Riverside Development | 333 Grove Street | Newton

[stick n move]

Yet again… trying to get a single developer to build an entire brand new neighborhood from the ground up all at the same time as one unified project. Its not working… but maybe if we try again for the 1,001st time itll work. In order for projects this big to work you need the economy, demand, and the borrowing environment to all line up at the same time and its very rare.

They should do the thing thats been working since 2000 bc and lay down a small street grid then sell off the parcels individually to recoup the costs. A few plots would already be under construction. Then it would grow organically and probably turn out better anyways.

Thats why the seaport for all its flaws architecturally… at least exists. They didnt even lay the street grid down first, they just made a street grid masterplan that developers had to stick to and then added in massing models for effect and then sold off each lot one or two at a time, over time, and now you have a new neighborhood. It shouldnt be this hard.

 

[jklo]

In order for projects this big to work you need the economy, demand, and the borrowing environment to all line up at the same time and its very rare.

I mean, when they first proposed doing it, they had that...

 

[stick n move]

I mean, when they first proposed doing it, they had that...

Thats the point, its extremely rare for all of those things to line up at once and even when they do it doesnt last long enough to be able to finish a project of this size. It takes a long time for massive projects like this to finally get going and when they do it can be 10 years after its proposed and the environment is completely different by then.

 

[RandomWalk]

For pure curiosity, what’s the FAA height limit at Riverside? Infinite?

 

[jklo]

For pure curiosity, what’s the FAA height limit at Riverside? Infinite?

The map I have doesn't go that far. If there is a limit, it's not going to be a factor.

 

[Charlie_mta]

For pure curiosity, what’s the FAA height limit at Riverside? Infinite?

The NIMBY height limit there is the governing factor, not the FAA height limit.

 

[jklo]

The NIMBY height limit there is the governing factor, not the FAA height limit.

More how car centric Auburndale is, but yes that too.

 

[RandomWalk]

Yeah, my question was mostly rhetorical in the sense that the developers should propose a series of pencil towers and let the NIMBYs squabble.

 

[jklo]

Yeah, my question was mostly rhetorical in the sense that the developers should propose a series of pencil towers and let the NIMBYs squabble.

Isn't that what got them into trouble in the first place? The bankrollers were dreaming of $80/sqft office space and a fancy hotel when it probally has to be 100% housing.

 

[RandomWalk]

Residential pencil towers.

 

[BACsop]

Residential pencil towers.

Would be great if the Boston region approached TOD the way Vancouver and Toronto do!

 

[commuter guy]

The hotel Indigo closed due to this redevelopment plan. I think it the hotel closed a bit earlier than anticipated due to the Covid shutdown. I would think a hotel could still work here. It's on the green line and Rte. 128

 

[jklo]

The hotel Indigo closed due to this redevelopment plan. I think it the hotel closed a bit earlier than anticipated due to the Covid shutdown. I would think a hotel could still work here. It's on the green line and Rte. 128

The Mariott is huge I think.

I suspect most of the guests at the Indigo were doing business with Riverside Center (which apparently changed it's name to 275 Grove... never a good sign when they change the name)