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Rare YIMBY project: Five-story apartment building to replace Dot Ave convenience store; was originally proposed with four stories, but residents asked for more units
By adamg on Tue, 06/25/2024 - 1:32pm
Rendering by RODE Architects.
The Zoning Board of Appeal today approved a land owner's plans to replace a Richdale and a parking lot on its land at 1420 Dorchester Ave., near Adams Street in Dorchester, with a five-story, 46-unit apartment building.
The Gordon family, which owns the lot, had originally proposed a four-story building, but added an extra floor after some nearby residents actually said they wanted to see more apartments in the area, the family's attorney, George Morancy, told the board.
Morancy said seven of the apartments, or 15% of the total, would be rented as affordable, to people making no more than 70% of the Boston area median income.
The building would have 33 parking spaces in an underground garage as well as groundfloor commercial space.
Residents would get a rear private greenspace - which would also serve as a buffer for homes in the rear - as well as a public plaza with some artwork along Dorchester Avenue.
The building's exterior is full of "architectural richness," Mike DelleFave of RODE Architects said "No sides are cheapened."
The proposal needed zoning-board approval because it was taller and bigger than otherwise allowed and did not have as many parking spaces as it otherwise would have needed. The BPDA board approved the project in December. It also needed approval because five of the apartments would be on the ground floor, although DelleFave said that because of the topography of the lot, the units are actually several feet above ground level.
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Comments
Fantastic news!
Fantastic news!
Is it 7/11
Or Richdale Foodshops now ?
Currently a Richdale shop.
Currently a Richdale shop.
Since they took over about a year ago, they've plastered the entire windows with advertising for soda and other equally enticing and healthy fare. Then they've added steel bars to the windows -in case someone wanted to steal some precious Coca Cola?
Richdale makes the 7/11 that was before look like a high-end grocery store. Not feeling a bit sorry to see them go.
But wait, there's more
Staff also aggressively interrogate you if they didn't have what you came in for and dare to try to leave their prison without buying something. Apartments will be great for the neighborhood.
Dot ave in that area is a
Dot ave in that area is a main street with VERY low buildings. This is exactly where you should be going up five or more stories in height. Sometimes they try sticking these huge buildings on little side streets and that is not great. This is near transit, there seems to be parking, easily walkable to lots of places and will bring some life right to the main street. I can see why neighbors would want more rather than less. Make Dot ave all multistory and leave the congested side streets the way they are.
That whole stretch could use them
I agree and there are plenty of large and mostly empty commercial lots between Fields Corner & Savin Hill where five over one style buildings would be a huge upgrade. Street level retail/commercial and living above it would make the area much more vibrant.
Obligatory note that the first level of those 5 over 1 buildings would be a huge boon to the restaurant scene in the city if we had sane liquor license laws in place.
Not enough parking
Where do you think the people who don’t have a spot is going to park?
Very difficult selling units without parking.
10/10, no notes.
Complaining about the lack of parking for a project that has 33 parking spots AND is a 5 minute walk from a T stop.
A perfect execution of the bit. 10/10. No notes.
Affordable
If they're that difficult to sell* (side note: they won't be), the landlord** will just have to lower the price. Oh no!
*These are apartments, not condos, so they will be rented.
**See above
Many people choose not to
Many people choose not to have cars and live perfect fine lives. Speak for yourself.
It's spitting distance to Fields Corner T
It's also not too far from Savin Hill, on major bus routes, the bike infrastructure is much improved, Ubers pretty much always around and there are car shares nearby.
That would be an easy place to live car free as many more younger people do these days and I'm sure there will be some parking, just not the ridiculous levels that have been the (unsupported by data) standard for years.
Induced demand is a thing
This is a very pro-congestion comment. You can't infinitely build parking, traffic will continue to get worse.
If someone chooses to live in
If someone chooses to live in a unit without a spot, and chooses to have a car, they can park it on the street like so many other Bostonians do.
Magoo sez
Where the “Y” stands for the color of snow one should not eat. Hubbidah hubbida hooooooo!!! Magoo.
Architectural Richness
Lol... This building is completely unremarkable. It's fine, and they should absolutely build it, but "architectural richness?" Please.
I think he meant that there
I think he meant that there are no flat lines. For some reason.
I think this is code for
I think this is code for “doesn’t look like a bunch of shipping containers stacked on top of each other”
Colossus of RODE
school of ahkitecktcha
Compared to the flat gray
Compared to the flat gray boxes being built elsewhere around Boston, this one is an architectural gem.
Compared to the flat gray
If it’s brick facade
it’s ok looking, if it’s not, it’s a typical ugly circa 2000 architectural oddity.
NIMBY Meeting Tomorrow, 6/27
Quick heads up, there's going to be a community meeting tomorrow, 6/27, at 5:30pm at the African Meeting House in Beacon Hill. It is being hosted by the Mayor's Office of Housing (MOH) and the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA), and is about the proposed development of 2 buildings at 27-29 Hancock Street into affordable housing.
A loud and litigious group oppose this development, and are pushing for fewer units of affordable housing on the basis of "neighborhood density and character" and concerns regarding the health needs of individuals living in the affordable units.
It's basically the opposite of this project - if you support YIMBYism and are able to attend please do so, or contact Office of Housing rep [email protected] and City Councilor [email protected] to let them know what you think about housing affordability and the need for more units in Boston.