149 Ainslie Street North | 8fl | Proposed

[bravado]

The City of Cambridge has received development applications for Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment at 149 Ainslie Street North.  The site is currently developed with a two-storey office building and associated surface parking. The existing building is intended to be demolished. The applicant is proposing the development of an eight storey building with 104 residential units, including both one and two bedroom units. The proposed development would contain 104 structured parking spaces provided internally to the building within the first two storeys. The development has a proposed Floor Space Index (FSI) of 5.0.

If approved, the project would contain 104 residential units, including one and two-bedroom units, and room for 104 parking spaces contained within the first two storeys of the building.

It would also have a rooftop amenity space above the parking, and a second outdoor amenity area facing Market Street above the sixth storey.

The complete application says the rooftop space would be created by "stepping back" the 7th and 8th storeys at the northeast corner of the building.

The application says "street level amenity space is also provided in the form of a wide pedestrian promenade and a courtyard surrounding the primary pedestrian access to the building" and will be complemented by a shared indoor amenity space on the ground floor.

Each unit would have it's own private balcony.

An official plan amendment calls for a change to the permitted Floor Space Index (FSI) of 5.0 rather than 2.5 as currently permitted.

Zoning bylaw amendments require a change in maximum density from 250 units per hectare to 377, reducing the minimum front, rear and interior side yard requirements, and reducing the amenity space required.

The landscape area would need to be reduced from a required 30 per cent to 25 per cent and no room for loading space.

The city has scheduled a public meeting for June 28.

Urban Design Brief

Site Plans

CambridgeToday story







Seems tasteful, but this is a weird sized lot and might be quite cramped downtown. The Bridges is - as always - a sore spot, but this is nice medium/high density growth to me.

[ac3r]

This is exactly the sort of medium density project we need downtown Cambridge. Cambridge has a unique downtown that tall buildings upset the urban fabric of so medium density is perfect. It's much easier to propose to the general public without much opposition. The building isn't that nice, but for an 8 floor infill project that's okay.

[bravado]

This is exactly the sort of medium density project we need downtown Cambridge. Cambridge has a unique downtown that tall buildings upset the urban fabric of so medium density is perfect. It's much easier to propose to the general public without much opposition. The building isn't that nice, but for an 8 floor infill project that's okay.

Also, a garage podium with windows! The parking garage mystery with windows from the Gaslight District thread continues...

[ijmorlan]

Also, a garage podium with windows! The parking garage mystery with windows from the Gaslight District thread continues...

Windows have got to make it much easier to ventilate parking garage. I assume they still need fan systems unless it’s wide open but the idea of doing all the ventilation by fan with no natural ventilation sounds expensive to me.