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IN PROGRESS: 333 Atwells Avenue (Rialto Furniture)

eltron

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Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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Seems the developers are calling this "333 Atwells Avenue" (good name, I was worried it would be something like "Federal Heights Residences" :rolleyes: ), so I've changed the thread title.

There is a sales office on Acorn Street across from Tony's Colonial. They have renderings up and such. I haven't walked by when they were open.

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Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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They have 2 backhoes there fronting Atwells Ave. and a small crane behind the building ! Wow!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They had a lane shut on Atwells this morning and were doing some work, I was way down the other end of the street, so I couldn't see what.

I walked by this afternoon, looks like some utility work, the street was dug up towards the Rialto building. I assume the condo (apartment? this one's apartments and Castle Belmont is condos right? Can't keep that straight) will need better water/sewer lines than Rialto has now.

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Garris Town

Garris

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For a reason I can't quite put my finger on, this design really works for me. I'll be much better for the streetscape right on the street, rather than the setback parking lot for Rialto that was there before.

- Garris

PS: Kudos to the artist of the render for using an Aston Martin as your auto in picture. Nothing quite says luxury condo like a $200,000 car in your render! ;)

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Frankie811 City

Frankie811

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For a reason I can't quite put my finger on, this design really works for me.

- Garris

PS: Kudos to the artist of the render for using an Aston Martin as your auto in picture. Nothing quite says luxury condo like a $200,000 car in your render! ;)

Also for me! As soon as I saw it I like it, and I don't even like bricks. Perhaps I'm just tired of seeing so much of it around the city. Looks like something you'd find in Boston's back bay.

Ah, the Aston Martin! The preferred auto for James Bond, 007. :D

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Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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For a reason I can't quite put my finger on, this design really works for me.

I'm having the opposite reaction for some reason. I mean I like it, but some how it's so very pedestrian to me. Like I've seen this building before. I'm also not feeling it's interaction to the street, there's supposed to be retail on the ground, but the rendering doesn't show it to me. It'd be nice to see a rendering of the whole Atwells facade to see how it actually interacts with the street.

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eltron Hamlet

eltron

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I've gotta say, this is the best rendering in that whole development book...

Really beautiful detailing with the glass and metal.

The Newport Collaborative is fantastic, but IMO this blows the proposed Heritage project down the street out of the water (not to mention the horrendous Knight street tower!).

BTW, construction equipment, including a rather large crane, is gathered on the site. I would expect demo to begin right after the holidays.

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Garris Town

Garris

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Surface Parking!?

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!! :cry:

And to think this was one of my favorites of the recent design proposals, one of the few I'd consider living in... I have a personal theory that selling outside parking to people becomes harder at the $300,000+ level, at which price point single family homes with garage spaces becomes affordable in surrounding towns. If I'm paying $400,000 for a property (unless it's a special old home, townhouse, etc), I'm not going to be happy about going outside every winter morning and scraping ice and snow off my car...

- Garris

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JimmyGreaves Hamlet

JimmyGreaves

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And to think this was one of my favorites of the recent design proposals, one of the few I'd consider living in... I have a personal theory that selling outside parking to people becomes harder at the $300,000+ level, at which price point single family homes with garage spaces becomes affordable in surrounding towns. If I'm paying $400,000 for a property (unless it's a special old home, townhouse, etc), I'm not going to be happy about going outside every winter morning and scraping ice and snow off my car...

- Garris

Hopefully the City Planning Commission will be able to ensure that the parking issue does not detract from the redesigned building. In an ideal world, a possible solution might be a relatively small parking garage build attached to or in close proximity with the residences with retail on the ground level so that it blends in with the street and maintains that pedestrian quality. Each occupant would get a spot, and patrons of Atwells Ave would be able to use it as well. A surface parking lot has no place in this project, and the city in conjunction with their proposed revised zoning ordinance, should recognize this fact and reject it.

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Griswald Whistle-Stop

Griswald

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The city should discourage surface parking, perhaps by offering some funds or support to developers for building a garage. Maybe a tax break or something, since we all know the city doesn't have a bottomless pit of cash.

Maybe they can just scratch the parking and give owners a free RIPTA pass.....

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Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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My understanding of the project was that the garage would have had extra spaces for public parking. The new (not yet approved by the City Council) zoning regulations would allow developers things like extra height in exchange for things like providing extra parking. I don't know that there is any provision for tax breaks.

The fact that they are scaling back the number of units in addition to scrapping the garage is disheartening. Not exactly an endorsement of our 'hot' residential market.

There's no doubt that Atwells needs a parking structure, if one could be built in conjunction with the city as part of this project it would be ideal.

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eltron Hamlet

eltron

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Hmmm,

I'm not sure that structured parking is not going to be included in the project. I think it just won't be underground, rather 1st floor parking at least partially within the building. Knowing the site, there is no way they could meet their parking requirements with just surface parking.

I really liked the design of the original proposal (and I'm hard on these things), but I think it will be better off scaled back. If they keep the detailing and materials they were originally gunning for, I think it will be a fantastic asset to Atwells (though it should have a few affordable units).

Notice too that it is now going from a rental project to condo. Now THAT says a ton about what is going with the market. Financing is much easier to get right now with condos than rental, and they can get away with much few units.

Too bad the Knight Street project is still going ahead. I despise that building. I think I might even prefer the hole in the ground, at least for a while.

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