Kendrick Place: 5 story, mixed use (mostly residential) building opening by September
If the pro-development warrant articles #21 & #22 fail and the anti-development articles #24 & #25 acquire a majority vote (shy of the two-thirds required for passage) on the floor of Amherst Town Meeting Monday night, the shadow cast by Kendrick Place will have loomed large in that nightmarish outcome.
At the moment the building, unfortunately, is still ensconced in its protective exterior winter coat -- so it indeed looks a lot less inviting than it will two or three months from now. Critics will argue it's downright ugly.
Those same critics point to perceived insider concessions bequeathed to the local developers, Archipelago Investments. The Planning Board granted Special Permits that allowed an extra 10 feet in height and lot coverage pretty much out to the public street.
Since Kendrick Place is located in the Municipal Parking District no off street parking is required for the 36 units which will house 104 tenants. Such a building outside the MPD would require 2 parking spaces per unit.
And since it is a "mixed use" building (some commercial on the 1st floor) the town's Inclusionary Zoning bylaw, mandating 10% of the units being "affordable," doesn't apply.
Throw in the recent $1.5 million state grant the town acquired for burying ugly above ground utility wires in and around Kendrick Place and you have a full blown conspiracy theory worthy of a Hollywood movie.
Of course the other way to view Kendrick Place -- which will be a lot easier to do a few months from now -- is it represents the derring-do of the private sector, who were willing to risk the expensive development costs and work with local boards and committees to bring a desperately needed project to fruition.
While the beleaguered downtown businesses, who could use the walk-in traffic from those 104 tenants, will see Kendrick Place epitomizing the most powerful symbol of all: hope.
36 comments:
It is a monstrosity.
Yeah I'm sure we will hear that, and every synonym in the book tomorrow night.
Amherst Center could use a few more mixed use buildings like this one. Why is it that downtown Northampton can function so successfully while filled with structures of this scale, while just a few miles away, so few people can envision how this can work?
Can't
friggan
wait.
http://t.wallpaperweb.org/wallpaper/buildings/1920x1080/1176631648.jpg
-Squeaky Squeaks
p.s.
You
friggan
betcha!
"Thousands of students and their families visited the downtown area for a final bite to eat before commencement, but they say finding a place to park has been no easy task.
"We parked as far away from town and walked in. Even yesterday, it was impossible to get through - the town, at least," Wiczek said.
"We've been trying to find a place to park for - I don't know - like 25 minutes, so it's kind of crazy. People from all over coming in," Sophomore Klysmann Afonso said.
This influx of people and traffic is also impacting businesses.
Western Mass News spoke to many restaurants and store owners downtown who say they're swamped despite the challenges with parking.
"It can be intimidating. There aren't many places to park. There's a lot of traffic. There aren't many ways to get through town besides North Pleasant Street. It gets a little wild," said Jay Carreiro, from Antonio's Pizza.
"It's constant, coming in and out," added Lindsey Broderk, owner of Russell's Liquors.
To top it all off, students are in the process of moving out and said it's even been hard going from one end of campus to the other.
Read more: http://www.westernmassnews.com/story/29018747/commencement-weekend-poses-amherst-area-traffic-challenges#ixzz3Zmw9Jd8l
The anti-development faction of Amherst Town Meeting has proven time and again to be a stodgy, conservative bunch of hicks. I would like to think that they do not represent the community as a whole, but until Town Meeting is gone, we probably will not know for sure.
I drive by this building every day. I am pro-development in Amherst downtown, North Amherst, densification of the campus core, form based code, the Gateway project and a parking garage.
I hate this fucking building.
Over 100 places for people to live, that is a great local resource.
who needs to park any more? just tie a string to your drone for an aerial-personal-transportation device! and don't forget the parachute! (in case of emergency)!
Could we at least wait until we see how the building functions (or doesn't) before we begin applying the F word to it?
The Twin Towers took some getting used to when they were first built.
That building is way to close to the street. I can envision all types of problems here.
More parking is needed because people either don't know about others options or won't consider using alternatives. The answer to congestion is to get out of our cars, and have more developments like Kendrick Place.
Have you seen how much they are charging for a single room here? I'm sorry but $3K to live in a room the size of most garages is fucking stupid. Oh but there is free internet so I guess its worth it.
The design looks far more suited to Amherst Center than the ugly new building behind Judy's. Just sayin'
The building appears much bulkier (and closer to the street) than it actually will be because of all the scaffolding and plastic.
If you peek under the kimono, you will see some very nice brickwork and a beautiful façade emerging.
--A neighbor with absolutely nothing to gain from this project
Maybe I'm wrong but it does not seem any closer to the street than the other downtown buildings (ala Antonios pizzaria).
When the staging comes down there should be actually a substantial sidewalk area.
"I am pro-development in Amherst downtown, North Amherst, densification of the campus core, form based code, the Gateway project and a parking garage." - 10:31.
Websters defines "lip service" as "insincere expression of friendship, admiration, support, etc; service by words only." I think it applies to this post, in spades.
Just sayin.
Yes, but they're OUR stodgy, conservative bunch of hicks. I think a little conservatism-stodgy or otherwise- in Amherst ain't a bad thing.
These stodgy hicks are not conservative in any sense of the word.
Their stated radical agenda is to overturn the 500 year old practice of private property and replace it with the collective hive mind.
You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.
The person who says that "a little conservatism-stodgy or otherwise-in Amherst ain't a bad thing" needs to be sentenced to watch every minute of every session all the way through for an entire spring......with a quiz that she/he must pass afterwards.
Then, go ahead and tell me what "ain't a bad thing."
I'm not stodgy. I am most certainly not conservative. I am not anti-development. This building sticks out like a very sore thumb. It seems that all the charm that once was such a large part of our town is being sucked out of it. Aesthetics counts for nothing in the face of the almighty dollar. Sad, sad.
Amherst needs more housing, particularly for students. The first crack wasn't in the downtown but with the retreat...essentially in the woods...in North Amherst. You can't have it both ways, folks.
Also you can see how far the scaffolding extends this building's footprint. It won't be that big and will have a nice facade.
We don't have a public transportation system that meets the needs of individuals without vehicles.
The college schedule dictates the bus schedule (not the needs of residents)
Re: Websters defines "lip service" as "insincere expression of friendship, admiration, support, etc; service by words only." I think it applies to this post, in spades.
I don't live in the town - there's nothing I can do about it (except bitch on Larry's blog, is all). That said, I am pro-those things by words only. I like Persian rugs, too, but do I have to fucking buy one?
Anon 9:50
You'd be hard pressed to find any municipality west of 128 except Worcester and Springfield that is fully served by public transport. In a town like Amherst and many towns in the state it's not necessary or practical to have a full fledged bus system. The only people in the Amherst area who really can support a full bus system are the students.
Does Northampton have any 5 story buildings downtown? I don't think so. I think the tallest is 3 story. Any way you look at it this is a monstrosity. Too big a building for this parcel. It's a college dorm plunked in the center of Amherst. These students won't shop in Amherst any more than the students who live in the on campus dorms. UMass should be building their own dorms on campus.
I Am stodgy. And conservative. I admit these things freely. I have no opinion on this building . Refreshing, ain't it?
The Kendrick website says you should hurry to rent these units because they are going fast. Is this more Arch BS?
5:48
The "Ten Thousand Waves/GoBerry" building in Northampton is 5 stories.
There are are a number of buildings in downtown Northampton that are 4 stories in the front, 5 stories in the back (because of the slope).
Source: Google Maps, Street View Dude
"Monstrosity, monstrosity" said the little rich townspeople.
Tsk tsk. The language.
Ur right. Anti development folks are usually liberals. No?
Because what? Amherst is so happy in it's liberal cocoon?
Lol
Thank you for caring about the language. I appreciate your comment.
Post a Comment