South Boston Infill and Small Developments

Thanks, BeeLine. That's some serious housing in the area and hope it continues.
 
It takes a Village to raise a neighborhood
By:
Paul Restuccia


The district around the Broadway T station in Southie,* once home to Whitey* Bulger’s Triple O’s, used to be called the Lower End and more recently was considered part of the neighborhood’s expansive West Side.

But the triangle along Dorchester Avenue and West Broadway up to A Street has undergone massive changes in the past decade and now a new name for the mini-district is gaining traction — Broadway Village.

If it sounds pretentious, it’s not intended to be. Twelve years ago this area between the Broadway and Fourth Street bridges was primarily an industrial district. Bordered by Gillette on one side, nearby was the empty Court Square Press printing plant, a shuttered Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church and the closed Cardinal Cushing High School, mixed in with local hangouts such as the Cornerstone, Mul’s Diner, Amrheins and the Quiet Man Pub. But there were also ramshackle auto garages, gas stations and empty lots.

Now there are hundreds of high-end condos — including those at the rehabbed church and printing press — and several new luxury apartment complexes. There’s a Franklin Cafe, a Stephi’s restaurant and, yes, a Starbucks. A plan for an upscale 14-story boutique hotel has been OK’d, on the site of a former gas station, a 160-unit residential project at A and West Third Streets in on the table, and there’s rumors that the Cornerstone site may soon host more upscale housing.

Whoever came up with the Broadway Village name hasn’t come forward. It was one of a number of suggestions sent to an email address on a billboard atop the now-demolished Quiet Man Pub that said “This corner needs a name.”

“The area has changed so much” said Southie resident Dom Lange who put up the sign, and has sold real estate here for 12 years. “It deserved a new name.”

Broadway Village was chosen by more than 50 percent of some 200 people who voted on a new neighborhood name on a subsequent online poll.

“I would have preferred something edgier, but I like Broadway Village,” said Bill Gleason, president of the West Broadway Neighborhood Association, who bought a condo here 12 years ago. “Everything we’ve done here has been about making this area feel more like a residential village.”

Gleason said truckers used to come over the bridges and dump trash and empty ashtrays in the streets.

“It’s been about changing the mindset of what this area is now,” Gleason added. “The name seems to be sticking.”

But not everyone likes it. John Libonati, co-owner of Social Wines, an upscale liquor store that opened in the area several years ago, isn’t having it.

“I don’t like the name Broadway Village. It makes the area feel small,” said Libonati, who said he’d prefer the acronym WEBR for West Broadway. “But I don’t think this area needs to be renamed. It’s South Boston, that’s what I tell my cus*tomers.”

Michael LeBlanc, an architect designing a high-end rental project at 22-26 West Broadway, uses the moniker, while acknowledging that rebranding efforts usually come from realtors trying to add value.

“But it can be a healthy way for people to ID their neighborhood and capture the spirit of a place” LeBlanc said.

He added that sometimes neighborhood names change because people want to forget. The Lower End calls up the era of Bulger and of a ramshackle district where residents were lower on the economic and social scale.

The area’s new residents are more affluent and Whitey’s old haunt at 28-30 West Broadway is on the market for $3.9 million.

“I hear more people using the name,” said Lange, who named his new brokerage Broadway Village Real Estate. “We’re not trying to impose it on people. If it sticks it’s because the residents like it and that’s good. If it doesn’t, well that’s OK too.”
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http://bostonherald.com/business/real_estate/2014/01/it_takes_a_village_to_raise_a_neighborhood
 
Ha! The neighborhood didn't deserve a new name. I've never driven through there and been confused by where I was or how to direct someone to the BROADWAY T STATION!

This is a marketing gimmick organized by Broadway Village Real Estate. Fortunately no one is stupid enough to fall for this crap.

50% of what voters? Did they survey their real estate customers? I never saw a survey, besides the one on CaughtInSouthie.com where 84% of the voters do not like the name.
 
James Collins Mansion project progresses

By Patrick D. Rosso, Boston.com Staff

Plans to renovate and add additions to the East Broadway property known as the James Collins Mansion were approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals Tuesday morning.

The project, proposed by Rocco Skippa, calls for the renovation of the existing 8,690-square-foot structure at 928 East Broadway and the construction of two four-story wings, which will be attached to the main structure.

Once completed, the approximately 15,625-square-foot parcel will contain nine three-bedroom condo units and 18 parking spaces. Twelve of the parking spaces will be located underneath the structure with access from P Street. The six other spaces are proposed to be located at the front of the property.

The site has been a source of contention. Residents have advocated for preserving the building, constructed in the 1860s, because they believe it has historical value and played a role in defining the neighborhood as it transitioned from an industrial area to a residential district.

Neighbors have also said the project is too dense and too tall for the immediate neighborhood.

Appearing before the board for relief from a number of zoning variances, including excessive height and insufficient setbacks, developers of the project received some support from elected officials at Tuesday’s hearing.

The Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services, the office of City Councilor Bill Linehan, and the office of Senator Linda Dorcena Forry all said they support the project, as long as plans go through the Boston Landmarks Commission's design-review process.

State Representative Nick Collins, who also attended Tuesday’s hearing, called for a delay on the decision.

Although the project already went through a lengthy review by the Landmarks Commission, the developer has agreed to work with the commission to ensure any alterations are consist with the existing building and do not detract from it.

At least six residents and a representative from the office of at-Large City Councilor Michael Flaherty, turned out to oppose the project.

“I object to the increase in height,” explained Jim Johnston, an area resident. “All the other houses are three stories; the density is also excessive.”

“The parcel has great historical value and the current design does not reflect that,” said James Diperri, an area resident. “This particular plan is a regression from what was already proposed.”

Prior to the project coming before the board, a number of community meetings were held and the project was altered. Skippa had first proposed to demolish the home, but after working with the neighborhood, proposed a project that would save the existing structure.

The project, pending review by the Boston Landmarks Commission and the Boston Redevelopment Authority, could get underway in as little as six months, according to Skippa.
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http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news...james_collins_mansion_project_progresses.html
 
Nine condo units? Yes, dense! Very, very dense!

Having said that, I don't know the area. Is this development seriously bad for the neighborhood because of 'density' and height?
 
atlantaden said:
Nine condo units? Yes, dense! Very, very dense!

Having said that, I don't know the area. Is this development seriously bad for the neighborhood because of 'density' and height?
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I'm of two minds on this one. I'm almost always a proponent of adding density where possible but this particular plot of land is one of the few left in Southie that speaks to a feeling of the historical and a sense of a lost landscape of openness. One gets the sense of what was there before the area was entirely built up.
 
Did a little (Southie) walk about Thursday. I wish they could move it to the front of the lot and build onto the back not the sides.

IMG_6172
 
BeeLine, real nice pictorial tour, thanks! South Boston is kicking some serious ass when it comes to new housing! Very impressive.
 
Beeline, thank you so much for the picture tours you do. Without saying a word, they are exceptionally informative.
 
Imagine if some of the other neighborhoods were this active.
 
Mixed-use project proposed for East Broadway in South Boston

By Patrick D. Rosso, Boston.com Staff

The developers behind a five-story mixed use development proposed for East Broadway will be in front of the South Boston community Wednesday night to go over the project’s plans.

A public meeting, sponsored by the Boston Redevelopment Authority, will be held Feb. 19 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Tynan Community Center, 650 E 4th St.

Proposed by the Empire Realty Trust, plans call for the construction of a four-story building on top of an existing parking garage at 728 East Broadway. The top floor would be set back from the roof line, according to project drawings.

The building is proposed to house three ground floor commercial units, as well as 25 residential units, which would be located on the top four floors. Forty-six parking spaces, which are proposed to be split between at-grade spaces and double height lifts, are included in the project. The parking would be accessed from East Third Street.

The footprint of the existing building would not be altered for the project.

In addition to needing the approval of the BRA, the project will need the OK of the Zoning Board of Appeals for a number of zoning variances including insufficient off-street parking, excessive height, and an excessive floor area ratio.
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Renders included in article

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/south_boston/2014/02/_image_courtesy_neshamkin_french.html
 
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