Union Square Somerville Infill and Small Developments

The frankencube in the South End ruins the lines of the building, and the modern interacts awfully with the older pieces.

The Union Square one started from a pre-butchered carcass. The photo shows the awkwardness of the rooflines and the old stone walls. The massing pulls back oddly from the sides of the lot, while pushing a Potemkin wall up against the sidewalk.
 
Dr. Rosen Rosen said:
I’m not sure who designed these new traffic lanes…but I’m pretty sure they don’t drive, or walk, or bike around here! Do they really think that drivers won’t cross those double lines when traffic backs up? What’s all that empty space in between those double lines for anyways??
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I suppose color or flex posts could be added here but it boggles my mind that so much time and money could be spent on the drainage and resurfacing project here and there is still a massive asphalt apron in the middle of Union. I ate at El Poitro last night and watched as people with strollers tried to navigate tree stumps, cracked pavements and about 2 ft width in some places then there's a home depot sized parking lot of asphalt to the other side of the street.
I'm sure there's some other new "reimagining the square" BS where the community is asked for input and they'll do it all again in 2028.
It just shows a complete lack of joined up thinking and it's very frustrating.
 
RandomWalk said:
The frankencube in the South End ruins the lines of the building, and the modern interacts awfully with the older pieces.

The Union Square one started from a pre-butchered carcass. The photo shows the awkwardness of the rooflines and the old stone walls. The massing pulls back oddly from the sides of the lot, while pushing a Potemkin wall up against the sidewalk.
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The point of an "H" shape is for the units in the interior of the block to have light and air...
 
Ruairi said:
I suppose color or flex posts could be added here but it boggles my mind that so much time and money could be spent on the drainage and resurfacing project here and there is still a massive asphalt apron in the middle of Union. I ate at El Poitro last night and watched as people with strollers tried to navigate tree stumps, cracked pavements and about 2 ft width in some places then there's a home depot sized parking lot of asphalt to the other side of the street.
I'm sure there's some other new "reimagining the square" BS where the community is asked for input and they'll do it all again in 2028.
It just shows a complete lack of joined up thinking and it's very frustrating.
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I couldn’t agree with you more! You could land an airplane on that tarmac. And yes, some of those sidewalk pinch points are indeed 2ft wide. I mean, if I were motivated I’d demand an accessibility study from the city.
 
RandomWalk said:
The frankencube in the South End ruins the lines of the building, and the modern interacts awfully with the older pieces.

The Union Square one started from a pre-butchered carcass. The photo shows the awkwardness of the rooflines and the old stone walls. The massing pulls back oddly from the sides of the lot, while pushing a Potemkin wall up against the sidewalk.
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Yeah, for now it might look strange…but when the single story Liberty cannabis building gets razed and a new 6 story development is erected, you won’t see the odd massings and the pulled back sides will be a feature (mini decks and good sumlight) for the residents. As Doc Brown says, you gotta think 4th dimensionally. :)
 
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One of my favorite renovation projects in the area - Hub Comics! Great colors, quality materials, big windows.
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I fully understand that one has near zero control over what happens on the other side of the property lines. I take issue with the lazy attempts to reuse and integrate the remnants of the church, which some prior owner had butchered. Instead, they should tear them down and start with a fresh structure.
 
You ain't a beauty but hey you're alright... and that's alright with me.
 
sm89 said:
It takes many days to install roadway markings/controls. I would hold off passing judgement on the design until it is fully installed.
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I stand corrected -physical barriers for the bike lane will do the trick. I do wonder now what’s going to happen to the right of the bike lane. It used to be a parking/unloading zone, but now the barriers completely block access. Perhaps they’ll finally widen the sidewalk?!

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Dr. Rosen Rosen said:
I stand corrected -physical barriers for the bike lane will do the trick. I do wonder now what’s going to happen to the right of the bike lane. It used to be a parking/unloading zone, but now the barriers completely block access. Perhaps they’ll finally widen the sidewalk?!

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This whole set up makes no sense to me. Like, who sat down and thought “what if we do it this way”
 
Who needs gas when you can more easily bike around Somerville? Has anyone seen any permits or otherwise know for what’s next for 16 Medford St?

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Ruairi said:
This whole set up makes no sense to me. Like, who sat down and thought “what if we do it this way”
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There's definitely no way to keep the traffic calm without the design that they have today. Nearly 4 lanes there where there used to be basically about 6 lanes.
 
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