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Top floors of old telephone building in Chinatown could be switched to apartments
By adamg on Wed, 09/07/2016 - 6:51pm
A developer has filed plans with the BRA to convert the top three floors of the eight-story 1919 New England Telephone switching station at Essex Street and Harrison Avenue into 46 apartments.
Cresset Development says it has an agreement with Verizon to use the space, which the phone company no longer needs thanks to miniaturization and computerization of the switches that let people reach out and touch someone. The company has proposed calling the new units the PBX Apartments in homage to the sort of systems companies used to use to connect their phones to the telephone company.
Six of the units will be rented as "affordable," that is, something renters making up to 80% of the Boston area median income could afford. Some 18 of the units will be studios, 20 one-bedroom units, and eight two-bedroom units.
Two new windows will be installed on each of the residential floors in new masonry openings on the short, currently blank party wall facing toward Beach Street. New heating ventilation air conditioning equipment and a roof deck for residents will be installed on the existing roof.
Cresset would also build a new entry and lobby for residents and visitors.
No parking is planned for residents at the site, which will require zoning-board approval. The owner of a Lincoln Street garage has, however, pledged 14 spaces for use by residents.
The developer says the project is "extremely transit oriented," being within an easy walk of Orange Line stations and the Red Line and commuter rail at South Station.
8 Harrison Ave. small-project review application (11.3M PDF).
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Comments
I wanna know
What were all you old people doing in 1987, do you remember?
Using WordPerfect!! LOL
Using WordPerfect!! LOL
Worrying
Worrying about Jill and her father, would they ever reconcile?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k8QE5BY3e0
Listening to Debbie Gibson
Listening to Debbie Gibson and Tiffany.
Lots of coke
It was the mind altering substance of choice, snorted, not smoked. It was consumed in clubs, bars,restaurants, radio stations, locker rooms, and just about anywhere there was a restroom.. Many of us are lucky to be alive.
this
Probably listening to Michael McDonald
Just like in the commercial.
When the company's name meant something
New England Telephone, Boston Gas, Boston Edison.
Not Verizon, Eversource, National Grid
and then the banks
First National Bank of Boston, Bank of New England, Bay Bank, Shawmut bank...
and the retailers
Kay Bee Toys, Childworld, Bradlees, Ann & Hope, Lechmere, A&P...
Name that means something?
"Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company" (A&P) doesn't exactly suggest "(formerly) huge supermarket chain" to me.
Meant something to me...
A&P was the only market around and as a young tike, it seemed like the only oasis for miles around where I could get those Hostess cakes with granny.
A&P
Or buy Hi-C in a metal can...
grid
National Grid is as meaningful as any of those you list. It's a (multi)national grid company.
Anyway, I still can't sit at a piano without playing the New England Telephone jingle on the black keys. F#/G#/A#/G#/F#/D#/C#/A#/C#/D#/F#/G#/F#/F#. You can play it here. Start with the key right below the E in MENU. Pretty simple. :)
What about the other empty properties?
There is a huge old building on meeting house hill in Dorchester. It has 2 large parking lots and it is very close to Field's corner T station. I wish this could be redeveloped into something useful.