Rio Grande (née Dudley Square Residential Tower) | Washington St. | Roxbury

KentXie said:
Is this mainly affordable. I'd give it slack on its design if that's the case.
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46 affordable units out of 241. http://www.bostonplans.org/getattachment/09d3d530-d393-4f4a-96d7-dbc69b81623c

This project's been spearheaded by a developer who has long worked in and around Dudley (Ken Guscott, and more recently his daughter, Lisa, after he passed) and includes the refurbishment/integration of two lovely buildings- the Roxbury Savings Bank and the Buff Bay building. It also eliminates a parking lot.

I feel like this is a big deal for Dudley and Roxbury and I'm all for it, even if the design could be improved.
 
A project of this size and scope would be amazing for Dudley and Roxbury as a whole and in my opinion the design doesnt matter. Hopefully Roxbury can figure out how to get new development without kicking everyone out that lives there now. The city needs to figure out how to do that
 
Suffolk 83 said:
A project of this size and scope would be amazing for Dudley and Roxbury as a whole and in my opinion the design doesnt matter. Hopefully Roxbury can figure out how to get new development without kicking everyone out that lives there now. The city needs to figure out how to do that
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Were there 46 affordable units on that location previously? If not, this is a net gain.

I understand the concern for what it does to surrounding rents, but if MORE of these are built, then there will be more affordable units in existence in the area..........and more jobs/restaurants, etc. in the area for residents not to have to travel to. Instead of "kicking them out", hopefully this can provide more local opportunity.

This is truly a case of "a rising tide lifts all boats"
 
Yea but if this encourages a sea change in dudley and other buildings arent held to higher standard than the Boston bottom level of affordable housing then the old residents get pushed out.
 
Suffolk 83 said:
A project of this size and scope would be amazing for Dudley and Roxbury as a whole and in my opinion the design doesnt matter. Hopefully Roxbury can figure out how to get new development without kicking everyone out that lives there now. The city needs to figure out how to do that
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If the nimby friendly folks who sit on the City Council would just back Marty's 2030 plan, maybe 85 year old nimby's would see the jig is up, and stay home.
 
Suffolk 83 said:
Yea but if this encourages a sea change in dudley and other buildings arent held to higher standard than the Boston bottom level of affordable housing then the old residents get pushed out.
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Key word in your post is "if".

What's the alternative?

Look at the location. Boston is booming. Northeastern University is more than booming. It's going to gentrify anyway. If done by small incremental home by home, these people will be pushed out. If done by large projects that attract the attention of the city and community activists, then there will be 40-50 new affordable units at a time made available.

Let's look for progress and solutions, not just the automatic criticism.
 
Automatic criticism? I said it would be amazing for the area. Why does everything have to be an argument? calm down
 
Your concern is that the empty storefronts are going to be filled?

Suffolk 83 said:
Yea but if this encourages a sea change in dudley and other buildings arent held to higher standard than the Boston bottom level of affordable housing then the old residents get pushed out.
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My point perhaps different than yours but, more on what I was trying to say:

From Bisnow:

As other Boston neighborhoods have boomed this development cycle, Dudley Square and Roxbury haven’t seen the same rush of success. Boston spent $124M to renovate the Ferdinand Building in Dudley Square into a new headquarters for Boston Public Schools. There was also a push for improved retail in the area, but places like Tasty Burger and the Dudley Dough pizza shop quickly came and went.

Forty-five percent of Roxbury’s housing stock is income-restricted, according to a November affordable housing report the city released. [Dudley Square Main Streets Executive Director] Joyce Stanley feels the real number is much higher and, for the neighborhood to tackle its boarded-up storefronts, it is going to have to allow some level of market-rate development into its borders.

“People want the cute restaurants, and you need people with disposable income to support those,” she said. “Many people here can only afford some of those places once a month. A business can’t last on once a month.”

Read more at: https://www.bisnow.com/boston/news/...i4tZ8?utm_source=CopyShare&utm_medium=Browser
 
Activists: non-investment in Dudley is racist!
Same activists: investment in Dudley is gentrification and is racist!
 
Here's some news on this one. There's a public meeting on October 13. I forgot all about this tower, but anything 300'+ out in the neighborhoods is going to have major visibility.

realestate.boston.com

A major Roxbury development touts its proximity to the T

The Boston Planning and Development Agency will hold a virtual hearing on the Rio Grande project on Oct. 13. Continue reading on realestate.boston.com.
realestate.boston.com
 
DZH22 said:
Here's some news on this one. There's a public meeting on October 13. I forgot all about this tower, but anything 300'+ out in the neighborhoods is going to have major visibility.

realestate.boston.com

A major Roxbury development touts its proximity to the T

The Boston Planning and Development Agency will hold a virtual hearing on the Rio Grande project on Oct. 13. Continue reading on realestate.boston.com.
realestate.boston.com
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I love everything about this. Great development of HOUSING , building tall near a T Station - - and a great local minority family as the developers.

Bravo!!! I hope this gets done and is a catalyst.
 
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shmessy said:
I love everything about this. Great development of HOUSING , building tall near a T Station - - and a great local minority family as the developers.

Bravo!!! I hope this gets done and is a catalyst.
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I agree, but we also (for the love of god) need to keep Nubian from gentrifying too hard.

Lord knows the neighborhood’s been through enough.

As I noted in the Bartlett Yards thread, that development’s “affordable” rents are a little concerning.

Can we also change the thread name to match the Square’s new name? Though, I guess the project was introduced before the name change..
 
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shmessy said:
I love everything about this. Great development of HOUSING , building tall near a T Station - - and a great local minority family as the developers.

Bravo!!! I hope this gets done and is a catalyst.
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This one has been in BPDA jail for years now. I don't know what's up, but the refusal to build certainly doesn't help the rents here. Also note the developer is....black and from Roxbury.
 
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