West Cambridge / Alewife Area Infill & Small Developments

It’s right across the street from where Patrick Barrett wanted his spot zoning for more of those spendy buggers.
 
RandomWalk said:
It’s right across the street from where Patrick Barrett wanted his spot zoning for more of those spendy buggers.
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I grew up about 3 blocks from there, and this development certainly highlights the housing cost crisis. I remember when I was in 8th grade in 1963, a friend of my dad's bought a house for his family on Rindge Ave for $10,000. A well maintained 3 bedroom house with a dining room, nice backyard, etc. It's crazy.
 
RandomWalk said:
It’s right across the street from where Patrick Barrett wanted his spot zoning for more of those spendy buggers.
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He got it; since it's not even been brought to planning board I've been holding off starting a thread about it until then. that filing is expected to be in December, and the working plan is that the existing building at 2400 Mass ave will be demolished by July 24 with the last tenants moving out by June.

That said, for now I'll leave a copy of the working plans below - it's important to note it's very preliminary schematic design since they haven't filed anything yet with the city but this is what they showed us at the community meeting. (I have a neighbor that's a rabid NIMBY.) Right now, it's proposed at 60 units and underground parking. As shown It's not very attractive - it rather looks like a stack of shipping containers, and I think the tiny yards are functionally useless but I'm cautiously optimistic about the retail canyon proposal staying in and hopeful that it'll be refined before filing.

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My family and I used to live diagonally across Mass Ave from this location when I was a teenager. I don't know, I guess I'm getting old and nostalgic. The neighborhood is certainly changing dramatically. I suppose that's inevitable given its proximity to the Red Line.
 
Looking at the preliminary design, my feeling is its too wild looking for the neighborhood. Something with some context sensitivity would work better, IMO. Again, maybe it's my nostalgia for the old neighborhood at work here, but it sure seems extremely out of place in its preliminary design.
 
Realistically, Mass Ave needs that level of density all the way from Porter to Alewife Brook. However, this is spot zoned and the CCC crowd (which Barrett has been supportive of) has tried to shout down the build at Daru Kebab. I suppose the difference is affordable vs market rate.
 
RandomWalk said:
Realistically, Mass Ave needs that level of density all the way from Porter to Alewife Brook. However, this is spot zoned and the CCC crowd (which Barrett has been supportive of) has tried to shout down the build at Daru Kebab. I suppose the difference is affordable vs market rate.
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The density part is fine. It's just the crazy offset stacks everywhere and the container type siding that bothers me.
 
For once I like all the crazy offsets, because they seem to actually do something productive: give each of the units multiple aspects, which means cross-ventilation for fresh air, and more light throughout the day. Seems like a thoughtful design!

I do wonder though if having the “retail canyon” hidden off Mass Ave. means it won’t get pedestrian traffic. Unless it’s big enough like Bow Market to become a destination in its own right, it could get overlooked.
 
awood91 said:
In what world would that happen?! Lol
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Why do Belmont, Winchester, and Arlington. get to be preserved as ye olde New England museum towns, but not North Cambridge? Not that I want North Cambridge to be that way, but it seems elitist that the blue bloods in the wealthier burgs get to calcify their town into some yesteryear version of the 19th century, while more working class communities like North Cambridge are fair game for any carnival side show act (architecturally speaking) that rolls into town. The elitism of that dynamic rubs me the wrong way.
 
Charlie_mta said:
Why do Belmont, Winchester, and Arlington. get to be preserved as ye olde New England museum towns, but not North Cambridge? Not that I want North Cambridge to be that way, but it seems elitist that the blue bloods in the wealthier burgs get to calcify their town into some yesteryear version of the 19th century, while more working class communities like North Cambridge are fair game for any carnival side show act (architecturally speaking) that rolls into town. The elitism of that dynamic rubs me the wrong way.
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Behold!!! Arlington's latest masterpiece.

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The Alewife area is so frustrating to me because it has plenty of housing and office space being built, is near a rapid transit station, is maybe the biggest hub for bike trails in the whole state, has multiple grocery stores right there, and has plenty of easy access to nature, but then there’s Alewife Brook Parkway almost single-handedly ruining all that potential.
 
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