock down that corner and proceed with a retail/tower proposal. Although a driveway is definitely unacceptable. One of the best parts of Boston imo is the mix of old and new, this corner, opposite MT could enhance the overall feel of the neighborhood. The rest of nieghborhood needs better retail and more housing.
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I also agree. Not only the most disgusting part of Boston, but probably of any city. This super depressing hellscape makes me want to slit my wrists.

lwadFjr.jpg
 
Justin7 said:
I also agree. Not only the most disgusting part of Boston, but probably of any city. This super depressing hellscape makes me want to slit my wrists.

lwadFjr.jpg
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Any city? That's a stretch.
 
That's showing the nice, new part out front of Millennium Tower. Not Bromfield Street.
 
dotdude78 said:
That's showing the nice, new part out front of Millennium Tower. Not Bromfield Street.
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It's literally looking right down Bromfield (actually showing more of Bromfield than your photo did) and the point is to illustrate that there is absolutely ZERO issue with the existing buildings (City Sports could go, but it shouldn't take the Payless and GEM buildings with it) - that the "blight" (what little of it actually exists there) is manufactured by the landlord - not an issue with the buildings themselves. Claiming that this block needs to be leveled and rebuilt because of a few vacant storefronts shows an inability grasp cause/effect.
 
bigpicture7 said:
This is where effective city policy should be kicking in...
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Since landlord wanting to avoid long-term leases with commercial tenants seems to be an issue, why not counter such manufactured blight with policies that offer tax breaks for cyclic short-term leases for certain approved civic purposes. Such purposes wouldn't mind shifting locations every 6 months or so. I am thinking like anything ranging from public-use arts galleries, non-prof. crafts sales spaces, music performance spaces, community health-related spaces, etc...(e.g., stuff the city cares about and thinks we don't have enough of). I mean, the place being vacant benefits no one (other than offering the landlord flexibility).

I am not saying the landlord should offer free rent to these causes. I am saying they could have the alternative to leaving the storefronts vacant in exchange for a short/rotating-lease program and tax cuts; in exchange they'd get a non-zero revenue stream during the vacancy period as opposed to their zero revenue...and alternatively, they'd pay a tax penalty for leaving the property blighted.

just a thought...
 
Roxxma said:
How many empty storefronts are there? I walk up it regularly, and off the top of my head can think of no more than three. Next time I walk up, I'll do a count...
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The empty storefront question is kind of an interesting phenomenon. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people on a neighborhood Facebook group complain about empty store fronts in my neighborhood, whereas I see the filled ones, representing in my mind a thriving commercial district. Are some empty? Of course. But it wouldn't be good to have every single space occupied, because then rents go up and/or new businesses can't get started, even though they might bring value to the neighborhood. Some level of vacancy is important. Side streets like Bromfield should almost certainly not be fully rented out.
 
This conversation keeps going around in the same circles. Let me state it as clearly as I can: There is nothing happening on Bromfield Street that requires demolition of multiple buildings. Period.
 
Lrfox said:
It's literally looking right down Bromfield (actually showing more of Bromfield than your photo did) and the point is to illustrate that there is absolutely ZERO issue with the existing buildings (City Sports could go, but it shouldn't take the Payless and GEM buildings with it) - that the "blight" (what little of it actually exists there) is manufactured by the landlord - not an issue with the buildings themselves. Claiming that this block needs to be leveled and rebuilt because of a few vacant storefronts shows an inability grasp cause/effect.
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I didnt think Gem building was included ? Old casualty building should def be saved.

City sports wrap around to old att store totally expendable.
 
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