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Vroom: Italian sports-car dealership approved in Brighton
By adamg on Tue, 01/30/2018 - 10:00am
The Board of Appeals today approved plans to replace the old Martignetti liquor store on Soldiers Field Road with a Maserati and Alfa Romeo dealership.
Fiat Chrysler of America is still in negottions with the BPDA and the city Parks Department on exactly what sort of trees and other greenery to be planted to buffer the site, which sits in a city "green belt district."
Fiat Chrysler's attorney, Stephen Miller, said that the car dealership will be "a far less intense use than a liquor store," especially during the December holiday season and in the summer. He added the new dealership will have just two curb cuts.
The mayor's office and City Councilor Mark Ciommo (Allston/Brighton) supported the proposal. Nobody spoke against it.
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Comments
1.8 riverfront acres, 1 mile from commuter rail
and it will be used to park and sell cars. Did someone say there is a housing crisis?
1 mile?
Isn't all of Boston 1 mile from a commuter rail stop if not a T station?
No surprise that an ultra
No surprise that an ultra luxury car dealership is approved for the 'build, baby build' 1%'er fanatics. There is a boom in housing development in Boston, it's just not for the middle and working classes.
Who would live there?
Good luck making a left turn.
Have you seen the Cambridge end of Rt 2 recently?
$3,000 per month for a studio apartment, in spite of the inability to make a left turn
https://www.voxcambridge.com/floorplans.aspx
That is much closer to
That is much closer to Alewife than this is to Boston Landing.
And if you need to take a left just sneak in behind the Starbux and come into the circle by the IHOP.
I have not
There's no attractions over there. They should put in a bowling alley or something.
Nah. Not a bowling alley.
A disco.
Think of the joy...
it would bring to their Faces.
But what to call it?
Noses? Chins? I'm just spitballing here.
Wouldn't a bowling alley in
Wouldn't a bowling alley in that area of Soldier's Field make a killing, though? (Too soon?)
Ya know ...
I'd bet a lot of people won't get that. So it was on that same spot?
Wasn't the Acura dealership
Wasn't the Acura dealership next to Martignetti's the infamous Sammy White's?
Not Waterfront - Across SFR from the river and bike path.
Business zoned, between an existing car dealership and a Staples and on the site of a former slaughterhouse.
Potential residents haunted by cow ghosts?
OK, call it "river views" with a short walk to the parkland
You think it is impossible to get a zoning variance to build housing?
Why here though?
It's as you specified, far from public transportation and wedged between a different car dealer and a Staples with the MA Pike right behind it - why should this lot be converted to housing?
We need housing everywhere but let's focus on building it near the T, commuter rail, etc...
What's great is...
If someone had wanted to build housing, people would be outraged that it was "luxury", or because the area already has traffic.
That feels somewhat
That feels somewhat disingenuous given how much construction and planning is going on closer to said Commuter rail stop.
You have the huge NB Apartment Building, the already under construction Hitchborn property building, the proposed Hitchborn build, the proposed Stop and Shop building, the proposed Lincoln / Leo Birmingham building, the under construction Leo Birmingham / Western Ave Building, and I am sure I am forgetting something.
That site would be pretty especially from upper floors for apartments, but it is on an exceptionally busy and frustrating 4 lane highway and is relatively isolated from everything in Brighton, except the Starbucks, Mc Donalds, and IHOP. To walk anywhere from there is going to be a long walk on a 4 lane highway, and unless you want to cross those 4 lanes without a crosswalk AND consider the 64 Bus to be a useful form of transportation, not close to any bus routes.
Also, the only news here is that Fiat is putting the expensive cars there, they bought the property in 2017. http://www.universalhub.com/2017/brighton-liquor-store-become-car-dealer...
Either there is a housing crisis or there isn't
I never meant to imply that this is the world's best location for transit oriented development. But it also isn't that bad. It is a short trip by foot or bike to a lot of great stuff. Sidewalks can be improved. The under-used / over-built 4 lane Birmingham Parkway behind the site can be re-imagined. Or it can continue to be a giant sea of asphalt & parking.
https://www.mass.gov/news/baker-polito-administration-testifies-on-housi...
You could put housing there, but...
If you built housing there, people would buy/rent it. The problem is they would all drive their cars everywhere.
Reductive argument
I mean, there are people in dire poverty so how could I spend $10 on lunch instead of brining it from home!
We need more housing. It doesn't necessarily follow that only housing should be built moving forward, especially in a commercial zone (again between a Staples and a Acura dealer)
I mean, do you think the mini-Target in Roslindale should have been blocked and housing should have been put on that lot? You could probably fit 10-15 units after all.
isnt the current alfa romero
isnt the current alfa romero and lotus dealership tucked in an alley in Waltham?
Used to drive by that
When I hosted trivia at The Wave in 2007. Anybody else remember that place?
car dealerships
The dealership in Waltham is Aston Martin & Lotus, not Alfa Romeo.
Herb Chambers has a couple of Alfa Romeo dealerships, both out in the 'burbs (one in Wayland, one in MIllbury).
I'm just bummed that this won't include a Ferrari dealership. The only Ferrari dealership is located (also in the 'burbs) down in Norwood, and is owned by that wonderful person (/s) Ernie Boch Jr. I'd love to be able to walk or take the T to see some Ferraris.
Maserati is struggling to find its way, and Alfa Romeo is only recently back in the USA with its Stelvio and Giulia models.
I'm surprised that it seems like the dealership will be owned by FCA directly, rather than by a chain such as Herb Chambers.
excellent
Buy your new Maserati then drive over to the IHOP to celebrate.
More fast cars for Boston.
Just what we need on 25 speed limit Boston streets.
Man, I miss Martignetti's. It was a great standby for
decently-priced spirits with a good selection, and especially for wines: everyday case discounts, frequent discounts on smaller buys in specific categories/regions, knowledgeable staff, and awesome deals on bin-ends.
I'm always looking for suggestions on Greater Boston retailers with similar virtues. Your favorites?
Marty's
Sure, you've gotta go to Newtonville, but I really like the selections and prices are reasonable.
They've also got Boar's Head meats.
Bought lots of kegs there
Bought lots of kegs there during and just after my time at MIT.
Surprise! 249 units to be built almost next door
This section of SFR doesn't need to be an auto-centric dystopia.
http://www.bostonplans.org/getattachment/4c0ac4a6-4539-46d8-bf4d-8e1e1a4...