Whats left to build on?

The cool thing too is if you get green serving all of the massive development along this corridor from the south end, to bmc etc, and then this empty area... next up you now have all of this within a short walk and this has room for I cant even imagine how many people... 20,000?

 
I was on Mass Ave just past BMC about a month ago, needing to take a left onto Melnea Cass in order to get to 93. There was a person standing directly in the left lane, bent at the waist, with their pants halfway down. It was pretty disturbing actually. He made me miss my light, and didn't move from his zombie position for the entire light cycle.

The point is, as long as we call this stretch "methadone mile" it's not going to be the most appealing place for developers to invest their money. Who wants to spend big bucks to live amongst swarms of unpredictable (hard) drug addicts? It's a dangerous, dirty area that I can't see bouncing back anytime soon.

A couple 2019 articles...
Stabbing victim dies:
www.wcvb.com

Stabbing victim near Methadone Mile dies, police say

Boston police say the victim was brought to the nearby Boston Medical Center.
www.wcvb.com www.wcvb.com

Police arrest 16:
www.bostonglobe.com

Boston police arrest 16 around ‘Methadone Mile’ - The Boston Globe

The arrests occurred Friday evening, one day after a correction officer for the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department was beaten as he headed into work.
www.bostonglobe.com www.bostonglobe.com

On that note, whatever happened to the tall slanty roofed residential building that was planned for here? It was like 25 stories, and the original proposal is at least a decade old. I have seen it resurrected a couple of times but nothing ever came of it, probably due to the reasons stated above...
 
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DZH22 said:
I was on Mass Ave just past BMC about a month ago, needing to take a left onto Melnea Cass in order to get to 93. There was a person standing directly in the left lane, bent at the waist, with their pants halfway down. It was pretty disturbing actually. He made me miss my light, and didn't move from his zombie position for the entire light cycle.

The point is, as long as we call this stretch "methadone mile" it's not going to be the most appealing place for developers to invest their money. Who wants to spend big bucks to live amongst swarms of unpredictable (hard) drug addicts? It's a dangerous, dirty area that I can't see bouncing back anytime soon.

A couple 2019 articles...
Stabbing victim dies:
www.wcvb.com

Stabbing victim near Methadone Mile dies, police say

Boston police say the victim was brought to the nearby Boston Medical Center.
www.wcvb.com www.wcvb.com

Police arrest 16:
www.bostonglobe.com

Boston police arrest 16 around ‘Methadone Mile’ - The Boston Globe

The arrests occurred Friday evening, one day after a correction officer for the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department was beaten as he headed into work.
www.bostonglobe.com www.bostonglobe.com

On that note, whatever happened to the tall slanty roofed residential building that was planned for here? It was like 25 stories, and the original proposal is at least a decade old. I have seen it resurrected a couple of times but nothing ever came of it, probably due to the reasons stated above...
Click to expand...
Reopening the Long Island treatment center will go along way to changing this area.
 
DZH22 said:
I was on Mass Ave just past BMC about a month ago, needing to take a left onto Melnea Cass in order to get to 93. There was a person standing directly in the left lane, bent at the waist, with their pants halfway down. It was pretty disturbing actually. He made me miss my light, and didn't move from his zombie position for the entire light cycle.

The point is, as long as we call this stretch "methadone mile" it's not going to be the most appealing place for developers to invest their money. Who wants to spend big bucks to live amongst swarms of unpredictable (hard) drug addicts? It's a dangerous, dirty area that I can't see bouncing back anytime soon.

A couple 2019 articles...
Stabbing victim dies:
www.wcvb.com

Stabbing victim near Methadone Mile dies, police say

Boston police say the victim was brought to the nearby Boston Medical Center.
www.wcvb.com www.wcvb.com

Police arrest 16:
www.bostonglobe.com

Boston police arrest 16 around ‘Methadone Mile’ - The Boston Globe

The arrests occurred Friday evening, one day after a correction officer for the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department was beaten as he headed into work.
www.bostonglobe.com www.bostonglobe.com

On that note, whatever happened to the tall slanty roofed residential building that was planned for here? It was like 25 stories, and the original proposal is at least a decade old. I have seen it resurrected a couple of times but nothing ever came of it, probably due to the reasons stated above...
Click to expand...

Yeah, of course that area is definitely rough right now. But there's little reason to believe it will be like that forever.

If we're thinking about long-term prospects for housing growth on the scale of multiple decades, the Lower Roxbury area between Mass Ave and Melnea Cass absolutely has potential. Many currently-in-fashion areas have very gritty histories if you go back a few decades.

Also, the core, roughest section of the "Methadone Mile" goes SE from BMC, across the Mass Ave Connector towards Newmarket and South Bay. The area around Harrison SW of BMC more resembles the part of the South End around Harrison N of BMC: homelessness and drug use is a problem, but it coexists within the neighborhood rather than fully overtaking it.

In my perfect world, all the BWSC land in that area would be redeveloped as a public-private partnership between developers and the city, with a dense mix of maybe 50:50 subsidized and market-rate units. I don't foresee, and wouldn't want, units priced at the top of the market to be sited there.

JeffDowntown said:
Reopening the Long Island treatment center will go along way to changing this area.
Click to expand...

Yes
 
I hate to bump this thread but having just moved to Eastie near the water and seeing the skyline everyday - what after Bullfinch Crossing/One Congress is going to be next to fill in the waterfront skyline?

We've had a lot of great additions lately - namely: all of the seaport midrises, One Congress, Sudbury, Alcott, Avalon, Hub Office, Hub 50 House, Russia/Atlantic Wharf. It's crazy to think how much of a skyline we've gained in 10-15 years! But alas, it seems like we're at the end of a great streak of filling in the waterfront skyline. So...what's next that will add significant change (250 ft +)?
 
AndrewOnTheMBTA said:
I hate to bump this thread but having just moved to Eastie near the water and seeing the skyline everyday - what after Bullfinch Crossing/One Congress is going to be next to fill in the waterfront skyline?

We've had a lot of great additions lately - namely: all of the seaport midrises, One Congress, Sudbury, Alcott, Avalon, Hub Office, Hub 50 House, Russia/Atlantic Wharf. It's crazy to think how much of a skyline we've gained in 10-15 years! But alas, it seems like we're at the end of a great streak of filling in the waterfront skyline. So...what's next that will add significant change (250 ft +)?
Click to expand...

If the Hook and Aquarium Garage projects remain stalled, the next really visible one will probably be whatever goes up at the Hurley site. Also the 3rd bullfinch crossing tower.
 
No idea if this is the most appropriate thread, but figured I'd share that the well-known curved CVS building at Charles Circle just sold:

Atlantic Capital Partners sells Charles St. portfolio for $10.85m

153-159 Charles Street - Boston, MA Boston, MA Atlantic Capital Partners has completed the sale of Charles St. portfolio: 151-151A and 153-159 Charle...
nerej.com nerej.com

Of course, it could be that nothing happens and it just continues operating as a CVS as-is. But given the fairly iconic parcel, figured I'd post this. Personally, I'd like to see an historically-appropriate low-rise built here (along the lines of quality materials, etc, of the Whitney Hotel next door). This is certainly subject to much scrutiny given its location.
 
bigpicture7 said:
No idea if this is the most appropriate thread, but figured I'd share that the well-known curved CVS building at Charles Circle just sold:

Atlantic Capital Partners sells Charles St. portfolio for $10.85m

153-159 Charles Street - Boston, MA Boston, MA Atlantic Capital Partners has completed the sale of Charles St. portfolio: 151-151A and 153-159 Charle...
nerej.com nerej.com

Of course, it could be that nothing happens and it just continues operating as a CVS as-is. But given the fairly iconic parcel, figured I'd post this. Personally, I'd like to see an historically-appropriate low-rise built here (along the lines of quality materials, etc, of the Whitney Hotel next door). This is certainly subject to much scrutiny given its location.
Click to expand...
Just don't build another Kenmore Square North mediocrity here, please.
 
I am not sure where to put this: I visited Chicago for the first time to do a lot of architecture and neighborhood sightseeing and I was so impressed with some of the designs of late and recently. I know this is a completely different city in a slew of different ways. But it still seemed less nimby in general. In areas with a modest density, there seemed to be developments with height, as you left the main loop. If Cambridge were part of Boston would there be potential to see a longer skyline? Should Boston build up parts of Fenway like this?
 
AndrewOnTheMBTA said:
I am not sure where to put this: I visited Chicago for the first time to do a lot of architecture and neighborhood sightseeing and I was so impressed with some of the designs of late and recently. I know this is a completely different city in a slew of different ways. But it still seemed less nimby in general. In areas with a modest density, there seemed to be developments with height, as you left the main loop. If Cambridge were part of Boston would there be potential to see a longer skyline? Should Boston build up parts of Fenway like this?
Click to expand...
Fenway has been built up with height along Boylston over the past couple of years.
 
Is this a plot of land that will be built on soon? Quite open here...
 

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Noticed this strip of car centric commercial businesses along the tracks yesterday. Someone please develop this into high density zone housing with Waverly station right there at the bottom.

Untitled.png
 
tysmith95 said:
Wealthy towns don't approve new multifamily housing unless they're forced to!
Click to expand...
I think it's also important to remember that industrial/commercial zones along train tracks isn't surprising because presumably some of the original tenants were freight serviced. It's like the industrial zone along the Medford Branch past Ball Square. It historically made sense to plan it that way; not that we necessarily need to continue with that zoning (although provisioning for a short-haul freight-capable future is something to consider).
 
jbray said:
I think it's also important to remember that industrial/commercial zones along train tracks isn't surprising because presumably some of the original tenants were freight serviced. It's like the industrial zone along the Medford Branch past Ball Square. It historically made sense to plan it that way; not that we necessarily need to continue with that zoning (although provisioning for a short-haul freight-capable future is something to consider).
Click to expand...
You can spot a lot of unused sidings to industrial facilities along many commuter rail lines. Some still have abandoned rail cars on the siding.
 
Belmont actually built a couple of rather handsome mixed-use buildings in Waverley in the last couple of years!

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.387...2ZSKBfxLRZWKqZtzpVwQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en

What the town really needs to do is spur development all along the 73 bus route (of which Waverley Sq is the western terminus). The 73 has great frequencies and can get you to Harvard Sq in under 20 minutes. Tons of opportunity for TOD multifamily geared towards grad students and the Harvard Sq market.
 
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