Roxbury parcels 9 & 10 | Melnea Cass Blvd | Roxbury

It seems like a bit of a walk to Ruggles, no?

Also, the 1-br apartments start at $2,235 and run to $2,785. Price seems reasonable for a new, amenity-lite building.
 
dshoost88 said:
Unless I'm mistaken, the "useless open space" you're referring to is the South Bay Harbor Trail. The trail provides a connection between the Southwest Corridor Park Trail and--ultimately--the Boston Harborwalk. A couple apparent gaps exist, but will likely be resolved/mitigated for with the completion of The Abbey Group's Exchange South End and ongoing improvements near the Broadway T station.

I won't argue about the architecture, but I disagree with your assertion this is a "useless open space". The development of these parcels and ongoing investment in the South Bay Harbor Trail further activate the Roxbury neighborhood and sew connections, which objectively is great for the neighborhood.
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A beautiful greenway that has been deliberately neglected by DCR. It wasn’t until a few years ago that they even bothered to mow the grass around here, and tree roots have rendered the entire bicycle path completely unusable for at least seven years. Want to talk about institutionalized racism? Just come down here and ask why this trail alone of the city bike paths has never been repaved once. At any rate, potential remains, and thankfully, the idiotic widening proposal has been shelved… For now.

The path needs re-paving, and with the increase in development, they need some clear signs to keep people off the trail and on the sidewalk. Being Boston, I’ll expect a half assed job at best, with people ignoring signs anyway and blocking the bike path, just like everywhere else.
 
FK4 said:
A beautiful greenway that has been deliberately neglected by DCR. It wasn’t until a few years ago that they even bothered to mow the grass around here, and tree roots have rendered the entire bicycle path completely unusable for at least seven years. Want to talk about institutionalized racism? Just come down here and ask why this trail alone of the city bike paths has never been repaved once. At any rate, potential remains, and thankfully, the idiotic widening proposal has been shelved… For now.

The path needs re-paving, and with the increase in development, they need some clear signs to keep people off the trail and on the sidewalk. Being Boston, I’ll expect a half assed job at best, with people ignoring signs anyway and blocking the bike path, just like everywhere else.
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I think you're forgetting about the Melnea Cass Blvd reconstruction? That was supposed to start years ago, but this year its finally happening, the whole thing is being replaced, new trail, new bike path, new road, new trees, new bus stops, new art, the whole deal. Its unfortunate it took 5 years of planning to get this past the "neighborhood activists" who didn't want to lose a few trees. Project page:https://www.boston.gov/departments/transportation/melnea-cass-boulevard-design-project

Roll plan of design: https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/imce-uploads/2018-12/2018-1210_melnea_cass_75_design_roll_plan_of_design.jpg

And "institutionalized racism" isn't wholly the reason its taken 7 years, its people like this: Advocates Fight to Save Melnea Cass Blvd Trees. Remember, it was funded in 2012. but the project got stalled hundreds of times by different groups wanting different things, it was almost a BRT corridor then someone didn't want that either...
 
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HelloBostonHi said:
I think you're forgetting about the Melnea Cass Blvd reconstruction? That was supposed to start years ago, but this year its finally happening, the whole thing is being replaced, new trail, new bike path, new road, new trees, new bus stops, new art, the whole deal. Its unfortunate it took 5 years of planning to get this past the "neighborhood activists" who didn't want to lose a few trees. Project page:https://www.boston.gov/departments/transportation/melnea-cass-boulevard-design-project

Roll plan of design: https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/imce-uploads/2018-12/2018-1210_melnea_cass_75_design_roll_plan_of_design.jpg

And "institutionalized racism" isn't the fucking reason its taken 7 years, its people like this: Advocates Fight to Save Melnea Cass Blvd Trees. Remember, it was funded in 2012. but the project got stalled hundreds of times by different groups wanting different things, it was almost a BRT corridor then someone didn't want that either...
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You are dead wrong. I first rode the MCB bike trail in 2007, possibly earlier, and have used it regularly to get to South Boston as part of one my go to bike loops ever since. I remember the very first time I rode this thing — and that was when I used pretty thick treads on my hybrid*— the path was unusable due to tree root upheavals; also, back then, broken glass. By July every summer until a few years ago the grass would grow to waist high, to the point you couldn't even see the homeless people sleeping in it. This corridor was the very definition of urban disinvestment. Meanwhile, in 2012 or so the SWC bike path was completely repaved, and this had been planned long before. In short, the shite state of the bike path on MCB has never been repaved and this predates, by many years, the relatively recent plans to rebuild the whole thing.

Now, to the MCB design. Contrary to the snark in your post, I have followed it closely since its inception and posted my thoughts accordingly on this site. The plan as originally conceived was an idiotic one and only came about because some low hanging fruit in the form of federal BRT money became available. The plan itself entailed a major widening of the MCB ROW, with reduction in size of the adjacent greenway.

This plan was 1) egregious urban design given the scar that MCB already is, and more importantly, 2) a complete waste of money for a project that would have yielded essential zero benefits to anyone. I know you're new here, but this has been broadly discussed for years in the urban ring threads; you don't spend millions for a BRT lane that starts in chokepoint traffic at Albany Street, shaves off 2 minutes on a half mile segment (for routes on which most people are headed north, the LMA), only to get mired in traffic again at Tremont. It gains nothing significant, and there have been, nor is there now, any plan for what to do with said "BRT" once it gets to Tremont/Ruggles. The neighborhood opponents rightly saw that this project would result in an even wider, uglier mini-highway through their neighborhood, and defeated it. No, it wasn't just the "neighborhood activists concerned about a few trees" that you so condescendingly mention. Perhaps they owe you an apology for disagreeing with you?

And, finally, it seems like this is isn't the first time you've been triggered at the idea of racism being involved in something that goes against a project you're in favor of. All I can say is, if you think the chronic neglect of this corridor — while the adjacent SWC suffered nothing of the kind (or, really, the general infrastructure disinvestment in Roxbury, including, yes, the glaring transition point ifrom absence of street trees to plenty of 'em from Roxbury into wealthier adjoining neighborhoods) has absolutely nothing to do with race (and SES) — I really don't know what to say.
 
Here are some photos of the trail in 2008.
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Certainly not perfect but far from what you describe it as.

Second, the Southwest Corridor is owned and maintained by Massachusetts DCR, and while I can't honestly tell who's job Melnea Cass is to maintain, it's definitely not Mass DCR, looking at tax records it appears to be the City of Boston. You can't compare the fact that one agency does a better job of maintaining it's land than another and somehow call that racism, I call that differences in public agencies. The same way Massport does a far better job of basic maintenance than the MBTA does.

Yes I know of the BRT history however as of 2018 when BRT was long gone from the plans there were still people holding up plans because of the minor tree impacts of the current plan. In fact if you read the public comments on the current plan itheres still a ton of locals complaining about trees losses.

And if Roxbury residents want street trees, maybe Roxbury residents should ask for street trees? It's free? You just have to submit an online form and the city will come put them in front of your house within 6 months. Form has to be submitted by the resident so I mean it's really on them isn't it?

https://www.boston.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/how-get-tree-planted-city-land

Don't get me wrong, Roxbury has suffered from years of under investment, and racism is 100% one of the reasons why. I just don't personally believe the delays on Melnea Cass are racism as much as they are standard Massachusetts bureaucracy, a touch of NIMBYism, and a whole hell of a lot of coordination with the variety of stakeholders along the ROW and the variety of landowners who own various parts of the ROW.
 
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HelloBostonHi said:
Here are some photos of the trail in 2008.
IMG_7636.JPG
IMG_7629.JPG


Certainly not perfect but far from what you describe it as.

Second, the Southwest Corridor is owned and maintained by Massachusetts DCR, and while I can't honestly tell who's job Melnea Cass is to maintain, it's definitely not Mass DCR, looking at tax records it appears to be the City of Boston. You can't compare the fact that one agency does a better job of maintaining it's land than another and somehow call that racism, I call that differences in public agencies. The same way Massport does a far better job of basic maintenance than the MBTA does.

And if Roxbury residents want street trees, maybe Roxbury residents should ask for street trees? It's free? You just have to submit an online form and the city will come put them in front of your house within 6 months. Form has to be submitted by the resident so I mean it's really on them isn't it?

https://www.boston.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/how-get-tree-planted-city-land
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Have you ever actually set foot here? Just curious. You showed two pictures. I clearly recall the condition and I stand by my memory. As I said, I have ridden along this route regularly since 2007, and have always chosen to ride on the cement sidewalk due to the buckling caused by tree roots.

And yeah, it’s so simple, just request a street tree and it gets planted! That’s all there is to it. Just like calling Boston 311 to get your pothole filled or sidewalk repaved.

The condition of infrastructure in Roxbury has always been poor relative to the rest of the city. I’m glad I was wrong about who maintained that Corridor… It only strengthens my argument. But go ahead, ignore the evidence about inequality in infrastructure maintenance because it doesn’t suit you. Turning a blind eye to embedded racism never hurt anyone...

Finally, your original argument that some horrible neighborhood zealots defeated some amazing proposal remains incorrect, for the reasons I already elaborated in my previous post.
 
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Here's the full 2008 album: http://www.masspaths.net/photos/sbht2008/

Have I ever stepped foot on Melnea Cass? Yes, I live approximately 50 feet from it and ride it daily, though only to get on Columbus, a much preferable bike route. Once/if they ever finish the rebuild then Melnea Cass will be my quickest way from work to home, but alas with the current bike conditions I prefer Columbus.

And yes, just like using Bos311, it's a fantastic app, far better than the city I lived in previously. I've submitted 14 Bos311's according to the app and 12 have been completed, still waiting on a Street lamp bulb and a sidewalk repair to get done.

And I'll say it again, I fully believe racism plays a large part in the poor state of Roxbury, I just don't think it applies to this. Anyway, I'm sure the rest of the people here are tired of this so I rest my case.
 
HelloBostonHi said:
Here's the full 2008 album: http://www.masspaths.net/photos/sbht2008/

Have I ever stepped foot on Melnea Cass? Yes, I live approximately 50 feet from it and ride it daily, though only to get on Columbus, a much preferable bike route. Once/if they ever finish the rebuild then Melnea Cass will be my quickest way from work to home, but alas with the current bike conditions I prefer Columbus.

And yes, just like using Bos311, it's a fantastic app, far better than the city I lived in previously. I've submitted 14 Bos311's according to the app and 12 have been completed, still waiting on a Street lamp bulb and a sidewalk repair to get done.
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1. Your original argument was based on fury that the neighborhood (which apparently you just moved into) defeated a proposal that was bad for commuters, the state, and the neighborhood.

2. Your second argument hinges on some accusation that the path wasn’t paved because of another’s project that post dated the shoddy conditions on MCB by many years. The bike path is and always has been unrideable. Since 2007, at least. If I say I’ve never been able to ride on it, it’s bad. I have a good bike and I hate riding on the sidewalk.

3. My experience with Boston 311 has consisted of asking the city no less than five times between 2015 and 2018 (I have the emails to prove it) to repaint a crosswalk on Lamartine Street that was erased during utility work. It has yet to be repainted, four years later. I can also directly attest to the fact that the city does not “simply come plant” street trees on request, and that’s based on my request for them to do so at a site across the street from my current residence where an existing tree was felled by a storm in early 2018. And this is not a case of sidewalk too narrow, etc. I do know of others who have had better luck with 311, but it depends on the degree of involvement by the city required to fix the problem. More importantly, it’s not simply a question of the solution for X problem, but of the wherewithal to go about getting the solution taken care of. Affluent suburbanites and the lucky privileged have the knowledge and confidence in the system to get things done that the disadvantaged do not. This is not an excuse, but it is understandable that it is indeed so and thus part of the problem.

4. The DCR facilities at Wash & MLK were completely disused and dilapidated well into the early 2000s, just post the creation of DCR. This was in direct comparison to a number of very close by DCR-run and very comparable facilities in (mostly white) West Roxbury and Hyde Park (not to mention the Southwest Corridor). Disinvestment has occurred in this neighborhood at both the state as well as city level.

5. I repeat that to attack locals who actually have valid reasons to contest a disruptive local project that realizes no significant benefits for the community in a condescending manner is egregious.

HelloBostonHi said:
And I'll say it again, I fully believe racism plays a large part in the poor state of Roxbury, I just don't think it applies to this. Anyway, I'm sure the rest of the people here are tired of this so I rest my case.
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6. Yes, having edited your original remark (which is quoted in my last post), you can now say that you’ll “say itagain”... so yeah, belatedly, a nice acknowledgement. Either way, racism certainly is not the only reason for the shitty state of that trail, but if you truly think that would fly for 12+ years in Back Bay or better yet, south Dorchester it Hyde Park, you don’t know this city.
 
Man, that might be one of the most visually unappealing presentations I've seen from a practicing Architect.
The building looks like it was designed by a zoning code algorithm.
 
Bananarama said:
Man, that might be one of the most visually unappealing presentations I've seen from a practicing Architect.
The building looks like it was designed by a zoning code algorithm.
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It's little things, like how on slides 15 and 16 the chart columns aren't justified correctly, that undermine perceptions of professionalism. To age myself and reference Peter Griffin, this might seem shallow and pedantic, but deck presentation really does factor into decisions and selections. Aesthetics are subjective, but you still need to be technically sound (i.e., properly justified chart columns).

Also, totally agreed on the the building design as it's been shown. We don't get any materials references or samplers though, so who knows.
 
The yellow and white is their response to make this more of a 'gateway'?? Like sure use cheap materials but this color combo is actually nasty.
 
The mechanisms designed to protect communities after the bulldozzing of the west end, robert moses… robert mosesing, etc have become a bloated over complex processes that hurts those it was designed to help and benefits those who need it least. The community meetings arent being attended by most of the community and are being attended by ppl and groups with special interests.

On top of that the future residents of a community, for obvious reasons that they dont live there yet, are not being considered because of the hyper localization of the process and it means their interests are being left out of the process. This could possibly be solved by zoning and development issues being a state level process vs community level process, but were far away from that happening.
 
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