The annual Curbed Boston Awards continue with an argument so ridiculous we honestly did not believe it was being had when first we read about it in mid-October.
Recall that would-be developer David Higgins planned to plunk 14 condos atop the Savin Bar & Kitchen as well as a long-vacant lot off Savin Hill Avenue. How? Through cantilevering the condo over the eatery as rendered above, hiding the load-bearing beams behind a facade. (It's being done at 45 Stuart Street in the Theater District.) All seemed fine or at least proceeding apace.
Then the Columbia-Savin Hill Civic Association insisted Higgins include 15 parking spaces as part of the new development—despite it being across from the Savin Hill T station. Seriously. Take it away, Dorchester Reporter's Lauren Dezenski: "At [Oct. 6's] discussion at the Little House on East Cottage Street, which became heated at times, Higgins told the civic association that he would walk away from the project if the association did not vote to support it despite his not delivering on parking. Seemingly hoping to call his bluff, the association still voted no."
Higgins walked away. However! A certain gentleman named Marty Walsh happened to live nearby and happened to be mayor of Boston, the same mayor pushing private developers and the public sector to build 53,000 new housing units by yesterday. The city's Zoning Board of Appeals O.K.'d the 14-unit development in November, but with three parking spaces total instead of 15. It's not clear if Hizzoner did spur things along, though Paul McMorrow in the Globe did call him out: "It can be tougher to get a permit to build 14 condos in Dorchester than it is to get permits for a 38-story apartment tower at North Station." Ridiculous.
· Parking Stand-Off Leaves Savin Hill Condo Plan in Limbo [Reporter]
· In a Vacant Lot, the Story of Boston's Housing Crunch [Globe]
· Meet AVA Theater District and Its Bike-Repair Room [Curbed Boston]
· Boston Housing Plan: Incentivize Developers, Cross Fingers [Curbed Boston]
· Savin Hill Condos Across From T Nixed Over Lack of Parking [Curbed Boston]
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