South Boston Infill and Small Developments

^honestly that is one of the weirdest and worst designs I've seen.
 
At least it's not the standard South Boston first floor brick bunker style.
 
Gooogle maps indicates they lept the brick on granite ground floor, converted the ground floor to garage, and built on top. Previous use????

Streetview is of two different years, one angle is pre-construction, second is the start of construction.
 
stellarfun said:
Gooogle maps indicates they lept the brick on granite ground floor, converted the ground floor to garage, and built on top. Previous use????

Streetview is of two different years, one angle is pre-construction, second is the start of construction.
Click to expand...

This was a church, wasn't it?
 
BeeLine said:
Looks like it was a trade School.
Wood-working room, Dahlgren Hall, South Boston.
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This BRA document indicates the immediate prior use was five residences; from streetview, hard to determine how they would have met code.

http://www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org/getattachment/f817dce8-c5ee-4f2f-a410-d2a922ab4b4c

Unfortunately, exhibit 3 which compares the original full height exterior with the proposed 'replacement' is not attached ^^^^

The design concept rendering in the BRA Small Project Review application is emblematic of how architects/developers can subsequently convert something with nice historical cues into a piece of crap.
 
Up early this AM caught the replay of NECN New England Business interview with Mayor Walsh

He reiterated his commitment to 30,000+ new housing units by 2030 -- 15 years
That means 2,000+ new units per year

New Housing to be divided among: low income; young workers and families [$50k - 100 k income range] and the lux + colleges and universities building about 5,000 + new dorm rooms taking the students out of the regular housing

MW made comments on where as well

Some would go into new development areas --- but most of the new units would have to go into existing neighborhoods

MW expressed strong support for infill in existing neighborhoods such as the above -- in Southy -- with agreement with the neighbors to allow the developer build somewhat bigger structures than the existing stock especially at major intersections and the bigger streets
 
whighlander said:
Up early this AM caught the replay of NECN New England Business interview with Mayor Walsh

He reiterated his commitment to 30,000+ new housing units by 2030 -- 15 years
That means 2,000+ new units per year

New Housing to be divided among: low income; young workers and families [$50k - 100 k income range] and the lux + colleges and universities building about 5,000 + new dorm rooms taking the students out of the regular housing

MW made comments on where as well

Some would go into new development areas --- but most of the new units would have to go into existing neighborhoods

MW expressed strong support for infill in existing neighborhoods such as the above -- in Southy -- with agreement with the neighbors to allow the developer build somewhat bigger structures than the existing stock especially at major intersections and the bigger streets
Click to expand...

This is really critical to prevent economic stagnation in Boston.

Also, that is a really nice set of in-fill projects in Southie (Beeline, thanks for all the photos!).
Most are pretty decent -- and it is a lot of projects.
 
JeffDowntown said:
This is really critical to prevent economic stagnation in Boston.

Also, that is a really nice set of in-fill projects in Southie (Beeline, thanks for all the photos!).
Most are pretty decent -- and it is a lot of projects.
Click to expand...

Mayor Walsh did say that submissions to the BRA and approvals are both up about 30% from the last Menino full year -- where quite a few were rushed through

Thus I think we will continue to see a stream of these particularly in Southy where at least on the edges, the small warehouses and small industrials are giving way to residences

By the way if the average project has 5 or so units -- that means something close to 400 projects need to be permitted and completed per year to make the goal of 2030 -- of course a couple of One Greenways a year or such would make a big dent in the needed housing for others than the Lux buyers
 
I was in town for the holiday (Thanksgiving) and I haven't been home for a year. So I visited the Seaport and almost none of that was there a year ago, it was startling, even though I knew about all the construction. It's a little stubby, which is disappointing, but also can't be helped due to the location/FAA. And to digress, there are more and more developments in Southie every time I'm back. Up along 1st and 2nd it was practically every block. And the development along D Street is pretty nice too, walkable, with small businesses and commerce activating it. AND connecting Southie, making actual fluid connections between neighborhoods. Gentrification has happened and we're living with it. So in that case, I'm gonna say I love this kind of urban development and growth. Most of the architecture is actually pretty cool and decent, and fits in with the neighborhood while maintaining a modern feel. While I'm definitely into growing Boston as a big city (I was impressed by finally seeing Washington Street's transformation in person, plus the New York Streets are of the South End), I also think this kind of infill and walkable/sustainable/transit-orient/neighborhood-oriented whatever you want to call it development is going to be extremely beneficial for Boston and I'd like to see it happening like this when they want to add housing in other mostly residential Boston neighborhoods. There are lots of vacant lots scattered across this city. I think this would also be a good way to approach growth in Greater Boston as well. It adds density and just cultivates--cultural, social gathering (more people, more convivial community), business. I could see it being applied to other cities/suburbs, whether whole neighborhoods like in Southie or around transit and main routes in suburbs like Melrose, Quincy, Dedham, Salem, wherever.
 
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