Suffolk Downs Redevelopment | East Boston/Revere
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kingofsheeba
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He’s not being unfair. I have issues with the development itself from the planning and development to the renders, and the neighbors have legitimate concerns. Not every neighbor is trying to stand in the way of fun time for us development nerds. They need to go back to the drawing board.
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I guess the silver lining if Bernie wins is that the Republicans will still control the Senate and he won't get to pass his more progressive agendas.
In your opinion what are these legitimate concerns? I'm asking because going back to the drawing board is code for massive delays and nothing gets built, so what exactly is so flawed with the project as to need that drastic remedy?
kingofsheeba
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Seeing that I don’t live in East Boston, I don’t know. You’d have to ask the residents. 95% of the time, I’m anti-NIMBY. This is not one of those times.
Equilibria
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But then why are you not anti-NIMBY in this case? What of their concerns convinced you?
Massachoicetts
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I have a feeling Suffolk Downs will drastically increase the prices in Eastie which will drive out the population there. Gentrification at it's finest. Thats what Bernie means.
Equilibria
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That will happen regardless. I didn't like the Amazon version of this project because I thought it would create new demand for people to live in Eastie without providing enough housing, forcing the employees into the neighborhood. This project provides lots of its own housing.
HYM can't prevent rents from going up in Eastie, but it can build more housing stock for the new tech workers paying those higher rents.
Massachoicetts
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Good thought on that. I didnt like Amazon there either. I would just rather see atleast 10,000 units with at least 2,500 deemed affordable. Construction/groundwork started here correct?
whighlander
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Equilibria --this is a new Neighborhood -- call it Suffolk -- its not the traditional Eastie nor is it the Tiffany Revere Coast
Lacking the High End jobs associated with Amazon II -- there is nothing in particular to drive high rents. Amazon is taking over the old NECCO Candy factory to be a local distribution warehouse. That' 90% Blue Collar jobs in the warehouse and driving around a fleet of Prime Trucks delivering groceries to the Kendall Sq. and Seaport crowd.
Perhaps there will be a few hundred thousand sq. ft. of office space due to the proximity to Logan. But otherwise I see this entire project as low to med Middle Class housing for the region. Anyone who is a NIMBY and purports to be for "affordable housing" is a Hypocrite!!
whighlander
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Massachoisetts -- No nothing of any significance has started. The developer is still renting out the old Suffolk Downs grounds for events all summer
Personally, my distaste for the current proposal is so abject that I don't really care what banner is flown towards the idea that this thing needs to go.
My other is from Eastie, and we go there from time to time. I hear her describe how "it was", and it was all about backyards (like who had one), the corner store, families. Working families. The general complaint there is not a NIMBY complaint as much as it is a final breaking point for these families, because that part of Eastie is being forced even closer to the margin. As proposed, this thing is the nail in the coffin. I do not think a single other community of similar size anywhere in the Commonwealth would tolerate anything like this, nor should they have to.
This should be a high density residential neighborhood. West of Beachmont station should be grided immediately.
My other is from Eastie, and we go there from time to time. I hear her describe how "it was", and it was all about backyards (like who had one), the corner store, families. Working families. The general complaint there is not a NIMBY complaint as much as it is a final breaking point for these families, because that part of Eastie is being forced even closer to the margin. As proposed, this thing is the nail in the coffin. I do not think a single other community of similar size anywhere in the Commonwealth would tolerate anything like this, nor should they have to.
This should be a high density residential neighborhood. West of Beachmont station should be grided immediately.
I'm not sure the standard for developing a defunct horse racing track should be that it turns back the clock 40 years.
Nobody gets to live in the place they grew up in unless they purchase a home which gives them the right to stay put. Nothing against you personally but it drives me nuts when NIMBY'ism is the result of people wishing the past was still the present.Also, when I say high density, what's the FAA's take on the area. If I just concede on the "equity" rant, could you put 8 or 10 300 footers within a 10 min walk from Beachmont? Could you actually create an East Boston Centre?
I truly hope that the idea that "neighborhoods" are where family's live does not pin me as nostalgic. This is an office park on steroids, with housing to help feed the mill.I'm not sure the standard for developing a defunct horse racing track should be that it turns back the clock 40 years.
whighlander
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Cortes -- no you can't put up 10 300 footers. You can find places on the Suffolk Downs property where you can go to 200 ft. However, there is absolutely no reason to do so for residences. All the rest of East Boston and all of Revere and Winthrop except on the shoreline is 4 or 5 stories or less. Note -- so is much of the Back Bay.
Suffolk should be a dense neighborhood composed of mostly 4 story [no elevator] to 8 story [w elevator] residences, some local retail and a few office structures. No one is likely to build Kendall Sq. labs or Corporate Campii. This is just a bunch of streets with residences sitting on two Blue Line stations, near CR and a major international airport.
KentXie
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The legitimate concerns are outlined in this article.
Bernie Sanders weighed in on a debate over Suffolk Downs. Here's why he received a mixed response.
Sen. Bernie Sanders is speaking out against the Suffolk Downs redevelopment project — and receiving a mixed response from local officials. As his 2020 presidential campaign dials in on Massachusetts […]
www.boston.com
And I'm going to have to agree with him. The term "affordable" is very loose. Yes its affordable to some, those that make 75% of Boston's median income. However, current residents of East Boston, especially those who are minorities and make up the largest portion of current residents make an annual income typically 30-40% of Boston's median income.
It's clear that this development serves to benefit only newcomers but does not convey any benefits to the existing resident and that in itself is a legitimate concern.