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Six-story residential building could replace garage right on the Brookline line in Audubon Circle
By adamg on Thu, 05/11/2023 - 1:45pm
The owner of a two-story parking garage at 142-146 St. Mary's St. in Audubon Circle, says it will soon file plans to replace the structure with a six-story, 90-unit residential building.
In a letter of intent filed with the BPDA, Allen Associates Properties of Newton Centre says its proposal will include underground parking for both residents of the new building and to meet its "off-street parking obligations" for existing tenants at an apartment building it owns at 101 Monmouth St., just across St. Mary's Street and just over the town line in Brookline.
Because the new building would have more than 50,000 square feet of space, Allen Associates will have to file detailed studies of the proposed building's traffic and environmental impact, including shadows.
City assessing records show the garage was built in 1920, which means that, even if it is, as Allen Associates says, "a non-descript structure," its demolition will require Landmarks Commission sign off.
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Comments
But who will speak for the cars?
Won't someone please think of the children? This is a *historic* parking garage! What's next? Bike lanes? Sidewalks? Safe streets? My heavens! I won't be able to drive my SUV while drinking my Dunks and texting while making a right on red at a "No Turn on Red" sign because those signs are for amateurs.
I would hope that they work with the City to provide a new, accessible entrance to the Green Line station there. If you want to get to the train now it requires a 1/4 mile journey over the tracks including crossing Park Street. If they are going to build that much transit oriented development, they ought to orient it towards transit. (I can only imagine the number of reasons the T would say "no.")
It looks to me like there's a crosswalk right at St. Mary's
going directly to the inbound platform. What am I missing here?
D Line not C Line
This project abuts the Fenway D Line stop but no direct access is currently offered. They absolutely should provide for access to the D, as much to facilitate outbound trips to Newton and more pedestrian options. But the T is intractable on accommodating the path between the Muddy River and these platforms that would be sited not 25 feet away from any proposed connection to the end of St. Mary's St. through this new project. Two different asks but really no reason to expect the T to be any more...tractable on this one than the other.
Sure it could be improved, but 1/4 mile walk to the T isn't bad.
I see what you mean. The walking route to the T from there is several times longer than the straight-line distance between the two points. But it's still under 1/4 mile.
Google maps estimates the distance of this route at about 1000 feet: https://i.imgur.com/rHYcRYz.png
Developer is going to try
Right, 1,000 feet as opposed to 0 feet, given the parcel's direct adjacence to the station. "Not bad" should not be the standard when the fruit is hanging this low. It's behind a fence and at grade level! But that's certainly one of the things the T will say, if they deign to say anything at all.
Ari at the top of this thread also talked about accessibility. Can't be overstated, adding connections like this is not just about convenience, it can be a lifeline to people for whom 1,000 feet twice a day might not be nearly as easy to traverse as it is for you and me. And remember we're not talking only about people starting at that exact point on the map. If they're already 1,000 feet away from there, then it's 2,000 feet per journey. A whole catchment area stands to benefit from merely punching a hole in a fence and raising a few feet of track bed. I badly hope they can get that much (i.e. that little) done.
Please don't interrupt the ranting.
(n/t)
There is a short fence
It does look accessible on google maps, but you can actually get a street view from the parking lot behind the existing building, and you'll see the fence. Years ago, I used to cut through there, so didn't realize a fence was there now. It looks to me like hopping the fence would be fairly easy for able bodied and inclined individuals, but definitely not something you are supposed to do.
what if historic research proves
that Frederick Law Olmstead stored his Stanley Steamer in that garage
The letter does state ...
As for landmarks status, odds are demolition approval will be pro forma: The city requires the commission to be notified of potential demolition of any building more than 50 years old (so even our beloved, but completely not unique, colonial would qualify since it's now like 94 years old), but the vast majority are quickly given an OK - there's no long drawn out process unless the building's already designated as historic or somebody objects and provides a detailed explanation as to why.
Glad to hear it
And glad someone read the letter.
Of course, a pair of bolt cutters could facilitate opportunities for that pedestrian connection, today. (It could also facilitate, amongst other things, the opening of the Community Path in Somerville.)
Work with the city?
1. The site is 500' from the Saint Marys C Line station. That's 1/10 mile. Sure, a small number of folks might want to go outbound on the D Line, but let's be clear -- it isn't 1/4 mile from the nearest T station under current conditions.
2. Work with the City? Why? The property is adjacent to the MBTA Fenway D Line station. What does the City have to do with it? Either the T will play ball or they won't (and I hope they will).
This project has been in the works for some now, and had a really unusual angle -- because 101 Monmouth St in Brookline was built with a (special permit? variance?) regarding parking spaces that are staged across the street in the garage located in Boston, the developer needed to come to the Town of Brookline to pull off the project, lest he lose his Certificate of Occupancy for the 101 Monmouth St apartment building which has well over 100 units.
Can't see any reason not to.
Not even a cynical-about-it-all grumpy reason.