Moving to Camberville in May or June, looking for interesting industrial living space

[sparr0.livejournal.com]

For reference, I currently live in the office of a live/work-zoned 11000 square foot warehouse with 16 foot ceilings and a loading dock that floods in heavy rain, with no central heat/air. I like it, but could do without the flooding, and don't need nearly so much space.

What I'd like to find is something with a commercial/industrial feel, perhaps a Live/Work permitted space in Somerville, or an Article 14-17 or Residential Overlay or MXD zone in Cambridge, or an appropriately permitted MU or PUD zoned space in Arlington. My budget is around $2000/mo, and I'd prefer to aim a bit below that.

My target area is a 1 mile radius from the red line stations from Davis to Kendall, inclusive.
PS: I'm ALSO looking for more mundane accommodations, but I won't begin that search in earnest until April.

Comments

[tober.livejournal.com]

Nope - despite that Charlestown borders Somerville and is generally on the other side of The Charles from the rest of Boston, it is part of Boston. I don't know for certain but I would guess that in general zoning that allows for mixed industrial/residential (or otherwise living legally in an industrial/commercial space) is even more problematic in Boston than in Cambridge or Somerville. Somerville in particular seems to have at least somewhat embraced the notion of the live-in artist's studio whereas I don't really think Boston has.

[zaarwin-devolve.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I doubt Boston is the way to go. A few years ago, I knew some people who were living illegally (I think) in Allston in a warehouse. It burned down. They tried to reorganize in a new, legit space and worked with the city to make it happen. It was just an exercise in frustration. Last I heard, they found a space in Chelsea but that was almost three years ago and they never moved in. So, depending on how you feel about Chelsea, maybe you can try there if all else fails?

Good luck!

(Disclaimer: all I know is second-hand info, so take my post with a tractor-trailer-sized grain of salt.)

[cos]

I know the people from that space in Allston, sparr0, if you want me to put you in touch with them. Though I wouldn't be surprised if you already know some of them through other connections.

[sparr0.livejournal.com]

I certainly wouldn't mind!