Landmark Properties retreated from their upscale student housing project in N. Amherst
Once again we have a tie with both business related stories involving housing, the #1 "overall issue" of the year -- if not the entire decade. A serious issue we probably share with many "college towns" across the country.
After more than a year of heated packed public meetings, with hundreds of ugly lawn signs polluting the landscape for most of that time and with the developer, Landmark Properties, sinking almost $1 million in initial costs, the demise of "The Retreat" was a BIG story.
Kendrick Place, north end of downtown
But the rise of Archipelago Investments LLC, fittingly symbolized by their five-story, mixed-use developments, was certainly an equally m-a-j-o-r story.
In fact their three projects combined that have garnered Planning Board approval -- Olympia Place with 75 units, Kendrick Place with 36 units, and One East Pleasant Street with 80 units -- almost make up for the 641 beds that The Retreat would have produced.
Carriage Shops: Future home of One East Pleasant Street
One East Pleasant Street as seen from historic West Cemetery
And with the very recent legal action taken against Archipelago by a tired old-school competitor desperately trying to maintain market share, safe bet that One East Pleasant Street project will continue to be a BIG story in the new year.
Olympia Place site work near UMass
30 comments:
Gee, then the neighborhood disrupting The Retreat wasn't so critically needed after all. Also enjoyed your swipe at those "ugly" signs. They looked beautiful to me.
Hi Larry
Your absolutely right that Archipelago took the wind out of Landmark's sails.
And all on brownfield, underdeveloped sites on bus lines, within easy biking and walking distance of major Amherst employers.
Thank you Williams/Wilson
You're right Larry. At least you are honest that this is student housing.
If history is any indicator, that's about it for development for the next 20 years.
Except of course for finishing Amherst Hill$.
And isolated $ingle family homes along existing roads.
And expansion$ of existing mansion$.
And of course the colleges and University can build pretty much whatever they want.
And Town Meeting will continue to fiddle while Amherst crumbles back into the forest whence it came.
I'll always love the phrase "Historic Cushman"
Desperate times require desperate adjectives.
"Olympia Place with 75 units, Kendrick Place with 36 units, and One East Pleasant Street with 80 units -- almost make up for the 641 beds that The Retreat would have produced.?"
But, but these are not for students. Wink, wink!
Actually Anon 4:14 & 5:21 PM, Archipelago made it perfectly clear that Olympia Place IS a high-end dorm.
Archipelago is very clear that they are going after the same market as Greenbaum Properties, LLC
--some students, faculty, staff, and others.
Its a brilliant chess move, because Greenbaum cannot argue that Archipelago's properties are illegal, without also arguing that his own properties are illegal.
King Louis and Queen Hilda cannot move, and their Pawn Joel is blocked.
Checkmate
Unfortunately all those signs has little to do with the pull-out of the Retreat.
Anon 9:06:
Actually, I think you're wrong. Without the determined efforts, over many months, of the residents of Cushman, the Retreat might have been built. Perhaps you didn't attend the Planning Board meeting when the consultant hired by Save Historic Cushman tore the Landmark site plan to sheds by exposing so many examples of zoning and code violations that it made it impossible for Landmark to proceed. Landmark withdrew two days later. Those signs represented the support through out Amherst for those who oppossed the Retreat.
I think the $17 million in estimated site costs had a lot more to do with it.
So, they had no idea of the site costs before they started the project? I doubt that.
Oh I'm sure they knew it was going to be expensive.
But probably not THAT expensive.
Dear Rene and Larry
You're both right
Neighborhood opposition influenced the Planning Board's position to not grant waivers.
Without those waivers (for steepness of roads, high of retaining walls, length of cul de sacs), the site development costs became too high.
Sort of remind me of the story of the little boy who was shooting peas out of a straw outside of his window. Just at the moment he shot a pea, a nearby building fell. In fear the boy closed his window thinking he was the cause. Actually the building was being demolished but the boy forever thought he was the one who did it. Cindy sold them a big rock and when they realized just how much it was going to cost to make the place viable, they asked her for a break, she said no, they looked at the numbers and relaized the cost would not make back what was needed.
Their hope was to build the roads over the rock (=steeper than normally allowed).
The costs went way up when it was clear that the steeper roads weren't going to be approved.
Maybe a better analogy:
The flapping of wings of butterflies in Africa causes hurricanes in North America
Agreed.
But I don't think the Planning Board was influenced by the hostile crowds who packed their meetings.
Is any parking planned for these buildings?
A bus system that follows the college calendar can not meet the transportation needs of this area.
No bus service on Labor Day- the busiest day for a college town!
Don't spoil it for the North Amherst residents. They think they were responsible. Let them think they actually did something.
There is a market for crushed stone and I don't think anything is stopping that from being done there...
Keep kidding yourselves that the people's voice had nothing to do with it.
Has anyone considered the possibility that Landmark did some market research and realized that their targeted demographic is going to decline at UMass?
Remember that while the other housing may house "students", it isn't oriented in the same "Beach Party" way that the Retreat would have been.
Kinda hard to prove ain't it?
Sure. Ed. When you moving on with your life?
Cinda Jones should get Archipelago to build a smaller complex st the same location.
Kendrick Place is too close to Triangle Street- who approved that "accident waiting to happen"
Kendrick Place Apts thinks that access to a few Zip Cars is all that's needed for its future residents.
One East Pleasant plans 36 parking places for 78 Apts (180 tenants)
This will be interesting!
One East Pleasant Street is an eyesore. Doesn't fit the personality of the Town of Amherst at all. Ah well, just another area to avoid.
The Peoples' Voice and 50 cents gets u a cup of coffee. Or used to.
Or defeat a $50 million dollar development.
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