http://billharnois.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] billharnois.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] davis_square2012-03-30 11:37 pm
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[personal profile] ron_newman 2012-03-31 04:06 am (UTC)(link)
Do you mean the corner of Cutter and Summer, across from the VFW? That's going to be a mixed office-residential-retail building. If you check the 'development' tag we've probably discussed it before.

[personal profile] ron_newman 2012-03-31 05:35 am (UTC)(link)
It's a speculative developer building, not one commissioned by or for a particular occupant. I don't think any lease has been signed yet for the commercial space. I have some vague recollection that the developer promised not to lease it to a restaurant.

A bank would be quite boring.
Edited 2012-03-31 11:27 (UTC)

[identity profile] wobblymusic.livejournal.com 2012-04-05 10:44 am (UTC)(link)
Interesting about the restaurant, since there's what looks like a patio of sorts being built out on the Summer Street side that made me think "restaurant!". Did they also promise no coffee shops (not that we need another one)?

[identity profile] masswich.livejournal.com 2012-03-31 07:35 pm (UTC)(link)
I suspect they are building the ground level commercial/retail because they had to - they mostly wanted to build the residential. So they may eventually get a tenant for the ground level space but may not have one at first.

The building looks OK but I don't like the fact that it has a plaque (covered by plastic right now, but occasionally visible when the plastic blows off) that names the building after the developer. That is always cheesy.

[personal profile] ron_newman 2012-03-31 09:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Just to be contrary, I think the Hobbs Building (Somerville Theatre) was named after its developer, way back in 1914. And that name is etched in stone.
Edited 2012-03-31 21:17 (UTC)

[identity profile] somerfriend.livejournal.com 2012-04-01 05:06 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm bothered by buildings switching to residential. There are 2 such buildings changing on Cedar St between Highland and Broadway and the entire Maxpak is a switch from commercial to residential. I live in Somerville because I want to walk to businesses. We also need more jobs to be located in Somerville.

[personal profile] ron_newman 2012-04-02 03:57 am (UTC)(link)
This is switching from a single commercial business (a gas station, then a rent-a-car place) to a mixed-use building with commercial, office, and residential all together. That's a win by any standard.