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Faded Brighton warehouse where musicians now practice could be replaced by, you guessed it, life-sciences labs

A developer wants to replace a two-story warehouse at 155 North Beacon St. in Brighton, now home to the Sound Museum rehersal studios across from the Tin Tin Buffet, with a four-building complex of research labs and office space.

In a letter of intent filed with the BPDA, IQHQ, which specializes in new biotech construction, says it will soon file detailed plans for the 354,000-square-foot complex at the intersection of North Beacon and Life Street, which connects the site to the Guest Street development corridor.

All that life-sciences research work will make for hungry scientists, technicians and FDA drug-approval applications, so IQHQ is also planning ground-floor restaurant space for times when people just don't want Chinese buffet as well as room for other retail uses. The buildings would sit atop an underground garage.

The buildings will sit around a courtyard, which the public will be able to access - with the possibility of a further "series of raised, tiered courtyards" that will create "a natural amphitheater design within the campus setting."

155 N. Beacon St. filings and calendar.

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Comments

there’s a bunch of rehearsal/studio space in this building. hopefully some other spaces will pop up in the city.

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There's rehearsal space on Everett St. The artist community still has an easily accessible location in this general area.

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Nope. The space on Everett closed down. While they moved down the street, the new Studio 52 is a downgrade in terms of space. And even if it was still open, you're missing the point. There is not enough rehearsal space as it is to fill the demand, and this will displace tons of musicians as well as businesses.

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the everett st space (studio 52) was closed due to the nearby Stop and Shop development. They wanted to remain open but knew that the luxury condos would NIMBY it. So they moved up to Harvard ave in a new, but very cramped space.

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This article needs a hard edit. Makes it sound like its abandoned. Its FULL of local musicians. Packed. Allston is dying so fast. RIP. Luxury condos for all. Become a human commodity to the rich. Just awful.

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Bob, that rehearsal space in Everett St. just relocated to Harvard St. because of the nearby development sprawling from Boston Landing. Your comment attempts to trivialize a problem that you don’t understand the scope of. Each lifeless luxury condo & science building is an act of violence against a dying arts community.

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If this spells the end for the Sound Museum it is a sad day indeed.

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I thought we had a few more years at the Soundmuseum. Capitalism is not killing itself fast enough and we all need to pitch in and help it along.

why can't we have/keep nice things

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The building owner wants to build a new building with new amenities. The proponent would not build if there was not a desire for this type of building in the neighborhood.

This will be a "nice thing" for the neighborhood. Just because they are developing an area that previously housed an artist practice space does not mean that capitalism is not working. Quite the opposite. You might not like it because it does not specifically benefit you- but the free market determines the need/desire for development in a particular area.

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You’re right, capitalism is working as designed. It’s our culture, which puts zero value on the arts, that’s broken.

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The proponent would not build if there was not a desire for this type of building in the neighborhood.

Specifically, the developer thinks someone not in the neighborhood would like there to be this building in this neighborhood. The actual neighbors? That's a different question.

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You know Sound Museum is a business! Those evil capitalists charge people money.

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pump the brakes there, the sound museum is by no means nice. its pretty much a rat infested shithole.

that said, it was a fun place to attend shows (of questionable legality) there over the years. management never gave a shit when there were 50 people moshing in one of those small ass rooms.

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Despite having to stand on snaked extension cords under two inches of water and always wondering if you'd be electrocuted when you went to the bathroom.

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Another dagger to the Boston music scene. My band used to pay an arm and a leg to rehearse here but at least it was an option. We came here after our other over priced cocaroach infested rehearsal space was razed and turned into condos and a Tiffany Faison restaurant in fenway. There were few other choices in the city to rehearse at that point. Our fenway space was a shit hole but it was our home for years. I miss it every time I walk over there, roaches, mice and all.

We eventually gave up our space at sound museum as it was just no longer justifiable to keep spending more money than some pay for an apartment with nothing in return. We'd rehearse for weeks for a Monday night gig where we'd spends hours, lugging gear through snow sleet rain, up down stairs, loading cars etc. to play to 5 people and two other bands too selfish to even stick around to support the following act. "Promoters" who did no promoting but took 80% of the door. Hard to justify the rent and time to make $15 split 5 ways for what amounts to about 20+ hours of work. We were never in it for the money but it's just another cut in a death of a thousand cuts as a band just trying to keep it together, to have some fun and play a bit of music. We never needed to be rich, but to just break even would have been a dream. Unfortunately for us and many other bands the cost of entry to be a band in Boston is just too damn high to be worth it and like many others we threw in the towel.

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It sucks but part of me is happy to know that this experience is universal to the Boston music scene. I've been in a band for a decade at this point and that more or less sums up what it's like around here

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Isn't there enough life sciences labs around Boston/Watertown/Cambridge? Why here?

Either way, a TON of bands practice here, and its been a heartbeat for the Boston music scene for years. Sure, its a rat infested shit hole, and overpriced, but its a spot to play. If you close this, then less local bands, then less local clubs to book the bands. Finally you end up with only mega sized venues for LA/NYC bands touring through town. (if they even come up this far, most bands stop at NYC and go straight to Toronto these days).

Boston used to be a place people moved to start bands (the Cars, Pixies, etc). Now its a place music people avoid like the plague. Thanks gentrification!

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