Sale of property where Dick's Auto Body is located

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Has anyone heard anything about the property being sold where Dick's Auto Body is, on Elmwood St just next to the bike path? I heard a rumor about this, and was wondering if anyone else could confirm it.

Comments

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

I don't know who purchased it, but i know the proposal is more high end luxury condos.

Ah, here you go:
Developers William Senné and Adam Siegel, architect Peter Quinn, and attorney Sean Hope will present ​their ​plans to demolish the two​ industrial ​buildings adjacent to the Linear Park ​at 95-99 Elmwood Street ​and replace them with a four-story, 34-unit, 36,000-square-foot ​apartment house​​ with an underground parking garage and a small commercial space.​
​ Architect's renderings are ​Web-posted HERE.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/v387o3k2p9cuusx/BOARDS%20reduced.pdf?dl=0

From the north cambridge stabilization commitee email.

[ron_newman]

I hope the city of Cambridge will require them to keep access to the Linear Park path from the end of Elmwood Street.

[kelkyag]

<eyes google maps> I don't know how accurate their lot lines are, but as marked, that bit of path is on the same lot as the street, not the lot Dick's is on.

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

Could be, i know the city maintains that fence...

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

That was my first thought as well. I hope this means they make it an official opening.

[nathanjw]

The renderings seen above show good connections from the Elmwood Street side of the project to the bike path, so I'm hopeful that they see that as something that's worthwhile in the first place. I have to assume "direct bike/walking path to Davis Square" is a selling point of the units, especially given the specification of as many covered bike spaces as units.

As shown, it's a relatively interesting set of residences - not just the usual 2 or 3-bedroom units, but some one-bedroom and studio units as well.

[mattdm.livejournal.com]

> As shown, it's a relatively interesting set of residences - not just the usual 2 or 3-bedroom units, but some one-bedroom and studio units as well.


That seems like the opposite of interesting around here — aren't these new things mostly all one or two bedrooms and studios?

[alphacygni]

Recently I mostly see all uniform 2-bed/2-bath lux units that are not useful to families, or singles who don't want a huge unit. The recent 39/41 Elmwood, for instance. This has everything from 356sq ft studios (!) to practically house-sized 3-bedroom units. That seems like a useful thing.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Ugh, this is killing me! This is a great body shop!

[elramsay.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's near me. With the Tannery Brook development almost done I was wondering if it would be next.

Based on the plans and the use, (thanks for posting!) it looks like they will be permanently opening up the access from Elmwood to the bike path. The plan shows retail at the corner closet to the path, so must be counting on walk-in traffic. It would be a nice place for a coffee shop, there's not much along the path until you get to Davis (or the DDs at Alewife).

[ron_newman]

There's a coffee shop where the path hits Cameron and Mass Ave, though I can't remember what it is now called (used to be Singabella Cafe)

[elramsay.livejournal.com]

Fiorellas is an Italian food and pizza place, it's not open in the mornings and is not a coffee place. So there's been a lack of morning places around there since SingaBella closed.

Bike Path Access

[smammy]

Just because the plans show access to the bike path, PLEASE don't assume that it will happen. Abutters often fight access of any sort, fearing that it will reduce safety/privacy. If access is important to you, show up and be heard; folks against it sure will.

Re: Bike Path Access

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

In this case, access is already there, so it should hopefully be easier to keep it than to create new access.

RE: Re: Bike Path Access

[alphacygni]

When an overzealous fence repair contractor (or that's how the story went) patched up the existing hole in the fence that provides access, the outcry from the neighborhood was immediate and loud, and it was opened up again within days. I'm pretty sure we like our bike path access, here on this street (I'm an Elmwood resident).

RE: Bike Path Access

[elramsay.livejournal.com]

I agree that folks should show up to be heard but I also think, in this case, the walkway will open permanently and not find much opposition. I live in that neighborhood. We are actually pretty fond of our little Elmwood tunnel.