Union Square Somerville Infill and Small Developments

[BostonObserver]

yikes! i've often wondered -- having lived in both cambridge and somerville -- why "da ville" is so lacking in exactly these types of buildings, while cambridge is (relatively speaking) lousy with them.

i guess it's not just the west end in boston that got unceremoniously levelled. i'll dig around later, but since you (dr. rosen rosen) posted the pix and seem to be at least aware of what *was* in union square, do you have any notion as to why seemingly upwards of 85% of a once-impressive and lovely urban center was destroyed so?

Many buildings had their unrentable upper floors removed after the great depression to lower their tax bill. The Blackstone Block is full of these

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

Framing going up at Hawkins/Lake apartments.

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

Looks like brick (finally) going up behind that scaffold/screen.

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

Real brick?! Some good finishes going in, better than most anyways.

 

[Charlie_mta]

Real brick?! Some good finishes going in, better than most anyways.

It could be brick panels with serrated vertical edges (instead of straight vertical edges). In any case, they look like real brick, and probably are.

 

[Camberville]

Does anyone know what's going in the block at approx. 64 Webster? (across from Webster Auto Body.)

 

[areiss]

Does anyone know what's going in the block at approx. 64 Webster? (across from Webster Auto Body.)

Boynton Gateway | 495 Columbia Street | Somerville

Per B&T, this is headed to the City of Somerville formally in short order: https://www.thesomervilletimes.com/archives/104278 I'm interested to see this all go at once, because if South St. is to be extended to Webster (as it freaking should be) it would punch right through that parking garage.

archboston.com

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

I was wondering who this driveway belonged to. Looking like the ThunderRoad condos will fill up the entire width between the two neighboring buildings.

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

Lake St condos - with classic overhead Somerville wires.

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

Some nice union square aerials. Ripped these photos off someone’s Zillow listing! (Hence the red arrow).

 

[RandomWalk]

That Eversource substation off Bow, in the lower right corner of the second photo, is sucking up a substantial site. That makes two sites in Union Square where Eversource is in the way.

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

Quick poll: is 518-24 Somerville Ave in Union Sq? (Current site of China Delight) Apparently, according to UDC filing, it’s part of the Union Sq Neighborhood Plan. I would have said it’s in Spring Hill. Regardless, looks like the Cannabis retail store - Boston Garden - is getting approved, with a good thorough list of conditions:

 

[RandomWalk]

I consider Somerville Ave to be its own entity.

Also, are retail dispensaries really supposed to be appointment-only?

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

I consider Somerville Ave to be its own entity.

Also, are retail dispensaries really supposed to be appointment-only?

By default I don’t think they are appt only, but I think many start out that way.

 

[erom]

I think most people call that area Somerville Ave and leave it at that, but I've also seen it called Conway (which I still think is the perfect name for the future T stop when they someday do green-to-porter).

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

One of the Sq’s little gems is getting new digs soon (right next door to its current spot).

 

[Badusername]

One of the Sq’s little gems is getting new digs soon (right next door to its current spot).

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I heard from an employee that after the move they are turning their old place into a wine bar, very excited.

 

[DZH22]

6/18 From Prospect Hill

IMG_2083 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_2084 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_2085 by David Z, on Flickr

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

Third level going up at Lake and Hawkins. This building will make an interesting and prominent ‘interior’ corner in Union Sq.

 

[Dr. Rosen Rosen]

Looks like they’ll start putting bricks up soon at Bow Market’s big new neighbor.

I’m also happy to see that someone else didn’t appreciate that triangular wall thing sticking up from the front facade roof - by the roof deck railing. Looks gone now.

before:

after: