Submitted by OperationSpringAwake t3_yecc59 in boston
Maxpowr9 t1_itxlum8 wrote
Reply to comment by foxer2734 in Why Is There Such Little Resistance to New Office Buildings, Life Science Labs, Etc.? by OperationSpringAwake
Pretty much agree.
Especially with Boston proper, there really isn't any land that isn't already developed and if there is, there's a very good reason why it isn't (geological, toxic, preserved, etc.) The only real option for growth is to build up.
>I think we’re going to see the government having to step in with incentives to make it worth their while before housing development picks back up.
What eventually will need to happen is eminent domain property, especially near transit, to build denser housing. It's wildly unpopular but necessary.
Stronkowski t1_itxtw2g wrote
It's not necessary at all. If the government stopped actively preventing development it would happen naturally as people try to profit off their property.
giritrobbins t1_itziyo0 wrote
I'd disagree. There are still plenty of enormous parking lots around the city that can be redeveloped and the entirety of West Roxbury should probably be bulldozed.
Maxpowr9 t1_itzkec4 wrote
I think West Roxbury would be transformed if the Needham Line was merged into the Orange Line.
giritrobbins t1_itzl8nl wrote
I would love such a change. If it were to pass, it would need to come with a tax for the increase in the value of the land and zoning changes.
Maxpowr9 t1_itzlmu0 wrote
The big issue with the Needham Line is that it's mostly one-track so the entire Line, track and stations, would need to be redone to be added to the OL.
Victor_Korchnoi t1_iu08t29 wrote
That’s the best thing about allowing more dense development, they come with tax revenue. The 200 unit apartment building is paying a lot more property tax than the funeral home it replaced.
giritrobbins t1_iu0dy0b wrote
I know but I meant more as the concept of value capture. I currently own near a commuter rail station and my property would increase likely significantly in value if it became an orange line stop. The city or state should tax some of that increase in value to pay for those improvements.
https://www.lincolninst.edu/key-issues/value-capture-property-tax
Victor_Korchnoi t1_iu09c1g wrote
I think a better solution is to run the commuter rail more like a subway. Have 15 minute headways instead of 1 hour. Charge $2.40 instead of $6.50. Through-run the trains to North Station and beyond.
It would be a faster trip to Back Bay and downtown, and you could still connect with the Orange Line. Building the North South Rail Link and improving service would be easier than extending the subway to Roslindale, West Roxbury, Hyde Park, Lynn, Chelsea, and Waltham. We’ve already got the most expensive part, the right of way & the rails—we just need to use them more efficiently.
Maxpowr9 t1_iu09sga wrote
Said this before but the only way the N-S raillink happens is if Amtrak wants it to. It will be built for its benefit, not the MBTA's.
The Needham Line especially should run like a subway though.
Victor_Korchnoi t1_itzapoy wrote
We don’t need to eminent domain anything. People want to develop their land. In most cases, the zoning code makes doing that illegal. Take a look at the zoning map for your neighborhood. You’ll probably see that just about every building in your neighborhood is at (or above) the maximum that is allowed to be built. http://www.bostonplans.org/3d-data-maps/gis-maps/zoning-maps
If we loosen the zoning code, we’ll get the density we need.
Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments