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Developer wants to replace decrepit Roslindale gas station with condos
By adamg on Fri, 04/03/2015 - 9:45pm
Did they sell the Herald American at this gas station?
A developer is proposing to replace the long closed Weld American gas station at Weld and Centre streets with a four-story building housing 18 market-rate condos and retail space.
Nearby residents will get their first look at the proposal for the roughly 1/3-acre lot at a community meeting at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8 at the E-5 police station in West Roxbury.
The project will need approval from the BRA.
The current listed owner of the property is Niakaros Realty Trust of Westwood.
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Comments
I wish someone would
I wish someone would redevelop the ones in Somerville...
You mean
... like this one? http://www.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ZBA%20package%...
... or this one? http://www.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/McGrath%20High...
OMG
They are actually going to FINALLY redevelop the old Foss Park Gas station. It's been a long time coming.. that's been an eye sore for years.
Its a TINY footprint tho
That isn't Foss Park
That's actually pretty close to where that 5-car, 1-pedestrian, car-on-fire "incident" happened.
doh!
You're right.. I thought foss park because of the footprint size, but didn't bother to punch the address into google. doh! It would be nice for them to do something with Foss Park Gas tho, especially on such a busy corner.
Geez somerville does have a lot of abandoned gas stations.
Environmental cleanup for the
Environmental cleanup for the in ground gasoline tanks often makes developing former gas station lots prohibitively expensive.
=(
Funny you say that.......
There is an old gas station that has been abandoned for at least 10 years now in Dedham, on Washington St. at the Westwood line. The place would make a killing as a Starbucks or any chain food place. But no, it has sat there rotting for a long time, and I wonder how much it would cost to actually do something there.
Gas stations, like dry
Gas stations, like dry cleaners, are hard to redevelop because of environmental concerns. When you excavate the foundation you have to do something with dirt that could have gasoline or perc.
The Traveler
I am sure they sold the Herald Traveler, too.
Gas station sites aren't always tough to redevelop. Often environmental regs have already forced them to replace tanks and do remove contaminated soil. The properties are usually in areas with easy access to transportation and other amenities, so they meet the location, location, location rule of real estate.
American Oil rebanded as Amoco in the 1970s-80s
and BP later bought Amoco, putting an end to that brand name.
Has this gas station been defunct for that many years?
Completely out of place
The area is surrounded by on families.
Why would this be bad for families?
and who do you think would live here? Not college students, if that's what you are worried about.
One families?
I think anon means one families. Which is almost true.
No decent bus service either
The 51 runs weekdays and Saturdays and the 38 goes through there but there is no bus what so ever on either line on a Sunday. So unless you don't mind being shuttered-in or take a cab on a Sunday, it may work.
That is still Roslindale though and the current zoning requires 2 parking spaces per dwelling unless the ZBA gives you a waiver.
18 condos and street retail on a small footprint. It will look like the Washington Monument.
No, it isn't.
Let's review. It's on a five way intersection more or less.
To the NE, is the Arboretum and Harvard building.
To the SW, is the block which houses Kelleher's, etc...
Across Centre Street (a wide busy road) is A&N pizza and the Yucatan Tacos block and some town homes.
To the east is a road with single family houses. So I guess if you think 20% is completely, you're right on the money?
I think we can all agree
That this is exactly the way in which Boston should develop more housing - take the small business districts (this is zoned NS, neighborhood shopping) and develop one-floor and especially abandoned property into multi-story mixed-use development. This whole two-block stretch, both sides, could be developed that way.
It has to happen in someone's backyard, though. Will abutters volunteer theirs?
I hate to agree with the anon
But an 18 unit housing development with retail does seem a bit out of place for the relative lack of density of the overall area.
Not that I am opposed to the project. I will only say no to new housing when something is really out of whack. This does not rise to that level. If it works out, it could transform that whole area.
Yes please!!!
That place has been derelict for as long as we have lived in Roslindale and is an eye sore.
sad
I'm kinda sad! I love this little building.
As somebody who drives by it ...
Yeah, it's kind of an interesting holdover. But as somebody who lives nowhere near it and doesn't have to look at it and its fence and its smashed in windows every single day, yeah, I can see why neighbors might be thrilled to see it go.
Me too!
But it's probably for the best to get some new housing there.
from the neighborhood
and not to crazy about a building of this size going in to that small parcel of land. Yes, it would be great to see the station torn down, but what is proposed is not a good fit. The proposal was increased to 22 units as well. The area cannot support additional parking. As it is, customers from area businesses park on Centre Street all the way to Weld Street at the curb in front of the vacant gas station. There can be frequent traffic tie ups due to the right travel lane being blocked.
I will attend the meeting with a somewhat open mind and view the proposal. At this time, the developer is really just testing the waters of neighbors.