Roslindale Infill and Small Developments

Re: Massachusetts General Hospital Building For The Third Century

Hide ya kids...Hide ya copper...

http://www.boston.com/Boston/metrodesk/2011/10/two-boston-housing-authority-workers-face-copper-theft-charges/NaDewZ5c4OvW9eGz2ZzeUM/index.html?p1=Local_Links
Two Boston Housing Authority employees are facing charges after they were caught stealing copper from a Roslindale complex, police said.

Lucius Graham, 36, of Roslindale, and John Bernburg, 49, of Lakeville, were arrested Friday night after officers found them in the basement of one of the buildings in the Archdale Village public housing development, Boston police said. They were charged with breaking and entering a residence in the night, larceny, and malicious destruction of property, according to police.

Officers responded to reports of voices in the basement of 100 Brookway Road and found a door to the area wedged shut with what appeared to be a broom handle. After building management officials opened the door, police found copper and water pipes all over the ground, as well as copper pipes pulled from the wall, police said in a statement.

Police also found Graham and Bernburg hiding behind a trash barrel and ordered them to come out, police said. The suspects allegedly told police they were collecting leftover copper so that they could sell it.

Officers found a barrel full of copper pipes in the basement, and, during booking, found a saw in Graham’s pocket, which the suspects admitted they used to cut the pipes, police said.

When the saw was taken from him, Graham allegedly asked, “Can I get my saw back?”

One of the employees was fired immediately, said Lydia Agrow, spokeswoman for the BHA. Because the other employee has more than five consecutive years of service, civil service law requires that he have a hearing, Agrow said. The hearing is scheduled for Friday.

The two were arraigned today in West Roxbury Municipal Court, and both pleaded not guilty. They were released without monetary bail, and both will have to retain their own attorneys. They are slated to return to court Dec. 30 for pre-trial hearings.

Amanda Cedrone can be reached at acedrone@globe.com.
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ajkessel said:
Oh no, please no more parking! The last thing we need, in my view, is to induce more people to drive into the square.

...

I think the problem with Robyn's and Gusto/Jazz Cafe is not lack of demand, but they just didn't measure up. We went to each restaurant once and that was enough. I suspect other restaurants outside of the courtyard are doing well: Redd's in Rozzie is great, as is Seven Star Street Bistro. I think Rialto's is also fine, although I don't have any inside knowledge.

We just don't need any more pizza/bistro places.
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there's also always parking up and down cummins and back in the residential areas - I also don't see why parking is a "problem" in the square.

cafe rialto is now out of business. IMO because they were closed sunday and monday and the food was just ok - nothing special. I also think it was because the owners used to live in Roslindale 20 or 30 years ago and were trying to create a place for a demographic that doesn't really exist anymore. If the pizza were more unique then I think it would get traffic from not just the neighborhood - but if you're not any different or better than MJs or checkmate or Pleasant, then why bother?

Redd's is successful because it's one of a few restaurants in the square where the yuppies and yuppies with small kids want to go - which make up a growing number of people in the neighborhood (just look at sugar on a saturday or sunday morning). Even Tony's now carries organic free range chicken (guy has been in business for 50 years, he knows which way the wind is blowing). everyone bemoans this demographic as somehow "ruining the neighborhood," but they have money and they're willing to spend it at places they can walk to - so if you're a business, you cater to them. why the property owners and businesses in the square can't figure this out is beyond me.
 
rinserepeat said:
there's also always parking up and down cummins and back in the residential areas - I also don't see why parking is a "problem" in the square.
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Whether you can 'see' a problem or not is irrelevant. Parking is important to businesses. Take the parking lot away from the Pleasant and they'd be out of business in a year. This is a simple, observable fact - the less convenient the parking, the less chance the business will thrive.
 
MBTA sub station

Looks like this project is moving forward:

Now, after years of false starts, the city-owned substation is poised for a dramatic transformation: a mixed-use complex with dozens of apartments, restaurants, and a produce market.

The project, led by local nonprofits and a Rhode Island developer, involves restoring the original details of the 1911 building, designed by the prominent Boston architect Robert S. Peabody, and constructing about 40 apartments on an adjacent lot.


The substation itself will house a restaurant, small cafe, and the produce market. Pending city approvals, the developers hope to begin construction next fall.
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http://www.bostonglobe.com/business...-roslindale/0FJrP4BPci4eUCPiO8LkOP/story.html
 
Wouldn't that make a really nice head house for an Orange Line stop.

*sigh*
 
statler said:
Why wouldn't the OL run right under Washington St?
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Because that would involve tunneling and that route would continue in a direction that doesn't go near areas that would be good for West Roxbury or Needham extensions? There is also already a commuter line like, 3 blocks away that would probably be used if the Orange Line is ever extended out in that direction (in 3050 C.E.).
 
^ It would take over the Needham CR line. Way cheaper than a subway.
 
I'm assuming the location of the apartments will be on the parking lot that fronts Cummins Highway between the substation and the Congregational church. If that is currently owned by the funeral home, I wonder what they will do for parking. Perhaps they are going to close and the parcel that the hkme itself is on will also become available?

Anyway, this project looks really good, especially the inclusion of so many apartments right in the square.
 
HenryAlan said:
I'm assuming the location of the apartments will be on the parking lot that fronts Cummins Highway between the substation and the Congregational church. If that is currently owned by the funeral home, I wonder what they will do for parking. Perhaps they are going to close and the parcel that the hkme itself is on will also become available?

Anyway, this project looks really good, especially the inclusion of so many apartments right in the square.
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parking on ground level behind a couple apartments:

http://roslindale.patch.com/articles/see-the-roslindale-substation-redevelopment-plans-here

it's definitely the missing piece for the square - I can't see how anyone in the neighborhood would be opposed - maybe some minor issues about how it's implemented - but would be a huge improvement.

My only issues are the weird roof massing on cummins and the two apartments at grade - would be better if it was small storefront and flat roof.
 
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Here are a couple of renders (courtesy of universalhub):

Washington Street side:
newrozziesq.jpg


Corner with Cummins Highway (viewed from Adams Park):
newrozziesq2.jpg


I think this project will have a transformative impact. Forty apartments added to the heart of Rozzie Square, along with another restaurant, will bring a lot of pedestrian traffic. The square is already really nice, but the Washington St. side was sort of the lonely step-child. That will change with this and the already completed building next to it. My hope, given the way the apartments wrap around on to Cummins highway, is that it will push some activity in that direction. Washington St. has a few good commercial blocks in each directdion, it would be nice to see this happen on Cummins, too.

The other thing I like about this is the way the building heights roughly line up with each other and also with the Community Center on the other corner of Cummins and Washington. I've always thought squares looked best when surrounded by similar height structures.
 
The flat roof building on Washington is decent and adds a bit of urban zip on the ground floor. It's ugly step sister on Cummins however...
 
Brad Plaid said:
The flat roof building on Washington is decent and adds a bit of urban zip on the ground floor. It's ugly step sister on Cummins however...
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yeah - I don't know what happened there - plus the two ground level units are right at the bus stop. I have no idea how they'd rent/sell these units if people are constantly sitting on your stoop (and looking in your windows) waiting for the bus.
 
This is a general thread for upcoming and current Roslindale projects.

So far there are:

Substation redevelopment (into a restaurant) plus adjacent 40-unit apartment building. Status: has gone through PNF process and zoning hearing should be this month. Possibly starting construction early next year.


18 Robert Street: 14 unit market-rate condos. Status: Under construction. Existing gas station removed and it looks like they're doing site prep.


Adams Park redesign: status: ??? There have been a couple design options and the project is funded, but not sure where the parks department is with this one.


I think these are the big ones - anyone know of others?
 
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