Related to SS Building issues

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

I just noticed in the Boston Globe article about the structural issues of the Social Security building this morning that it states that Roche Brothers has pulled out of moving into that space. That's the first I've heard about it falling through, and I'll be disappointed if it's true.

Comments

[mackenchz.livejournal.com]

Took me by surprise, too. Here is the article for those who have not already seen it. (http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/06/23/portions-davis-square-building-somerville-risk-collapse/IIlnZTydNLRCLMpHvjhBJP/story.html) The quote is from the mayor himself.

[keithn.livejournal.com]

It came from the Mayor through the Globe, so there's no reason to doubt that it's true.

What a complete and utter disaster this whole saga has been. The developer, the zoning board, and the board of aldermen all couldn't have done much worse of a job if they had tried.

I think it's about time for the Mayor to step in and use his full weight to put an end to this fiasco. Whatever it takes. This situation has been an embarrassment for years and now with the street closures it's reached a whole new level of dysfunction.

[vonelftinhaus.livejournal.com]

what I don't understand is the lack of oversight with this whole situation from the start to this point; or was it follow thru in certain area's? Such a high traffic area and the actual incident that put the scaffolding/curtain around the building in the first place- I was shocked to hear that the owner of the building had not done any work at all on it. Even more surprising is that when residents want to do home improvements the hurdles they have to jump through to do simple things to beautify there home and improve the neighborhood seems out of place to what has happened here- now causing other people and business's to suffer.

[wintahill.livejournal.com]

Well, I guess we are back to square one now as far as locating an acceptable new tenant for the Social Security building, because the Crunch Gym pulled out as well. Unfortunately now the building is in worse physical shape than before and its' structural deterioration is negatively affecting other businesses and the safety of general public within the square.

What a mess.

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing the problem is that there's not much the city can do if the owner of a building just lets it sit there and rot. (See the former dance hall near Powderhouse.) They can eventually take it over, as they did with a couple of abandoned houses near Ball Square, but I imagine that's a lengthy and difficult legal process.

[greyautumnrain.livejournal.com]

FWIW, I find that I am much less disappointed to hear the Roche Bros. is pulling out than I would have been a few weeks ago. Roche Bros. opened a location at downtown crossing near where I work a few weeks ago. (It's in the former Filenes's Basement.) I thought it would be great, I could pick up this and that as I headed into the T on my way home. Then I saw the prices. A lot of things were literally twice as expensive as Stop and Shop. There is a limit to how much I am willing to pay for convenience.