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Not everybody wants to live in the City that Always Sleeps: Neighbors implore developer to come up with bigger project
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By adamg on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 10:36am
The South End News reports people living near the soon-to-be-ex Boston Herald plant want its developers to build something that actually feels like it belongs in a city, rather than something that looks like a suburban office park:
"I'm concerned about the lack of density this project is proposing," KIger said. "...What's being proposed here looks to me like it perpetuates what the Herald site it today. ...It’s a wasteland."
Liz Cahill, ODNA secretary, agreed with Kiger, telling Clancy she and NDC had the support to go "higher and bigger and think grander things."
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Comments
I don't disagree...
...but I'm not sure taller and bigger would make it feel like a wasteland. To achieve that, they should cut the lot up in to halves, maybe thirds, and develop smaller, mixed use properties.
You know, like how the rest of the South End is set up.
It seems that many SUV
It seems that many SUV stroller family newcomers to the South End who have relocated from the suburbs want to bring the suburbs to the city. Refreshing to hear that not everyone is in favor!
Why doesn't the city require
Why doesn't the city require the pre-urban-renewal street grid to be reconstituted? Doing that alone would probably make any new development better knit into the rest of the neighborhood from all the non super-block street connections.
The blocks adjacent to the
The blocks adjacent to the Herald property are no longer in the original grid pattern, so a return to the original street plan would produce an isolated block of streets, not a reconnection to the rest of the community. It would be nice if you could go back to residential brick row houses on short blocks, but they'd be stuck between interstate, railroad tracks and industrial blocks.
"isolated block of streets"
You say that as if it's a bad thing, but it's a pretty good description of existing Bay Village. Why not create another such neighborhood?
That's a great idea. If they
That's a great idea.
If they also sold individual lots separately to different developers or individuals, and allowed small storefronts below apartments, we'd have the makings of an actual pleasant, walkable neighborhood.
Thank jesus. This restored a
Thank jesus. This restored a glimmer of hope in me for development in this city.
It would...but it doesn't
It would restore some hope...except the developer basically said "we can't sell what you want us to make...so thanks for the input and maybe some day...but piss off for now".
So...I'm not holding my breath.
Condos
Build a bunch of condos, say they're "green", call it Southie and the place will fill up in no time. Doesn't matter if they're next to the highway, railroad tracks, or methadone clinic.
You just described
The local of 90% of Boston.
Or NYC, Chicago, Philly, ect. City living sure is different than the burbs.
There is precedent
Remember that the North Allston-Brighton neighbors argued against the Charlesview redevelopment proposal by submitting an alternative that would have expanded the number of housing units and expanded the area of the development project. Their counter-proposal would have decreased the density (housing per unit area) of the development -- but it was nonetheless a proposal to increase the size of the project.
So there is precedent for YBBIMBY-ism, i.e., "Yes, But Bigger In My Backyard."