Whats left to build on?

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).
North Cambridge along Pemberton St and Richdale Ave has some nice high density housing built along the Fitchburg Div RR, where it used to be light industrial back in the 50s and 60s. Time to do this type of development Belmont.
 
It seems like union point in weymouth has an enormous amount of untapped potential being squandered right now. They already built some apartments and housing, but the whole site is essentially sitting dormant. Its a wide open former air base, close to the city, with a commuter rail stop, and some existing development. They really need to figure out a way to get this thing going again with a new plan. I dont know why they cant just lay down a street grid and sell off each parcel to developers to build out vs that ridiculous masterplan they had before that inevitably failed.

Since nobody wants any large scale developments in their neighborhood, then this should be able to take a lot of the pressure off. If they just laid down a street grid and tied it in to the existing streets nearby, sold all the lots off to developers, built a nice little mashpee commons downtown area, and then threw up 50 3-5 over 1’s they could build a nice new little city with lots of new apartments/condos. Theres soo much room there and they dont need to do anything fancy at all to make it viable and nice to live in. With a shit ton of 5 over 1’s they could fit thousands of new units in here easy and finally put this land to good use.
 
Union Point's biggest problem right now, IIRC, is the precarious state of the sewage system. Based on info from a judge's decision in a lawsuit settled last summer, the old master developer left things in a right state.

From a B&T writeup:

“That left us with a sewer and water system that was, if I put it politely, in precarious danger of failing,” SRA counsel Robert Galvin told Cannone at a damages hearing over Zoom on Aug. 26. “I know the damages ($63 million) sound like a tremendous amount of money in this case, your honor, but there’s a tremendous amount of damage.”

I guess because the old developer tried to ghost them, the surrounding towns that were providing a sewer hook-up shut off access to try and compel payments. I'm not sure if there's more recent info out there, though.
 
Has anything ever been tossed out regarding the unused land north of the 95 interchange in Canton? The reconstruction project seems long since dormant, and if it could act as a connector between all of the development over on University Ave with Royall St in Canton it would open the area up tremendously.
 
Anyone know or want to speculate on what the future holds for this taller, dilapidated building in Allston?

IMG_1167.jpeg
 
Anyone know or want to speculate on what the future holds for this taller, dilapidated building in Allston?
Is that dilapidated?

That building is currently used by musicians. It's a bunch of rehearsal spaces and a recording studio. Not sure about the "Self Storage" sign. I think that closed a while ago.

There are other lots around there I'd rather see change before this building goes. There are parking lots to be filled in. There are some totally unremarkable one-story buildings along Harvard and Beacon. That giant liquor store on the corner could really use several more floors above it.
 
There's no room! Anywhere!

Seems like a cool old brick building, hope they can make something of it and keep people in there, if it's currently used. The rest of the lowrises though....yeesh. Not advocating for tearing anything down, but those parking lots are a travesty and the fact that the MAIN THOROUGHFARE has basically only 1 story buildings is crazy.


1701741477738.png
 
The windows are all boarded up, and the plywood doesn’t exactly look new.

If there are people living/working in there, I’d be shocked.
Yup, Studio 52 is there. They rent rehearsal and studio space for musicians. I would guess the windows have been boarded up a long time, but that works fine for sound proofing and securing equipment.
 
Yup, Studio 52 is there. They rent rehearsal and studio space for musicians. I would guess the windows have been boarded up a long time, but that works fine for sound proofing and securing equipment.
Precisely. I hope absolutely nothing is "done" with the building -- at least not the Studio 52 portion, as along with Charlestown Rehearsal Studios and The Record Co on Morrisey Blvd., this is currently one of only three remaining "affordable" (if you say so...) practice spaces in all of Boston.

A sad state of affairs for the arts community in a "global city."

And some wonder why all the artists and musicians are skipping town for the North Shore (Salem, Peabody), and South Coast (New Bedford, etc.)...
 
There's no room! Anywhere!

Seems like a cool old brick building, hope they can make something of it and keep people in there, if it's currently used. The rest of the lowrises though....yeesh. Not advocating for tearing anything down, but those parking lots are a travesty and the fact that the MAIN THOROUGHFARE has basically only 1 story buildings is crazy.


View attachment 45278

New development on any of these 1 story buildings would be a travesty as they are all home to small, cheap, mom and pop businesses. See Davis Square's new lab building. Once those buildings are no more those businesses are gone for good and replaced by more soul-less corporate nonsense
 
I specifically disclaimed against tearing anything down and instead suggested building on the sea of parking lots hiding behind the low rises that make up the street ledge (not a wall). It is striking that nothing more than 1 story tall has been built on that section of Harvard St. despite the activity on the street and proximity to the Green Line. The proposed replacement of the CVS just across Comm Ave is the perfect kind of project, though. No love lost for removing (or replacing 1:1) a CVS.
 

Goodbye to Downtown Skyscraper-Building​

South Station Tower Could Be Boston’s Last for a Generation


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“When Hines’ South Station Tower opens next year, it will be one of the largest office projects ever built in the city, with 35 floors of offices topped by 16 stories of condominiums.

It may very well be one of the last as well.”

https://bankerandtradesman.com/goodbye-to-downtown-skyscraper-building/
 
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New development on any of these 1 story buildings would be a travesty as they are all home to small, cheap, mom and pop businesses. See Davis Square's new lab building. Once those buildings are no more those businesses are gone for good and replaced by more soul-less corporate nonsense
I am also upset about hear about places like Sligo in Davis Sq closing (although I'm not even sure that lab is still happening...?) but I disagree that it always goes this way. Lyndell's in Ball Sq is being rebuilt as a 5-over-1, and they plan to remain open during construction and eventually move back into the first floor: https://www.cambridgeday.com/2024/0...tomers-need-never-go-without-its-baked-goods/

I think that the difference here is that the landlord and the bakery owner have a good relationship and respect for each others' goals. I don't know why that isn't the case in more of the city. Probably corporate ownership of property?
 

Goodbye to Downtown Skyscraper-Building​

South Station Tower Could Be Boston’s Last for a Generation


View attachment 47945

“When Hines’ South Station Tower opens next year, it will be one of the largest office projects ever built in the city, with 35 floors of offices topped by 16 stories of condominiums.

It may very well be one of the last as well.

The implosion of the office market in the wake of the pandemic and the rise of remote work is reaching a boiling point after three years of simmering, with companies concluding they need a lot less space now.

The official vacancy rate, as high as it is right now, doesn’t really tell the full story. Roughly 20 percent of office space in the Boston area is currently available for rent, a number typically seen during economic downturns.

But that doesn’t measure all the space that, on paper, is currently leased out to one company or another, but is sitting empty, with the workers who once occupied and offices now toiling away on their laptops at home or in local coffee shapes.

The occupancy rate, a metric emerged in the wake of the pandemic, measures that very relevant statistic – for companies, unless they have lost leave of their senses, will not continue to pay high, downtown rents for offices no one is using.

And despite efforts by major companies, by enticements or threat, to get workers back in the office, as much as half of the nation’s corporate suites are currently unoccupied, even if a significant proportion are officially still leased under long-term deals, according to the Kastle Group, which tracks how many employees badge into office towers in many of the nation’s biggest office markets, Boston excepted….”



A Generation Before Building Returns

“And Barkham sees potentially an even longer period of recovery ahead for the office market.

In fact, it could take a decade, or even 15 to 20 years, before the office market finds its new state of equilibrium, he said.

Along the way, the overall office market will likely shrink. Some buildings, no longer able to compete in a market where demand for office space has fallen dramatically, will likely wind up meeting the wrecking ball.

“I think that’s probably likely what’s going to happen to office, but it’s going to fully recover around a smaller footprint,” Barkham told CoStar News.

It’s not too hard to imagine that happening in Boston. There has been a lot of talk about converting older, class B office buildings into apartments and condos, but not all buildings have layouts conducive to such a shift.

Here’s one thing that would be hard to imagine, though: A developer deciding that what Boston really needs is another office tower and investors and banks rushing to put up the billion dollars or more needed to build it.

That’s not happening the rest of this decade, and it’s doubtful we are going to see it in the 2030s, either. Maybe the 2040s, but that’s a long, long way off.

The recent opening of the Winthrop Center and One Congress Street towers, along with the South Station tower next year, should keep the Boston well-stocked with top-shelf office space for years if not decades to come.

So, when will see another office tower built in Boston? Your guess is as good as mine.“

https://bankerandtradesman.com/goodbye-to-downtown-skyscraper-building/
The one light on the horizon I see for the office space market in Boston is that as the other similar sized northeast cities deteriorate into dystopian hell-holes (Philly, Baltimore, even New York to an extent), maybe some of those companies there will move to the relatively safe and functional Boston. Boston has a lot going for it in a lot of ways that other cities don't.
 

Goodbye to Downtown Skyscraper-Building​

South Station Tower Could Be Boston’s Last for a Generation


Posting copyrighted pay content is generally frowned upon but B&T expressly asked that this board not platform their content in this manner. I’d delete this before it causes someone unnecessary grief.

 
I didnt paste the full article, that also appears to be a free article as I dont have a subscription and was able to see the full article. Either way I edited the post just incase.
 

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