This is a much nicer, though slightly longer, way to bike (or walk) from Davis Square to Trader Joe's. It avoids Route 16 entirely. Google Maps won't send you this way by default, though.

I don't think the city was an obstacle to Roche Bros. The ZBA approved them with little opposition. The landlord failed to reach agreement on easements with neighboring property owners, and then pieces of exterior wall started falling into the street. Eventually the city demanded that the landlord fix up the building properly, but Roche Bros. didn't want to wait.