Project Proponent: New Brighton Landing, LLC.

Project Description: The site described in the Master Plan contains approximately 13.98 acres (about 608,969 square feet) of land area located on both the north and south sides of Guest Street and the east side of Life Street, in Brighton. The portion of the site on the northerly side of Guest Street is bounded to the north by land of the MBTA, to the south by Guest Street, to the east by a Stop & Shop Supermarket and to the west by the office complex known as Brighton Landing. The portion on the southerly side of Guest Street is bounded to the north by Edward C. Joyce, Trustee/B.L. Makepeace, Inc., and to the west by Life Street. Only a small 8,049 square foot parcel on the southerly side of Guest Street is not contiguous to any of the other parcels (collectively, the “Project Site”). The Master Plan describes four new projects (each, a “Proposed Project,” and collectively, the “Proposed Projects”) to be located on the Project Site: (i) a new Office Use building with accessory parking and loading to house New Balance employees, managers and officers, together with Retail Use, Restaurant Use and Service Use; (ii) a new Office Use building or buildings with accessory parking and loading, Restaurant Use, Retail Use, and Service Use; (iii) a Hotel Use with accessory parking and loading, Restaurant Use, Retail Use, and Service Use; and (iv) a sports facility with accessory parking and loading, Restaurant Use, Retail Use, and Service Use. The Master Plan sets forth the proposed location and range of dimensions of the Proposed Projects, the proposed uses, a traffic analysis for the Proposed Projects and the anticipated public benefits of the Proposed Projects. The Master Plan also describes the planning objectives and character of the Proposed Projects.

Meeting Date/ Place: 7:00 PM, Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at the WGBH Auditorium, One Guest Street, Brighton, MA 02135

Close of Comment Period: Monday, May 7, 2012

MAIL TO: ERICO LOPEZ
BOSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
ONE CITY HALL SQUARE, 9TH FLOOR
BOSTON, MA 02201
FAX TO: 617-742-7783
PHONE: 617-918-4429
EMAILTO: erico.lpoez.bra@cityofboston.gov

Erico J. Lopez
Senior Project Manager
Boston Redevelopment Authority
One City Hall Square
Boston, MA 02201
(p) 617-918-4429
(f) 617-742-7783
Erico.Lopez.BRA@cityofboston.gov

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2012/2/15/harvard-plans-worry-residents/

After skimming it, in general, I’m happy with it:

- Alludes to the need for a commuter rail connection for the neighborhood

- Discusses the current traffic problems and possible solutions

- Envisions more green space and bike lanes, while still maintaining street parking

- In general, does not propose residential housing too close to the Pike, which study after study has shown is a bad idea

- Envisions offices near the Pike NOT big box retailers (aka Lowes)

More info in this Globe article: http://bostonglobe.com/metro/2011/11/18/harvard-makes-foray-into-start-scene-with-lab/RUzKF02RM27W84JshJKHtO/story.html

I am very happy to see that space put to use! But I am also curious about the mission. The quoted mission statement is:

The Harvard innovation lab is a new and innovative initiative fostering team-based and entrepreneurial activities and deepening interactions among Harvard students, faculty, entrepreneurs, and members of the Allston and Greater Boston community.

I haven’t really seen how this will directly benefit anyone in the Allston or Boston community, so it seems to me that i-lab is a strictly Harvard only initiative. Will local (non-Harvard) entrepreneurs be invited to work in the space? For now, it seems the answer is no.

I have previously run my business from MIT’s One Broadway C3 coworking space / incubator, which has been incredibly friendly and open to the entire boston-based entrepreneurship community. If Harvard would open its doors to Boston, and especially Allston, entrepreneurs, I think it would see a lot of benefits. But, it remains to be seen if Harvard will do this. There is certainly no information on how to do that on their website. Or more likely, in a typical Harvard-esque maneuver, the  community will be completely shut out from any newly developed resources. I guess time will tell, but I’m hoping they decide to actually fulfill their mission statement, and offer space to Allston startups…

Check out the Harvard i-lab directly here: http://i-lab.harvard.edu/

Oh, and if you can find a “contact us” button on the i-lab webpage somewhere let me know. I couldn’t

Dear Advisory Group members for the Brighton / Guest Street Planning Study:

The Boston Redevelopment Authority, together with its Sasaki consultant team, will be holding the second Advisory Group working session for the Brighton / Guest Street Area Planning Study in order to discuss development scenarios, criteria and economic impacts for the study area, and obtain feedback from the Advisory Group and the community.  The public is welcome to attend all Advisory Group working sessions, and all working sessions will be posted on the BRA’s meeting calendar webpage.

Advisory Group Working Session #2 will be held on Thursday, September 15, 2011 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the Brighton Marine Health Center in conference room #1 at 77 Warren Street (between Commonwealth Avenue and Cambridge Street) in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston.  Parking is free and the building is wheelchair accessible.  Our offices are easily accessible by MBTA trains and buses. By subway, take the Green “B” Line train to the Warren Street stop. We are located a half block west of the stop.  You may also take the #57 bus (Kenmore Square/Watertown Limited) to the corner of Cambridge and Warren Streets. We are located a half block east of the bus stop.

The purpose of the Brighton Planning Study is to examine development scenarios and their economic and physical impacts, and ultimately make recommendations for appropriate mix of uses, urban design massing, and public realm improvements, traffic mitigation measures, and economic development opportunities.

Please feel free to call or email us should you have any questions at:

• Mary Knasas, Senior Planner III – 617.918.4489 – mary.knasas.bra@cityofboston.gov; or

• Carlos J. Montañez, Senior Planner II – 617.918.4442 –carlos.montanez.bra@cityofboston.gov

Gratefully,

Carlos

_________________________________________________

Carlos J. Montañez, Senior Planner

-  Neighborhood Planner for Allston-Brighton & East Boston

-  Rutherford Ave/Sullivan Sq Planning

-  Harrison-Albany Corridor Strategic Planning

-  Brighton Guest Street Planning

Boston Redevelopment Authority

One City Hall Square   |  Boston, MA 02201-1007

617.918.4442 |  carlos.montanez.bra@cityofboston.gov

MassHousing has closed a $106.2 million loan for the redevelopment of the controversial Charlesview Apartments project in Brighton.

The transaction…will result in 240 new apartments for low-income residents.

…Harvard is committing $72 million to the project…The redevelopment will also include new street patterns, a park, community center, 14,000 square feet of retail space and underground parking for 242 vehicles.

[Harvard] doesn’t operate on the same timetable as the rest of the city. It banks land to ensure that it has room to grow in the coming century. But Harvard’s own long-term interests don’t square with its neighbors’ more immediate concerns. Allston residents have watched in recent years as spots like Kenmore Square and Brigham Circle have received drastic makeovers, thanks to ambitious private development. In Allston, all development is tied to Harvard, and Harvard is in no hurry to build. The school says it has plans to remake the neighborhood, but it’s not really in the neighborhood-building business. Which is why every time Harvard rolls out a new plan for reshaping Allston, the refrain is: We’ll believe it when we see it.

25 and 50 year plans are all fine and good, but we NEED a REAL 5 year plan that addresses ALL the Allston properties.

If its “relatively inexpensive ” to add a stop at MIT then it should still be relatively inexpensive to add an Allston/Brighton stop.

A Brighton Landing to North Station train could get an Allston/Brighton resident to the parade tomorrow in no time!

I should also add that this is the first I’ve heard that the Urban Ring is dead.  Hopefully this will be reanimated in the future as it could be great for mass transit access in Allston.

Harry did a great job covering this over a number of posts:

Not sticking to plan

Good questions

Sprawl design

The empty building on Lincoln St was a property that we had long complained about.  I want say that in an earlier meeting it was named as a possible office building for Harvard (citation needed).  I liked it for a Kendall Square style incubator or Cumming Center-like small business center.  All those thoughts are now moot.

Now the question is what happens to the Boston Skate land?  The last Charlesview plan called for a mixed income condo tower on the same side of the street.  Could this turn the river side of Western Ave into a row of high rises?  Although not totally desirable if attention is paid to permeability, shadows on the existing parks and ground floor public uses/retail this could work out.

I should also add that I’m somewhat relived that the Lincoln St property has now been dealt with.  It was a huge eyesore for anyone viewing Allston from the Pike.  I was also concerned that it might be used for affordable housing as a token give back to the community due to its undesirable location for Harvard as its not contiguous with its lots slated for academic use.  Mounting evidence shows that children should not live near highways, so a commercial use for this property is an acceptable outcome.