Hey, there! Log in / Register

Developer proposes 166 residential units in two buildings along Cambridge Street in Allston

Anchor Line Partners, which until now has specialized in redeveloping old commercial buildings off major highways into new office space, has filed plans to build two six-story apartment buildings on Cambridge Street at Emery Road in Allston's Union Square.

The developer, based in Post Office Square, is proposing a 166-unit building with 126 units, 69 parking spaces and ground-floor retail/restaurant space at 449 Cambridge St. and a 40-unit building with no parking spaces across Emery. Some 22 of the units would be rented or sold as affordable, meeting the city minimum requirement of 13% affordable units.

Because the project totals more than 50,000 square feet of space, the developers will have to file a detailed project notification form that includes information on traffic impact and mitigation.

Among Anchor Line's current projects are renovating several buildings in Waltham and recasting the hulking former Wang headquarters in Lowell as "a 21st century campus" that focuses on "social interaction and work-life balance" and includes a Tavern in the Square.

449 Cambridge St. letter of intent (682k PDF).

Neighborhoods: 
Topics: 
Free tagging: 


Ad:


Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!

Comments

But will my car get towed to now :(

up
Voting closed 0

Will have to see what the actual proposal looks like when the EPNF is released, but I'm all for new residential development along this stretch of Cambridge Street. This specific proposal will replace an abandoned building, auto shop, and empty parking lot.

This section of Allston contains several really underutilized parcels and parking lots and could definitely use more housing to accommodate demand. The time is long past to get rid of the used auto dealerships and parking lots that cover the area.

Also LOVE the low parking ratio -- wish it could be even lower. The parcel is in a very walkable / transit-accessible area.

up
Voting closed 0

If Boston was building this sort of stuff every single month for a few years we'd see housing prices and rents level off. The current rate of construction is only meeting the demand for growth. Until there is more supply than demand prices won't go down. Boston needs to catch with the creation of new dwelling units. There shouldn't be any one story buildings, vacant or parking lots along transportation corridors in the city. Zoning should be changed to allow for 5-6 story buildings along these corridors without years worth of red tape from City Hall.

up
Voting closed 1

I agree but we are in a distinct minority, making the politics of zoning reform brutal. Walsh dramatically increased the rate of building but to get as-of-right construction up to levels you're talking about he would get thrown out of office in a heartbeat. And the next mayor would take office on a promise to slow down market-rate development and magically force private developers to produce only affordable housing. They would come through on the first promise and fall on their face on the second, thus reducing development to even less than it is now.

up
Voting closed 0

it will look like the bare minimum square glass mall bullshit that all the other new housing developments look like. would love to be wrong, but I'm not.

up
Voting closed 0

Is largely due to the fact that anything under Article 80 review has to also go through review by the Boston Civic Design Commission, which time and time again has voiced opposition to projects on aesthetic bases (resulting in major delays) when we desperately need new housing as fast as possible.

up
Voting closed 0

n/t

up
Voting closed 0

Speaking of Union Square... I admit this is a little off-topic, but before anybody starts complicated construction around there, could the city please replace the painted crosswalk that was wiped out by all the recent heavy/emergency work in that enormous/confusing intersection?

Unlike an ordinary street corner, it's impossible to figure out even approximately (for pedestrians) where they're supposed to cross Cambridge Street (i.e. to go from Brighton Ave to N.Beacon St or vice-versa, while on the north side of the intersection near the fire station)... also impossible for cars to figure out where they're supposed to stop. When I was there last night, it was just a huge expanse of fresh black asphalt, with cars and crossers walking and stopping at rather random places.

I called 311 and hope they'll get out the paint brushes (or however they do it) before somebody gets hurt!

up
Voting closed 0

Permanent markings are usually only installed once the fresh pavement is sufficiently cured. This can take a few weeks, depending on the weather and temperature. This has come up recently elsewhere in Boston.

https://www.boston.gov/departments/public-works/roadway-resurfacing-boston

up
Voting closed 2