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

[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?