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Housing 'Squandered' Near South Shore MBTA Stations, Study Says

12/20/2019

 

Local train stations could handle 250,000 new homes, and South Shore stations are underdeveloped, a new study shows.
By Jimmy Bentley, Patch Staff

PictureThe only station in those communities close to the MBTA station average is Wollaston Station in Quincy which averages 6.4 units per-acre. (Jenna Fisher/Patch Staff)
​BRAINTREE, MA — Major train and bus stations in greater Boston could handle up to 253,000 new units of housing, and many stations — especially among transit stops on the South Shore — are woefully under-developed, according to a new study from the Massachusetts Housing Partnership.

The average housing density across all transit stations in the area — a group that includes all subway stops and all MBTA stations — is about 6.5 units per-acre, according to the study. The MBTA stations in Braintree, Weymouth, Quincy, Holbrook and Hingham all fall below that mark. An ideal housing density could be as high as 12 to 26 units per acre — a number only seen in dense areas like Roxbury and the South End, the study said.

The only station in those communities close to the MBTA station average is Wollaston Station in Quincy which averages 6.4 units per-acre. The average housing densities for other area stations are:
  • North Quincy - 5.5 units per-acre
  • Quincy Center - 4.6 units per-acre
  • Weymouth Landing/East Braintree - 4.3 units per-acre
  • Quincy Adams - 3.3 units per-acre
  • South Weymouth - 2.9 units per-acre
  • Braintree - 2.6 units per-acre
  • East Weymouth - 2.6 units per-acre
  • Holbrook/Randolph - 1.5 units per-acre
  • West Hingham - 1.2 units per-acre

The study highlights that low-density areas are "squandered opportunities" to build housing, which is in short supply in the Boston area. The numbers are just estimates, and the authors acknowledge barriers to housing in some neighborhoods, like commercial zoning.

There's also questions at the local level about where residents want this housing, how large should these housing units be and if they match the community's existing neighborhood.

In Braintree, a re-zoning ordinance was withdrawn by Mayor Josesph Sullivan following months of controversy from residents, local officials and candidates for town office.

Opponents of the re-zoning ordinance, including hundreds of protesters, argued it would have allowed for too much overcrowded housing, would exacerbate traffic problems and could have fundamentally changed Braintree's "small town character."

This doesn't mean residents are necessarily opposed to new development and re-zoning. Housing near the train station has been suggested during public hearings throughout the year. But many of the residents, town officials and former candidates for public office, including Mayor-elect Charles Kokoros, said the town's master plan needs to be updated before any type of zoning changes get approved.

The study acknowledged this isn't a simple call to action for communities with less housing to build more because increasing housing density doesn't make sense for every community.

"While this math is incredibly simple and ignores some important neighborhood factors, it does show the potential that re-imagining these high-access neighborhoods could have in terms of better supporting transit while simultaneously making a huge dent in our chronic housing supply problem," the study says. "Of course, every station area is different, and there are places where even greater levels of density make sense, and surely some places where market demand may not support large numbers of additional new units."

See a map of stations and read about the methodology on the Massachusetts Housing Partnership website.

2nd Annual South of Boston Summit

3/26/2019

 
March 20, 2019 

Over 250 attendees gathered for the 2nd Annual South of Boston Summit hosted by the New England Real Estate Journal & the South Shore Chamber of Commerce to hear from key stakeholders about real estate development throughout the region. 

The program included a keynote address from Rich Beal of A.W. Perry, panel discussions on changing commercial real estate and how the South Shore is attracting various business in the region as well as a roundtable update on the Hanover Crossing project at the Hanover Mall. Attendees heard from Peter Abair of MassEcon, Patrick Brady of Cornerstone Realty Capital, Tim Cahill of Quincy Chamber of Commerce, David Ellis of Ellis Realty Advisors, Peter Forman of South Shore Chamber of Commerce / South Shore Economic Development Corporation, Ian Frenette of the Boston Cannons, David Gilmore of Pyramid Management Group (Kingston Collection), Josh Katzen of Forest Properties and Steven Kelly of Timberline Construction.

Thank you to our sponsors!
Platinum: A.W. Perry
Corporate: Ellis Realty Advisors, Timberline Construction, Inspired Technology and Communications LLC, Zaxia
Vendor: Cornerstone Realty Capital, PREP – Hanover Crossing, U.S. Pavement Services Inc., Bedford Cost Segregation, iCorps Technologies
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​More photos can be found in our gallery.

South Shore Economic Boom Expected To Last Through 2019

1/11/2019

 
The rumbling, beeping, jackhammering of construction in Quincy and other South Shore communities is annoying to some people. But town and city leaders say it’s music to their ears and a sign of economic health for 2019 and beyond.
​
It means more houses, apartments and condos are being built. And housing, they say, will eventually bring new industry, more small businesses and jobs.
“We’ve got good momentum going in Quincy Center and we want to use that on other parts of the city,” Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch said.

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South Shore Economic Development Corporation
1050 Hingham Street, Rockland MA 02370  Phone: 781.421.3900 | [email protected] | sitemap
Photo Disclaimer: Photos found on website may be subject to copyright. Permission to use images was provided by development teams for use on website. Other photos were taken by staff.
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