Carli Fence Development

[ryanwanger.livejournal.com]

I was at the Task Force meeting last night, and just wrote a post about the development. Check it out here: http://davissquaredevelopment.blogspot.com/2008/02/future-development-carli-fence-site.html

BTW, does anyone have a pic of the proposed plans? I'd love to see that space turned into something useful, but hopefully something a little more than just 15 condo-boxes in a building with parking spots out front.

Comments

[righteousness-1.livejournal.com]

So for a lousy $1m, the damn city couldn't have picked up this land and worked with Somerville Garden Club and other interested parties to try and improve this claustrophobic town? My guess is they know the developer and will facilitate him/her in squeezing a few more bucks in property taxes out of the poor sods who have to fork out a half mil for a box.

NO kidding!

[shana-lyons.livejournal.com]

That would have been the best solution ever. It's so sad that that's probably not going to be what happens here,especially given how it directly abuts the bike path.

[fefie.livejournal.com]

"So for a lousy $1m, the damn city couldn't have picked up this land and worked with Somerville Garden Club ..."

The city sure doesn't have 1m lying around to invest in a garden. I'm very disappointed that the property won't be used in a creative commercial way to service the neighborhood and people on the path.

[benicevenice.livejournal.com]

"and other interested parties"

[ryanwanger.livejournal.com]

My guess is that people who want to live in the neighborhood want to live in the type of housing that's already there?

Doesn't seem like the new projects are doing as well: Davis Square Condominiums, One Russell, that villa looking thing over on Mass Ave...

On the other hand, you have the Davis Square Lofts, which, although they don't look like everything else, they have personality, are unique (the other new projects have layouts and floorplans similar to the existing 2 and 3 families, but packaged in a giant, non-cute building), and have some historical significance.

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

Who is the developer?
Is 'Davis Square Condominiums' the building at the corner of Willow and Morrison? If you want to know why it's not doing well, go in and look around at their next open house. I wouldn't give you half of what they're asking for those places. The most expensive unit is on the third floor, and they have no elevator, and the 'master bedroom' would barely fit a queen-size bed! Also, the developer is a problem. Several units do not yet have a certificate of occupancy and are not on the market because the developer chose not to follow the approved plans. They are trying to iron it all out, although I worry that in the end the developer will get his way! Look around...this city is developer- and condo-friendly. That's why we continue to have a decreasing commercial tax base.

[ron_newman]

The developer of the Carli Fence property also proposes six third-floor units with no elevator, along with four on the second floor and two on the ground floor.

[303-5.livejournal.com]

Interesting; thanks for sharing. It's hard to believe that the developer was unaware of the similarly sized Davis Square Condominiums building, which is only about a block away. I, too, don't understand why some of these developers don't try to match the existing neighborhood design aesthetic.

[bostonartist.livejournal.com]

I was at the meeting. It was the Architect who said he was not aware of the condos on the next block. I got the feeling that this architect works on LOTS of plans at the same time and is not as familiar with the site as he should be. The developer who was also present, knows of the condos on the next block I would bet.

[ryanwanger.livejournal.com]

Ahh...thanks for that. I missed the beginning, so I wasn't sure who was who. What is the name of the developer/development company?

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

We definitely need more restaurants....

Ok but seriously, aside from housing, what do you think would be a good use of the space? Studios? Offices? Shops?

[somertricky.livejournal.com]

I'd take a small cafe (something that doesn't require a full kitchen) on that parcel that fronts Willow and runs parallel to the bike path; baristas would have to have a working knowledge of basic bicycle repair.

Studios would be nice; live-work spaces for artists really would float my boat. Anything besides straight cookie-cutter condos.

[fefie.livejournal.com]

"Anything besides straight cookie-cutter condos."

I'm with ya. And a parking lot next to the bike path? I wrote Rebekah Gewirtz about this when the lot went up for sale, but it didn't seem that she could do anything. I'd love to see a little Wheelworks outpost for bike repair (like that tiny bike shop up in Arlington on the Minute Man) an ice cream shop or coffee shop with restroom and water (after all, the bike path will be extended to Lechmere someday), little bookshop perhaps, flower shop, a couple of offices. It's really disappointing that the lot won't be used in a creative commercial way to benefit the neighborhood and people on the path.

What is it about this city that it keeps attracting condo developers and not good commercial development?

[ron_newman]

I just posted my own notes from the Task Force meeting.

[ron_newman]

And here is a report from Matt Kaplan of the Powderhouse newspaper.

[narya.livejournal.com]

Hey, I was trying to follow your link and it's now open to invited readers only. Is that intentional?