Keeping a Close Eye On The Harvard Allston Expansion
With the announcement of the construction slowdown of the science complex in Allston, some of us Allston residents realized that there may very well be a large hole in the ground for many more years to come.
Suddenly, we looked around and saw that there were many issues with the Harvard 50 year plan for Allston that the neighborhood needs to keep an eye on. For those that live in Allston / Brighton, or in Cambridge, or in Boston, we need to be more vigilant to prevent our town from becoming nothing more than empty buildings for the next 50 years.
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I want my new park and triple deckers…
Posted on April 29th, 2009 2 comments
Walking around last Sunday there were lots of great things to see — utility boxes being painted (1) and new pansies planted everywhere (2). Walking around to the other side of the river I saw a new park near completion at the corner of Western and Memorial where Mahoney’s used to be. The park looked like it was very well designed and had 3 new buildings rising behind it (top of image to the left). The buildings blended in with the neighborhood well — not too tall, not too wide. If it wasn’t for the new paint and my memory of the area I would have said they were there for years. I thought what a great model for Harvard and/or Charlesview to follow. I asked a friend in Cambridgeport and he said it was new MIT housing. Great! I can write a blog lambasting Harvard and holding up MIT as an example of what is pure and good.
Wrong! Upon googling the project it became quickly clear this was a Harvard development (3). Wha-wha-what?!? I’m confused. Shouldn’t there be a large tower blocking the river or perhaps a large hole in the ground (ok, there was a small hole, but I saw the dirt that was going to fill it in piled next to it)?
Ok, I’m bashing Harvard for the new Charlesview design, which they allegedly have no control over, and for a building that they allegedly don’t have the money to complete and they ARE continuing work on the Library Park. All I have to say is they seem to be doing a pretty good job on the other side of the river and spotty job on this side.
And at the risk of sounding like a broken record — the new Charlesview will be their neighbor too. If that comes off poorly Harvard students won’t need http://www.thisisharvard.org to see poorly maintained Harvard-related buildings, they will only need to look out their classroom or apartment windows.
(1) http://allston02134.blogspot.com/2009/04/boston-shines-brings-art-to-western-ave.html; My favorite so far is the one in front of Stadium Autobody.
(2) Can’t get the photos off my camera with BitPim, but walk around they’re really there! Especially in Barry’s Corner.
(3) http://www.cambridgema.gov/cdd/cp/parks/riverside/index.html
2 responses to “I want my new park and triple deckers…”
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I think the housing next to the park where Mahoney’s used to be is nice is partly due to the neighbors. While there are privately owned buildings there, many are also owned by Harvard. My sense has always been that Harvard has made a greater effort to treat communities across the river with more respect than it gives to North Allston. That is not to say that residents across the was HAVEN’T had problems with Harvard – I know they have – but as a whole I feel we do get treated with less respect, and I have multiple theories as to why, but it would not be appropriate to vent them here.
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[...] notes from my ride – The park I mentioned on 4/29 is STILL under construction. I can’t comment on the schedule since I haven’t been [...]
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