South Boston Infill and Small Developments

[BeeLine]

As of 12/24/23. Walking east from Broadway T station. Generally along W/E Broadway.

 

[BeeLine]

Cont. 12/24/23

 

[stick n move]

Thats annoying that unless I’m missing it, it doesnt say anywhere on that big sign what is the address of the project. Does anybody know?

 

[Suffolk 83]

Thats annoying that unless I’m missing it, it doesnt say anywhere on that big sign what is the address of the project. Does anybody know?

Almost positive its the fallow project on E 1st/E 2nd and H

 

[stick n move]

Almost positive its the fallow project on E 1st/E 2nd and H

Thanks, that helped me find it. 2 H st.

http://www.bostonplans.org/projects/development-projects/2-h-street

 

[stick n move]

43 Preble Street​

“The proposed project consists of 31 new residential homeownership units with 5 affordable units and approximately 759 square feet of ground floor commercial space.”

https://www.bostonplans.org/projects/development-projects/43-preble-street

 

[Justbuildit]

Well, the public comments are out for the 43 Preble St proposal and boy howdy. I honestly don't know why I do this to myself, it's a house of pain at every turn (underlined emphasis mine). There also seems to be a nice little script that a bunch of neighbors copied and pasted for some of their objections:

2024-02-23_Public Comments_43 Preble Street.pdf | Powered by Box

bpda.app.box.com

PARKING?? where is it? This project has over 31 units that are mostly 2 bedroom units with only enough parking for 17 units. OPPOSE!!! Where
do you think the other units are going to park? And if it's mostly 2 bedroom most of those folks will own 2 cars!! Even if this had a parking spot for
each unit it still wouldn't be enough parking. What are you guys doing to this city?? We need a project approved for parking garages NOT more
condos with not enough parking! OPPOSE! OPPOSE! OPPOSE!!! Add more parking to this project!!! Or cut down to 1 bedroom units.

This development is far too large for this location. The 5 stories will tower over neighboring homes which are 2-3 stories, especially given both
Wendeller St and Rogers St are very narrow streets. The height of the project should be significantly reduced and a shadow study should be
conducted to ensure natural light flow into neighboring homes is not significantly impacted

This imposing scale disrupts the visual harmony of our community, casting long shadows and creating a sense of enclosure that will negatively impact the quality of life for
residents. This is amplified by the fact that the developer is seeking variances from rear and side yard setbacks that don?t even meet 40% of
what is required. Additionally, the proposal to add just 17 parking spaces for a 31-unit development would present further difficulties for
residents in an area that is already starved of sufficient parking. This is 14 spaces less than what is required by law



As a reminder, this is the current condition of the proposed site. Yes, that's a repair shop and a giant billboard, pristine and full of natural light like god intended when he built Southie:

Upzone, upzone, upzone. Don't make developers beg for variances and give leverage over to people who hate anything and everything that might change in their neighborhood.

 

[stick n move]

Theres almost a mass hysteria in this country with people and development, its so weird.

 

[Beantropolis]

Theres almost a mass hysteria in this country with people and development, its so weird.

I think it's pretty understandable. Since WWII, architecture in America has become increasingly ugly and bereft of any art or humanity. Likewise for our urban planning. It's only natural that people are now instinctually weary of development, especially large-scale development.

 

[Justbuildit]

Nah I honestly think 90% of urban zoning politics is people scared they’re going lose their abundant free parking. It’s a subsidy that has clearly been a mistake for post war urbanism. It’s not like legacy Southie architecture is uniformly beautiful and is being replaced by 5 over 1s. This proposal looks good!

 

[JoshuaDavid]

Not sure where to put this. They're restoring the Dorchester Heights Monument and it looks like the public will finally be allowed up there when it's completed. The view from the hill itself is already incredible, but fractured by a building in the way so that you have to walk to one side to see downtown and the other to see Back Bay. The tower view should be able to see over that building in a single cohesive skyline view. This will be on the shortlist for best skyline view of the city from anywhere, maybe even number 1.

Dorchester Heights Monument in Boston National Historical Park to be Restored through GAOA Funding (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov

I am so eager for this to finish but IIRC it's going to be a lengthy project. I live a block away from Thomas Park, my wife and I have been missing sitting up there and watching sunsets.

This is a much needed restoration for such an important place. Will be nice to see it used as more than a glorified dog park with death trap stairs.

 

[DwnTwnr]

Nah I honestly think 90% of urban zoning politics is people scared they’re going lose their abundant free parking. It’s a subsidy that has clearly been a mistake for post war urbanism. It’s not like legacy Southie architecture is uniformly beautiful and is being replaced by 5 over 1s. This proposal looks good!

And the cost of schools! It doesn't come up much in the press or here, but many communities (Boston is a real outlier on this) don't want more resi because that means more school age children, which costs more to tax payers. This is especially true in suburbs with really good school systems

 

[Justbuildit]

I would simply grind the children into fertilizer to nourish the 1 acre of lawn out front of each house (minimum lot size, of course). Imagine thinking development is bad because it will mean a broader tax base to fund your excellent suburban schools.

 

[stick n move]

If people are super worried about the schools filling up instead of blocking all housing they could just recommend building more 1 bedroom apartments. Theres not enough of them anyways and you can add a lot of housing without burdening the school system by just adjusting the number of rooms. Instead though people just say no to any of it.

 

[Arenacale]

Douglas St.

 

[stick n move]

Board rejects plans to expand 2-family house to 5 condos in South Boston​

By adamg on Tue, 04/09/2024 - 12:07pm

“The Zoning Board of Appeal today rejected plans to expand a two-family house at 847 East 5th St. into a five-unit condo building, saying it was completely out of character with the triple deckers on the rest of the block and had too much parking.
As it did with a smaller redevelopment proposal for the site in 2020, the board rejected the plans without prejudice, which means developer James McClure can come back with revised plans in less than a year.
Board member Hansy Better Barraza said she had no problems with putting five units on the site, but said the way the proposed building was "massed" was not in character with the surrounding neighborhood. "It's a very kind of suburban typology to bring here," she said.
Board member Katie Whewell objected to the seven parking spaces, to be arranged mostly under the building, and the loss of open space on the lot.”

“Direct neighbors, the City Point Neighborhood Association and City Councilor Ed Flynn questioned whether there was enough room for the drivers of parked cars to maneuver to get out of the spaces without causing a menace to pedestrians and children playing nearby, said the building would create a wall right at the property line that would deprive neighbors on both sides of sunlight and fresh air.
"All of our sunlight comes through windows" that would be completely blocked by the new building, one neighbor said.
McClure's attorney, Kevin Cloutier, said BTD raised no objections to the planned parking and said there was enough room that drivers could make a three-point turn and leave the building head on, rather than in reverse. He said McClure specifically put in seven spaces to stave off any concerns from the neighborhood about the proposal causing parking problems on the street.”

https://www.universalhub.com/2024/board-rejects-plans-expand-2-family-house-5-condos

 

[Vivanna]

You couldn't make this shit up... in a city in desperate need of housing!

 

[stick n move]

Trimount Place Update 04/15/24​

​

Condos Approved for Under Construction Southie Project​

“A notice of project change has been approved for the mixed-use building under construction at 267 Old Colony Avenue. The 55 residential units in the project will now be condos instead of apartments. The new building will also include 8,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space.”

https://www.bldup.com/posts/condos-approved-for-under-construction-southie-project

 

[Arenacale]

West Broadway and L St.

 

[Arenacale]

Marion Manor to close: https://www.dotnews.com/2024/south-bostons-marian-manor-close-summer

An incredibly big loss to the community from a care standpoint, but also a big opportunity for the land the building sits on.