Higher Education Institutions

Whatever, it's ugly and ya'll know it. You can just look around the neighborhood to see more natural ways of breaking up the facade (bay window turrets like the triple deckers, etc). But if you insist... be that way. It's ugly and you know it and in no way the same quality as the building you're shamelessly ripping up.

As for safety, I go off what I see, and I can tell you that areas in front of 270 Green St (and the nearby parks) are some of the sketchier places in Cambridge. I say this from observation and experience walking there--and I'm sure that building has security as well.

Andrew Perlman
The architecture has no warmth, no charm, no sense of place or history. It might as well be in Houston on Beijing or Dubai. And because of that it will be out of style before it’s even completed. Why not go back to the roots of the gorgeous MIT riverfront buildings that are timeless? So sad.

I also listened to the meeting from july 5 (I couldn't make it). You seem to gloss over this safety aspect. How exactly is building security helping the neighborhood? And how is that building security, which, if we're honest is never particularly helpful, going to police residents, make sure they aren't stealing things from other buildings or harassing neighbors? Really you just haven't given us any way to have any trust in your solution given existing problems on Norfolk and in Central Square.

Lastly, I'd have to agree that your analysis of the parking is totally skewed. I own a car and I can tell you that parking on this street and its surrounding streets is nigh-impossible sometimes. Realistically the only way to fix this would be to either not allow residents, staff, and service providers to park there, or to build underground parking--neither of which I think we all agree is preferable.

I still think that the glass annex between the buildings is somewhat grotesque and has no need to be there. There are plenty of ways to actually design light into buildings without making this addition. Second I still don't understand why the new building has to have this random massing... It could be much more like the existing building. Really I just don't believe that your new addition is in any way a fair replacement for the annex that is being lost.

As for safety I still have concerns even with security, given that my apartment is almost directly next to the building. My girlfriend has had issues up and down Norfolk, and in central square in general. I also continue to have packages stolen off of my front doorstep, which, while I don't want to believe that this is tied to residents of your buildings, it's hard for me to find other explanations at the moment. I also continue to have random individuals sitting on our stoop at night leaving garbage and liquor bottles.

I see you've tried, but why does the annex have to be torn down, why can it not serve as the connection? And why is the replacement big glass windows connecting the new building to the old? And why does the new addition have seemingly random massing changes? It just looks like you've haphazardly tried to shoehorn the design in. Likewise, it seems to me that on the submission the brick base appears as if it's just going to be siding rather than a real brick base. My main point is that it just feels as if it's all slapped together, and not planned out to fit in.

In any case I still question the prudence of the decision to double the number of units in this location. There are (I believe) already 2 CHA buildings on this street, and while I believe the majority of residents just fine, my girlfriend has had enough uncomfortable interactions outside of these building that she refuses to walk on this street alone at night. I honestly can't say if it has been the residents at these locations, but is the CHA planning on doing anything to prevent more of these interactions from taking place? Will there be any way to prevent homeless and others from blocking and disturbing other residents similar to what already happens at the corner of Prospect and Mass Ave? As I previously stated I have no problem with adding units. I just want reassurance that it is thought out.

I would like to see a building that follows more traditional New England architectural styles that exist in the neighborhood. It’s fine that the building be modern, but it should really blend with the surrounding area and the existing building itself. I really would hate to see the more modernest style come in and make everything feel less homey.