The 37 North Beacon Street proposal, cars or not, seems to have been junked for good at a Board of Appeal hearing on April 23. The board voted to deny without prejudice.
April 9, 2013
No parking allowed: City Hall garages 37 N. Beacon plan
Despite the overwrought adoration – “the talk of Boston” and “bold” and “stylish” – accorded to a plan to put an ugly building that disregarded recently redesigned zoning – the bromance is over. Today the proposal was abruptly yanked from the Board of Appeals agenda, despite the BRA’s previous approval. Seems the developer doesn’t have title to the property, or even a current agreement that will allow him to purchase, depending on approval.
April 3, 2013
With parking or not, 37 North Beacon plan still alive?
Is the 37 North Beacon development a done deal? I haven’t been able to confirm this, but there is talk that proponent Sebastian Mariscal’s option on the property has expired. A new developer may be in the mix. Either way, this site needs a better designed building that is less dense. The city’s Guest Street planning area, which encompasses this site and big swath of the neighborhood, calls for guidelines for height and size that this proposal ignores.
March 16, 2013
Building approved with parking developer didn’t want
The building originally intended for the carless has been approved by the BRA, but with 35 parking spaces for the 41 apartments, along with two spots for bikes per unit. It will occupy the property at the corner of North Beacon and Everett Streets. The final approval is up to the Zoning Board of Appeals, but is extremely likely. Too bad there weren’t any changes to the size and design. Five storys is too high, and the exterior is just ugly.
The no-parking aspect always struck me as a bit of greenwashing and not a new concept. Commonwealth Avenue and its side streets are packed with parked vehicles from residents of the parking-free buildings that line it. This, despite the B-line that runs up the middle.
February 5, 2013
62 units, plus commercial space proposed for 425 Washington & 10 Parsons site
The developer will present his plans for the property this Thursday night at the BAIA meeting at 7PM. It will include 10,000 square feet of commercial space and 104 parking spaces. A design that preserves the house at 10 Parsons would be great. Full agenda here. Last fall the property owner withdrew his plan to demolish 10 Parsons, pledging to work with the neighborhood. Also on the agenda is a plan for 37 units (with no parking) at the corner of North Beacon and Everett Streets.
UPDATE: Will the 37 Everett proposal have parking or not? It depends. At the BRA meeting, it was no parking. At the Allston Civic, 37 parking spaces materialized. It is absurd to think that no one will have a car. Wonder what the developer will conjure up for Thursday night.
CORRECTION: The proposal is for 44 units, as stated in the original post, link above.
May 30, 2012
No cows allowed
Allston is about to get a vegan ice cream shop, Nomu (no moo, get it?). The lactose-free emporium will be located on Cambridge Street in Union Square. The neighborhood sure has changed.
Brighton Cattle Yards, circa 1850. Image via Brighton Allston Historical Society.
May 8, 2012
Eat your vegetables
The Allston Farmer’s Market is returning, starting this Saturday, May 12. Union Square will be a cacophony of push carts, stalls and vendors hawking produce twice per month, so you will have to eat twice as much green stuff as you did last year. Eat healthy, then drink away at the Model.
January 26, 2012
Penniman for your thoughts
The Penniman on the Park proposal won approval from the Boston Redevelopment Authority back in December 2011. The next step, a hearing for a number of zoning variances, will be held on Tuesday, February 14. Penniman Road runs off Hano Street, behind the Walgreen’s in Union Square, Allston. If approved, which looks all but certain, the building will be five stories high with 36 condos and 17 parking spaces. (Image courtesy of the BRA website.)