Somerville Infill and Small Developments

Hi everyone, after 10+ years of lurking I finally decided to make an account, so be nice. Don’t believe I’ve seen anyone post about this development at 124 Highland Ave yet, and not sure if these plans from 2019 are still accurate, but the core has become quite noticeable from down the hill.
 

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Closest thread I could find to fit this bit of news on the Armory:
Armory Building might be seized from its owners by Somerville to preserve arts use for community

Citing the impending loss of a space relied on the arts community and its residents, the City of Somerville is looking at spending $5 million to take its armory away from the Sater family – also owners of The Middle East nightclub complex in Central Square – which has owned the structure since 2004.
 
Anyone know what’s going on here, at 7-9 Central St in Spring Hill? (Not the Cambria hotel). 7 Central was a house, 9 Central a small parking lot. I can’t find any recent demo permits or proposals.
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There is a pending building permit for a 40 unit apartment building at 9 Central St.
 
New proposal teased for 299 Broadway, i.e., the vacant Star Market lot at Broadway/Temple. Developer is Marks Development, the guys doing One Kenmore. Design team is led by Jeff Speck, aka my urban design dream boy. Plan is still sketchy but drawing inspiration from Bow Market for the retail and plaza bit. Light tan in the below is lobby. No word on height. Currently next to no parking. Does not include the corner liquor store lots. Mods: given this is also the site of an urban renewal plan just approved by the state in record time, I suggest a new thread for this parcel.
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Mark Development hasn't failed in designing a good urban project, IMO. This has some promising elements to it based on that plan alone. Is that a standalone residential building on Sewall that's part of the project?

This is also promising for One Kenmore that they're moving forward with other projects.
 
I dug around for info about the giant (literal) pit in the ground at a highly central location on 1154 Broadway (in Teele Sq):

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.403...4!1sazV2_8ZcgOIsLcc6XwT66A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

The property has looked like that since a fire decimated the previous mixed-use building in 2011. Plans put out in 2014 called for residential/commercial, but nothing came of it. [FWIW, see: 2014 proposal ]

Evidently, in the last couple of weeks construction has begun on a 6 floor hotel. I haven't driven by to confirm the progress stated at this website, but here are the plans (which look really good, in my highly non-esteemed opinion):

https://www.teelesqhotels.com/

I've emailed the contact address to confirm that construction has indeed commenced, and will try to drive by next week if I don't hear back.
 
I drove by a few days ago and didn't notice anything that was apparent it had started yet
 
stefal said:
Is that a standalone residential building on Sewall that's part of the project?
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Yes. I believe that lot is also within scope for UR. I came into the meeting near the tail end so did not get the full summary of details on things like underground parking and how all these little paths interconnect. The principals were very smart to say they wanted each building to look architecturally distinct but "not like Disney." Even smarter, they did not give an example of a modern project that was a good example of this sort of thing. I.e., they didn't say "we like what's happening in Assembly and we're going to do that."

They have 90 days to decide whether to proceed. UR is on hold until they decide what to do. No one involved has reached out to the corner buildings to see if they now want to sell. It would all be a single transaction, which would be good. The previous attempt to have a private redevelopment in this space fell apart when the corner lots refused to sell.

EDIT: One other promising nugget... developers are already in contact with Walgreens about a relocation up the hill at 343 Broadway, which is the former Walgreens location prior to the merger with Rite Aid.
 
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Some nice progress on Peter Quinn’s new Somerville Ave condos. I like the improvements with this compared to his previous/neighboring condos - bigger windows, vibrant colors.
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^--- Is that a Mini? I really can't tell from the make logo on the hood. I think I see wings, but...
 
RandomWalk said:
Somerville’s permits are searchable at their CitzenServe portal
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Thinking more about this 40-unit building permit…how has there not been any public review process, or is that to come later? Seems strange that the demo work - and what appears to be drainage prep/excavation - has already started without any neighborhood design review. I recall from the Cambria Hotel project months and months (and years of developer proposals) of public debate around parking and traffic flow impacts on the neighborhood. And now this 40-unit building doesn’t have any plans available for review? Surely they must be seeking variances…?
 
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