Miner St. Developments

[briv]

These two projects are across the street from one another.

There is an article in the latest Banker & Tradesman about the fierce opposition concerning the height of Stonewall Audobon Circle, the proposed 9 story retirement home for gays and lesbians:


Project Opponents Cite Height, Not Lifestyles
By Thomas Grillo

The region?s first active-adult community for gays and lesbians proposed near Fenway Park in Boston is facing fierce opposition from neighbors, but not because of any anti-gay sentiment. Shown in this artist?s rendering, Stonewall Audubon Circle is planned as an over-55 community for gays and lesbians near Fenway Park in Boston. Leaders of a local neighborhood association say the 9-story development would be out of scale in the residential neighborhood.


Design by Sheskey Architects.


16 Miner Street is directly across the street and is already well into construction. Design by the Architectural Team.

[palindrome]

9 storys soaring into the sky!! Oh my heavens!

[briv]

Here's an aerial of the proposed site of Stonewall Audobon Circle. I wish they used actual height in feet rather than stories when they talk about the building. A residential story in 2006 is a good bit less than a residential story in the early 1900s-- when most of the surrounding residential buildings were built. Anyways, I think the claim that 9 stories (around 90-100 feet?) would be greatly out of scale with the existing fabric is inaccurate at best. There are plenty of buildings in the surrounding area, on both sides of Beacon, of relatively similar height -- not to mention the site's proximity to Landmark Center, Trilogy and other future Boylston St projects, which will make it appear minuscule in comparison. But above all this, how can it be out of scale with the fabric in a place where there is no real fabric? It sits at the edge of No Man's Land.

Incidentally, has anyone ever noticed the funky glass structures on the roof of Landmark Center? These must have been part of Bruner Cott's renovation? Anyone know what they are?

[pharmerdave]

The glass structures on the roof of the Sears building are just skylights for the two open atriums at either end of the building.

[KentXie]

Look at all those surface parking lot, prime for development.

[jass]

Originally Posted by DarkFenX

Look at all those surface parking lot, prime for development.

Isnt the parking lot on the right where this building now stands?

[JS38]

No, the parking lot in the bottom right of the aerial is where Trilogy Place now is. The rendering you posted is of 1330 Boylston, which will be basically across the street from Trilogy, on the southern side of Bolyston Street, but out of sight of the aerial above.

See previous posts for more information on both of these projects, in the thread Fenway Area Redevelopment.

[ablarc]

This area should have forty story buildings.

[aHigherBoston78]

Complaining about 9 floors? What is that - roughly 100'-150'? Please. They should be so lucky. The gays are generally peaceful people. How about this Fenway residents: we'll cater to your demands and cut it down to 5 floors. But instead of some nice old gay folks, it will be 100% housing projects...

[type001]

Originally Posted by aHigherBoston78

Complaining about 9 floors? What is that - roughly 100'-150'? Please. They should be so lucky. The gays are generally peaceful people. How about this Fenway residents: we'll cater to your demands and cut it down to 5 floors. But instead of some nice old gay folks, it will be 100% housing projects...

Exactly! Very well put. And yes, they should be so lucky to have anything that nice be built there whether it is 50 ft or 200 ft. That small portion of Beacon St before the Park Sq intersection has needed a revival for so long, and it is prime area! That building with the repair shop at the corner of

So just out of curiousity, does one have to prove that he/she is gay somehow to live there?

[type001]

How embaressing... I accidentally submitted before I was finished ops:

That building with the repair shop at the corner of Miner and Beacon has always looked so out of place. I wouldn't say it looks completely horrible, but it always screamed for some kind of rennovation. I wonder if those buisness in that building would remain. Is that where An-Tu-Nua (sp?) is too?

[briv]

Originally Posted by type001

So just out of curiousity, does one have to prove that he/she is gay somehow to live there?

According to the full Banker & Tradesman article, which isnt available online without a subscription, no. I guess it's being marketed toward gays but there isnt any gay requirement. I dont think you have to know the secret handshake or present your gay certification papers or anything. Evidently, anyone so inclined can live there.

I think the only real requisite is that youre old and, most likely, rich.

[aHigherBoston78]

I think it's pretty much impossible to prove your sexuality. I [a gay guy] could go out and bang some chick (:?), but that doesn't prove that I'm straight.

Ok...getting off topic. Back on topic: It's a nice facility, it serves a good purpose, and it will create jobs. Just f-ing build this already!

[kz1000ps]

9 stories is by no means out of place there. Stand in Audubon Circle and you see tons of sky, meaning that for the width of that open space, the street wall could stand to be a good deal taller without the Circle feeling overwhelmed. And come on.. a century-old six story walk-up is an angel while nine new floors is the devil incarnate??

[type001]

Thanks for the explanation guys!

How many NIMBYs are there actually in that area that would have a problem with this? I assumed it was mostly upperclass BU kids renting over there. That's exactly what I was when I lived over there in 97-98.

[kz1000ps]

Originally Posted by The Globe

Gay-friendly retirement home awaits city's final OK to build

January 28, 2007

One of the nation's first gay-friendly retirement homes has been approved by the Boston Redevelopment Authority. Stonewall at Audubon Circle, years in the making, will be marketed to gays and lesbians older than 55, but will be open to anyone.

The Miner Street project, which will be built at the site of a former auto body shop and a parking lot near Beacon Street, gained neighbors' approval after being scaled down. Zoning laws for the historic neighborhood limit height to 45 feet; the developers, Stonewall Communities and Abbot Real Estate Development, originally proposed a building that would have reached 98 feet (nine stories) in one section. After City Councilor Michael Ross brokered a meeting between neighbors and developers, the height was reduced to 75 feet (seven stories), and the number of units from 66 to 53.

Unlike much of Fenway, Audubon Circle is full of condo owners who saw the original proposal as "way out of scale," said Jack Creighton , president of the Audubon Circle Neighborhood Association. "People purchased their homes knowing that they would have a view and light coming in. That would've put them in the bottom of a canyon." A taller building "would have set a precedent" for builders eyeing other neighborhood parcels, he said.

The Stonewall residents' sexual preference was irrelevant, he said, adding, "This was a development project like any other, and we wanted it to fit in like any other." The city's Zoning Board of Appeal must also approve the development, which Creighton said is expected to be given the neighborhood's approval.

Joy Malchodi , former head coach of the Northeastern University women's basketball team, paid a deposit for a condo several years ago. She said she "never had a doubt the project would get done," but saw the BRA's approval as "progress. It's great."

"I have friends in New York and all over the country who are interested," she said. "We baby boomers have to make a decision where to live as we get older, and we want to be surrounded by culture and liberal, accepting people."

RON DePASQUALE
? Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.

[kz1000ps]

and the development on Park Drive

[kz1000ps]

again, this one is on Park Drive

[blade_bltz]

This is really exciting. I always used to walk down that street to get to the Fenway T-stop on my way home from anywhere downtown. That was, of course, when we still had free outbound rides...

[LeTaureau]

Looking at the rendering in that picture, this development might not suck