Somerville Infill and Small Developments

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Washington st. Across from new t stop, oliveras. US2 in background.
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new development on Tufts st. Think it’s an affordable housing complex
 
Opened today! It’s everything I hoped it would be!

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Email from the city:
“ The new Conway Park features an array of recreational and environmental improvements that will serve the community for generations to come. The synthetic-turf field features a plant-based infill, which facilitates drainage and stays cooler than rubber. Beneath the field, a stormwater infiltration system adds 3,743 cubic feet of storage. New utilities were also installed, and retaining walls along the south and southeastern site borders were repaired. Other new amenities include scoreboards, benches, backstops, water bubblers to keep athletes hydrated, and energy-efficient lighting that will minimize spillage into nearby homes.

The park also features 64 new native trees around the perimeter, as well as native pollinator plantings, tables and seating, and permeable pavers at the splash pad to help mitigate water runoff. The existing playground was refurbished, with new elements added for younger children, and the trees in the plaza were preserved to maintain a shady seating area for visitors.”
 
16-20 Medford St will (likely) be 41 condos plus retail ground level - Boston Biz Journal.

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“Somerville’s planning board later this month will consider a proposal for a 41-unit condominium building just over half a mile from the new Union Square MBTA stop.

An affiliate of Lynnfield-based DiBiase Homes is seeking to build a four-story building at 16-20 Medford St., formerly home to a gas station and an oil company. The new construction would include about 3,500 square feet of ground-floor commercial space.”
 
Walking thru the Boynton project area and came across this modern twist on a "triple decker" on Ward Street. I looked back thru the posts to 2017, I don't believe it's a re-post. It was formally a parking lot. I like the use of corrugated metal materials, works well with the industrial feel of the neighborhood.

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I would approach one of the city councilors, who might be able to navigate which board has jurisdiction. Jake Wilson is pretty responsive.
 
RandomWalk said:
I would approach one of the city councilors, who might be able to navigate which board has jurisdiction. Jake Wilson is pretty responsive.
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Thanks for the advice.
yea, already emailed Matt McLoughlin (ward 1 councilor).
I just find it bizarre that the city would run a "future of brick bottom" event while also considering this.
They had no problem letting Herb build his van show room a few years ago.
Seems like their vision for Brickbottom and how to maximize the new T station involves self storage and commercial vans.
 
I’m going to play devil’s advocate for a second to ask - why is a transit accessible U-Haul and self-storage location a bad thing? I get that it is a low density use. I get that it’s neither homes nor many jobs per sq foot. However it does SUPPORT housing and in particular it supports dense housing. People in small apartments use these types of storage locations to store their skis, winter wardrobes, an heirloom piece of furniture, etc. If we want people to live in high density and car-free or car-light, doesn’t this business in this location support all of that? And the fact it’s six stories high mitigates it’s low density significantly.

Anecdotally, when I last rented a U-Haul truck I rented it from Central Sq even though Mystic Valley Parkway was closer as the crow flies. I could get to and from Central by T to start and end the trip.
 
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The city is also contemplating moving the DPW from Franey Rd, and Brickbottom is one of the possible landing spots.
 
fattony said:
I’m going to play devil’s advocate for a second to ask - why is a transit accessible U-Haul and self-storage location a bad thing? I get that it is a low density use. I get that it’s neither homes nor many jobs per sq foot. However it does SUPPORT housing and in particular it supports dense housing. People in small apartments use these types of storage locations to store their skis, winter wardrobes, an heirloom piece of furniture, etc. If we want people to live in high density and car-free or car-light, doesn’t this business in this location support all of that? And the fact it’s six stories high mitigates it’s low density significantly.

Anecdotally, when I last rented a U-Haul truck I rented it from Central Sq even though Mystic Valley Parkway was closer as the crow flies. I could get to and from Central by T to start and end the trip.
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It is important and useful but given it's location right outside the entrance to a T station, you have to ask, could it be better located.
No one is taking their storage stuff on the T to this place.
It will create no employment in the area
It will look ugly
It will slow any useful TOD in the area
It will increase traffic.
It will decrease footfall
It doesn't add anything to the art scene in the area
It won't benefit in any way from the lowering of McGrath
East Somerville T station already got VE'd way worse than any other GLX station, I think there's an attitude of 'screw it, it's just east somerville' and this doesn't help.
Since cobble hill got flattened, there's no reasonable convenience store in the area. Just build 5 over 1 with retail and an mix of affordable and market rate units above. It's simple.
If you own enough crap to put in storage, you own too much crap. (that last one is just a personal opinion).
 
Ruairi said:
It is important and useful but given it's location right outside the entrance to a T station, you have to ask, could it be better located.
No one is taking their storage stuff on the T to this place.
It will create no employment in the area
It will look ugly
It will slow any useful TOD in the area
It will increase traffic.
It will decrease footfall
It doesn't add anything to the art scene in the area
It won't benefit in any way from the lowering of McGrath
East Somerville T station already got VE'd way worse than any other GLX station, I think there's an attitude of 'screw it, it's just east somerville' and this doesn't help.
Since cobble hill got flattened, there's no reasonable convenience store in the area. Just build 5 over 1 with retail and an mix of affordable and market rate units above. It's simple.
If you own enough crap to put in storage, you own too much crap. (that last one is just a personal opinion).
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I recently had to move and don't own a car. The bluebike station across the street made this location a no-brainer to rent the moving truck.
For those who don't bike, they can soon take the train there.
The city is building smaller units everywhere. Older people are downsizing. They end up with an abundance of "stuff" and need to be able to put it somewhere if they want to keep it.
"Stuff" in storage like this isn't frequently accessed, but when it is, people need to be able to get there without a car. They can rent a truck downstairs when they need to move things in and out.
The take away is thank God this is a 6 story building because that means they're being efficient with their land given what they're trying to offer.
 
sm89 said:
I recently had to move and don't own a car. The bluebike station across the street made this location a no-brainer to rent the moving truck.
For those who don't bike, they can soon take the train there.
The city is building smaller units everywhere. Older people are downsizing. They end up with an abundance of "stuff" and need to be able to put it somewhere if they want to keep it.
"Stuff" in storage like this isn't frequently accessed, but when it is, people need to be able to get there without a car. They can rent a truck downstairs when they need to move things in and out.
The take away is thank God this is a 6 story building because that means they're being efficient with their land given what they're trying to offer.
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You honestly believe this is good use of a site 20ft from an urban t station? There’s already one at assembly 5 mins walk from the t.
 
A U-Haul facility, or for that matter even a gas station, doesn't need to be stand-alone low density. It can be integrated into a mid-rise development of commercial/residential/office, such as in Cambridge.
 
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