station landing (Boston, Cambridge, Brookline: apartment, rentals, lofts)

[flamass]

Hi everyone, we just saw a condo development in station landing. It looks just great and has most of what we are looking for. I also know that what looks good on paper may not look so good in reality. I knew immediatley to come to you guys to find out the truth. Does anyone have experience with this development. It says it's connected to the T and is very safe so what's the deal. Thank you for any observations given.

[goyguy]

I'm lukewarm on that one. The development is a collection of rectangular cubes with chain-store franchises on the ground level of the buildings. Convenience to the MBTA can't be disputed - there's a covered walkway from the parking garage at the back of the property which leads right to Wellington Station on the Orange Line. Wellington is also a mini-hub for bus routes extending to Revere, Woburn, etc.

For necessity and other shopping, the Meadow Glen and Assembly Square malls are a short walk away, as are additional strip malls and a Kappy's liquor store. Gateway Plaza, within walking distance and also on a bus line, is another collection of "big box" retailers and includes Target. The drawback for pedestrians is that Wellington Circle is congested with traffic at seemingly "all hours."

Immediately adjacent to that development is a park area along the Mystic River which is popular for walking and relaxing in, best done only during daylight hours.

My lack of real enthusiasm for Station Landing stems from its being nothing special. These kinds of "communities" have sprung up all over, aren't distinctive to look at or live in, and tend to be overpriced. If you tour a model unit, the first thing to take note of would be how much train and traffic noise gets in. Lower floors would only have a decent view facing south.

For similar living arrangements with comparable - if not lower - rents, check out the neighborhood around Malden Center, one stop farther out on the Orange Line. Closer in to the city, the brand-new Third Square and almost new Watermark buildings in East Cambridge are practically identical to Station Landing in appearance. They're steps away from a Red Line subway station, a 10-15-minute walk from the Cambridgeside Galleria and the Kendall Square Cinemas, and a short train trip from downtown and Beacon Hill and Harvard and Central Squares.

It all comes down to what kind of immediate neighborhood you want, how important being close to the city and to good mass transit is, and what you're willing and able to pay.

[flamass]

Yep, the first thing I thought of was how close the railway tracks are to the Skyline Condos. Do freight trains use those as well because I can live with the T trains but not the freight trains that rumble through at all hours. Those other properties you listed look good but they are rentals and we are looking for condos. When we were there we went to Malden but didn't feel like it was the spot for us. We have so far narrowed our candidates to Station Landing, Allele in South Boston, Broadluxe in Finacial District, Lofts Avanna in Chinatown, and Audobon Park in the Fenway. We want a safe neighborhood close to the T so these all look good. What do you all think? Do you think that llllooooonnnnnggggg walkway to the Wellington Station from Sation Landing would be safe at all hours. What I mean is the walkway only for Station Landing residents or can anyone from the neighborhood use them. I may be using it around 6 in the morning and 11 in the evening so I want it to be safe becuase i'm sure it's pretty deserted at those hours. While I'm here can I ask you what most people do for temporary stays in Boston if your new place isn't ready. I have seen short term places that are out of this world for rent and it's only for a room. What other options are out there for maybe two month stay or less. Sorry for all the writing.

[goyguy]

One thing that never needs to be apologized about to me is long-winded writing! (LOL)
The walkway from Wellington Station to the parking garage is open to all. It has to be, since anyone can use the garage. But it's in a safe area. When I made early-morning donut runs to the Krispy Kreme which once was located nearby I passed that way - until recently a lil' tram shuttle used to operate in that space. Transit stations being what they are, there are of course sometimes rowdy teens and/or sketchy characters on the premises. But with merchants right there and "T" employees around nothing unseemly goes on.
As for noise from the tracks, there's little to no freight activity happening. The Orange Line's service is suspended between about 1 AM and 5 AM, ditto for the parallel commuter rail line. What's caused no end of aggravation to abutters is the seemingly endless construction work. For some 5-6 years there's been one excuse or another for making lots o' noise through the night: signal modernization, track upgrades, you name it. A friend had to relocate from a Malden Center high-rise because of it.
I once lived in the Audubon Circle neighborhood and liked it a lot, also worked in that area for a couple of years. A favorite Chinese restaurant (Chef Chang's House) and book store (Boston Book Annex) are nearby. You're a hop skip and jump away from Kenmore Square and Fenway Park, but the racket those places can generate is concentrated away from where you'd be living. Although BU's campus sprawl extends to the north side of Beacon St, loud students would be virtually a non-issue on Miner St. Green Line trolleys on the D branch climb to and from the subway tunnel at the end of Miner, but that makes for only a brief burst of sound which you generally wouldn't be able to hear indoors unless you have windows facing the tracks. Even then it soon becomes "sonic wallpaper." Fenway and Kenmore Stations are both a brief stroll away, as is the above-ground Saint Mary's St stop on the "C" branch for when you want to shop, eat, or catch a movie in Brookline's Coolidge Corner. For necessity shopping? Shaw's supermarkets are on Boylston St and at Packard's Corner, a 24-hour 7-Eleven (contradiction, I know) is right at Park Dr and Buswell St a short block north of Beacon, and there's an Economy Hardware just past Chef Chang's. In my book, Audubon Park would be where to buy. You'd have no similar neighborhood amenities in "Southie" or the Financial District, and Chinatown is overly congested and loud - it also literally stinks.
Transitional housing is definitely a problem here. SRO (single-room occupancy) buildings are largely a thing of the past; a nice one I used in Cambridge on two separate address-changing occasions became a B & B a long time ago. Even the Y's hereabouts have been handed over to social-service organizations for shelter space catering to homeless persons. There are some apartment buildings for that purpose here and there, but you're right - the rents are insane. Since corporations and universities utilize them for people "on assignment," they foot the bill and then write off the cost. The best advice I can offer is to research the B & B's of Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge and see what they can quote in terms of weekly or monthly rates. While a fair number are on the posh side, some can undercut hotels if you need to be there for seven days or longer. The Beacon Townhouse on the street of the same name, coincidentally just up the way from Saint Mary's St, would be a good place to start. The Buckminster, smack dab in the middle of Kenmore Square? Not so good.

[ChunkyMonkey]

Have you checked into Oak Grove Village? That development is right by the Oak Grove Station on the Orange Line and is supposed to be quite nice.