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More housing proposed for Roslindale Square
By adamg on Sat, 03/05/2022 - 11:03am
Rendering by Zephyr Architects.
A developer has proposed replacing the Folsom Funeral Home, 59-63 Belgrade Ave. in Roslindale, with a four-story, 31-unit apartment building.
In plans filed with the BPDA, Michael Forde describes a building with 15 one-bedroom units and 16 two-bedroom units, with four of them rented as affordable.
The building, a short walk from the Roslindale Village commuter-rail station and the bus stops of Roslindale Square, would have 23 parking spaces.
The project is an aesthetically pleasing residential facility complementing the adjacent Roslindale square and the immediate neighborhood, enriching the concept of the village and density associated with this concept. The new building will be set back 10’ further way from sidewalk than the existing building, which will allow for an enriched pedestrian experience along the avenue with the addition on of greenery and trees. ... This project will result in increased pedestrian traffic in the area, and directly help boost business for the nearby Roslindale Village.
The building is kitty corner from where an eight-unit condo building is currently going up.
Forde knows Belgrade Avenue: He and a partner recently completed a four-story residential building at the other end of Belgrade, next to the Exodus Bagel bakery and across from Stash's.
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Comments
Oh no, another ugly
Oh no, another ugly monstrosity!!
personally, I think this render looks pretty decent
but regardless it’s such a tired talking point. Developers have to spend so much time and money fighting for variances and dealing with all these layers of public comment and approval that they don’t have any leftover to be creative with their designs. The Boston area needs housing built, and people always hate new designs compared what already exists (see: contemporary criticism of back bay brownstones).
And Imma be real. I love living in Roslindale, but let’s be honest. A lot of the SFHs here are pretty boring vinyl-siding cookie cutter houses, and a decent amount are straight up ugly.
As opposed to what?
This isn’t a very big building. They’re using higher end materials. Would you rather it be a dumb box covered in vinyl with a shiny PVC fence around it? Or how about a vinyl clad triple decker with a bunch of satellite dishes plastered on front of it? Roslindale deserves some nice buildings every once in a while.
Everybody loves shitting on
Everybody loves shitting on the ugly new buildings but this guy's project near Exodus is surprisingly decent looking. Brick, facades that make sense, no bizarrely colored fiberglass pop-outs... just a normal looking apartment building that isn't winning any beauty contests but won't be easily clockable as a cheap prefab put up between 2015-2025 for its entire life.
Good!
Would love to see it taller. Also I’m not sure I understand the setback? It will be another 10 feet further back than the existing building? I’m not entirely sure how that improves the pedestrian experience. Smaller setbacks (with a sufficiently wide sidewalk) generally mean a more engaged street front in my experience.
Zoning Required
Many existing buildings were built before current city zoning. The system has a specific frontage setback calculation to be met, especially new buildings.
Besides if you put a building right on the sidewalk people could try to peer in your windows. Creepy. We already have a lot of converted storefronts in this city that have that problem. Not to mention the noise factor. A decent setback from the sidewalk assures some semblance of privacy from passers-by.
Setback with green space
Setback with green space would be an improvement on this stretch of Belgrade; right now a lot of that block is right up to the sidewalk edgee, and the sidewalks are poor condition concrete panels, with tree pits that make for lots of narrow passageways. It's a better use of green space in the front of the building instead of the rear, where you're up against the commuter rail tracks.
Another cement monstruosity
Another cement monstruosity in our beautiful Rosie! When would enough be enough!
Existing building
Part of the existing building has a generous setback, another 10 feet won't help anything and would probably make for a worse pedestrian experience. Part of the building is right against the sidewalk, which is uncomfortable with residential on the 1st floor, especially if it's not raised a 1/3rd story or so.
The houses to the left seem to have an adequate setback, as does the building immediately to the right, but the 2nd one down on the right again has no setback.
My guess is they're considering the current building to have a 0' setback, this one will have 10', which appears appropriate.
I like it
I think this looks really nice. I like seeing interesting brick detailing on buildings. A lot nicer than some of the other stuff that’s been going up in the neighborhood.
"Forde knows Belgrade Avenue"
Based on the link attached, wasn't that the construction site that was a fenced-in hole for months on end, after the existing building got demolished? If so, are there any reassurances that this proposed project will receive adequate financing before demolition starts?
You mean
The currently active construction site.
This isn't a case of the Filenes hole in the ground. The turnaround on the Belgrade Auto project was actually pretty quick.