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davis_square2012-10-24 02:48 pm
ron_newman) wrote in davis_square2012-10-24 02:48 pm
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More on Miso Market: safe for the next 3 years
[forwarded from John Howard on Porter Square Neighbors mailing list]
Miso Market, the last remaining store in the Bob Slate building at 1963 Mass Ave, has gained a three year reprieve.
To review: after Bob Slate's closed, Stellabella decided to move to Davis Square. That left only Miso Market occupied in the Slate building. The word on the street was that the Slates wanted to sell out and retire, and that they had found a potential buyer who apparently intend to demolish the building and replace it with condos plus ground floor retail. That's not a big surprise; the lot is a natural for "transit oriented development" since it is quite close to the MBTA station and appears to have enough space for up to 22 residential units.
Zoning would allow, or even encourage, such a project. The front part of the building (in the Business C zone) could be 55 feet high, like the bankrupt disaster (Long's Funeral Home) next door, dropping to 35 feet in the back of the lot, which is zoned Residential C. The project would not require a special permit, so the developer would be able to proceed without much neighborhood input. The only hoop to be jumped through would be getting a curb cut for the required underground parking. Curb cuts are handled directly by the City Council and it is my understanding that every building gets one somewhere. The question would be where to put it.
The fly in the ointment is that Miso Market just recently invested a lot of effort and money in renovating their space, including building a whole new kitchen. Everybody I've asked likes Miso Market and hopes for their continuing success and presence in Porter Square. Moving or even shutting down temporarily would be a real burden for them. The owners (Steve and Fumi Genova) are gathering signatures on a petition demonstrating neighborhood support.
We have just learned that Miso Market has three years left on their lease and apparently can not be evicted unilaterally. This is corroborated by the fact that the AT&T Cellco store in the Galleria has closed and has a sign in the window saying that they are moving to 1967 Mass Ave. That's the former Stellabella space.
We can breathe a sigh of relief for at least the next three years. The problem remains over the longer term, however. If Miso Market eventually must make way for new construction, it would be in everybody's interest to have them remain somewhere in Porter Square. I'd like to see the building's owners and tenants work out mutual plan which allows appropriate development without destroying one of the few retail businesses with the gumption to start up in the current bad economy. For example, a developer of a multimillion dollar condo project surely could afford to subsidize a move to a nearby space, thus avoiding legal or political hassles, delays, and uncertainty over breaking or even not renewing leases.
John Howard
[Earlier posts about Miso Market: http://davis-square.livejournal.com/2989159.html and http://davis-square.livejournal.com/2995373.html ]
Miso Market, the last remaining store in the Bob Slate building at 1963 Mass Ave, has gained a three year reprieve.
To review: after Bob Slate's closed, Stellabella decided to move to Davis Square. That left only Miso Market occupied in the Slate building. The word on the street was that the Slates wanted to sell out and retire, and that they had found a potential buyer who apparently intend to demolish the building and replace it with condos plus ground floor retail. That's not a big surprise; the lot is a natural for "transit oriented development" since it is quite close to the MBTA station and appears to have enough space for up to 22 residential units.
Zoning would allow, or even encourage, such a project. The front part of the building (in the Business C zone) could be 55 feet high, like the bankrupt disaster (Long's Funeral Home) next door, dropping to 35 feet in the back of the lot, which is zoned Residential C. The project would not require a special permit, so the developer would be able to proceed without much neighborhood input. The only hoop to be jumped through would be getting a curb cut for the required underground parking. Curb cuts are handled directly by the City Council and it is my understanding that every building gets one somewhere. The question would be where to put it.
The fly in the ointment is that Miso Market just recently invested a lot of effort and money in renovating their space, including building a whole new kitchen. Everybody I've asked likes Miso Market and hopes for their continuing success and presence in Porter Square. Moving or even shutting down temporarily would be a real burden for them. The owners (Steve and Fumi Genova) are gathering signatures on a petition demonstrating neighborhood support.
We have just learned that Miso Market has three years left on their lease and apparently can not be evicted unilaterally. This is corroborated by the fact that the AT&T Cellco store in the Galleria has closed and has a sign in the window saying that they are moving to 1967 Mass Ave. That's the former Stellabella space.
We can breathe a sigh of relief for at least the next three years. The problem remains over the longer term, however. If Miso Market eventually must make way for new construction, it would be in everybody's interest to have them remain somewhere in Porter Square. I'd like to see the building's owners and tenants work out mutual plan which allows appropriate development without destroying one of the few retail businesses with the gumption to start up in the current bad economy. For example, a developer of a multimillion dollar condo project surely could afford to subsidize a move to a nearby space, thus avoiding legal or political hassles, delays, and uncertainty over breaking or even not renewing leases.
John Howard
[Earlier posts about Miso Market: http://davis-square.livejournal.com/2989159.html and http://davis-square.livejournal.com/2995373.html ]
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I don't think forcing a landlord to subsidize a move is fair. The tenants rights are what they agreed to in the lease agreement. There are pros and cons to both owning and renting, and each business has to make their decision. If you start down your road, you're going to further reduce the amount of retail out there because less will be offered in the first place in that type of coercive environment.
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o_O
God, US zoning sucks.