Harvard rents a building!

As reported by the BRA and Allston Brighton Community Blog Harvard has RENTED one of the many empty buildings it owns in Allston!

I believe the building in question had been used by the Harvard Police and some contractors.  It seemed to be one of least run down buildings in their inventory.  Although the Crimson reports that some build out will happen maybe this will prove to Harvard that it needs to up the maintance of its vacant buildings to make them more marketable.

Regardless great news.  1 done, many to go.

Change to Lowe’s Meeting Schedule

Community Meeting #1 Wednesday, April 14, 2010 @ 6:30pm – St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, 736 Cambridge Street, Brighton, 4th floor of the Seton

Pavilion, Seton Auditorium.

Community Meeting #2 Monday, April 26, 2010 @ 6:30pm – Jackson Mann Community Center Auditorium, 500 Cambridge Street, Allston

BRA schedules Lowe’s meetings

And the process moves on.  I’m going to need to see a very good traffic mitigation plan to support Lowe’s at the location off Market St next to Stop and Shop.

What if they put their store at 176 Lincoln St?  This would require some traffic mitigation as well, but if a new Mass Pike exit dropped in on the Birmingham Pkwy that would take pressure off the Cambridge St exit.  This location would save Market St from gridlock.  The trick would be keeping people off Franklin and Everett St.

Please see the attached notice.   On Monday, April 5^th and 26^th, 2010, at 6:30pm the Boston Redevelopment Authority will conduct community meetings, at Jackson Mann Community Center Auditorium, 500 Cambridge Street, Allston, to discuss the LOWE’S Allston/Brighton proposal.  On June 6, 2007 Lowe’s Home Centers, Inc., submitted a Project Notification Form for an approximately 180,000sf retail store with four hundred and three (403) parking spaces on two (2) levels of parking.    The BRA issued a Scoping Determination on September 7, 2007 requesting further study of impacts associated with the proposed development.    On March 10, 2010 Lowe’s Home Centers, Inc., submitted a Draft Project Impact Report (that is available on the BRA’s website) for a proposed retail store and garden center containing approximately 144,600sf on 6.9 acres of land.  Lowe’s will be responsible for demolition of the existing buildings and construction of the new facility.   The proposed project will consist of approximately 101,600sf of retail, 22,500sf of garden center, 12,500sf of storage and 8,000sf of office and accessory uses.   A portion of the garden center will be “open air” and while other areas will be covered.   Parking will be supported on two (2) levels and have a total of three hundred and eighty-seven (387) spaces, two hundred and two (202) at grade and one hundred and eighty-five (185) on level two.   The store’s loading will be isolated to the western portion of the site and garden center loading on the easternmost portion of the site.

I hope you can attend,

Regards,

Jay

<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>

Jay Rourke

Senior Project Manager

Boston Redevelopment Authority

One City Hall Plaza

Boston Massachusetts 02201

617.918.4317 - w

617.742.7783 - f

jay.rourke.bra@cityofboston.gov

Lowe’s meeting tomorrow

From AllstonBrighton2006:

Lowe’s will be presenting their proposed Guest Street project before
the BAIA this Thursday night (March 4th) at the Elks Lodge # 2199, 326
Washington St., Brighton at 7 p.m

I’m already double booked for the night, so give’m hell.  Although I’m usually pro-empty-building-development I think Lowe’s is a poor choice for that location.  That area of Market St is almost impassable on Saturday or Sunday via motor vehicle.  A trip to Brighton Center from North Allston would require a helicopter if this gets approved.

The New Balance plan sounds much better if they can get buy in from the owners of the land.  A collaspe of the Lowe’s deal - again - should hopefully speed up counter offers.

A local Lowe’s would be nice though.  It just needs to be in a lot already served by a 4 lane road…