Why isn't Revere a prime area? (Boston, Cambridge: income, place to live, airport)

[G-fused]

I mean it's close to the city, the blue line goes there, and has a lot of beachfront. I'd think it would be a premier area. It's just hard to understand why sometimes areas that have a lot going for them aren't more sought after.

[wolfgang239]

Originally Posted by G-fused

I mean it's close to the city, the blue line goes there, and has a lot of beachfront. I'd think it would be a premier area. It's just hard to understand why sometimes areas that have a lot going for them aren't more sought after.

Because you can't walk down to the local square and spend $45 to go to an ax-throwing bar, or have a sunday hungover walkable urban experience ritual every week to go grab a $8 cold brew and a $7 bowl of artisan oatmeal.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by wolfgang239

Because you can't walk down to the local square and spend $45 to go to an ax-throwing bar, or have a sunday hungover walkable urban experience ritual every week to go grab a $8 cold brew and a $7 bowl of artisan oatmeal.

Those things came from being desirable because of location.


Some of it is history, most of it is blue line. I wouldn't have considered blue line. Most people I know only ever take it for the airport stop.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by wolfgang239

Because you can't walk down to the local square and spend $45 to go to an ax-throwing bar, or have a sunday hungover walkable urban experience ritual every week to go grab a $8 cold brew and a $7 bowl of artisan oatmeal.

....but you can get some pretty expensive roast beef sandwiches.

[massnative71]

Reputation. Separated from Boston by the Sumner and toll to cross. Beach dirty (although used to be much worse). Those things are hard to shake.

[timberline742]

Good point on the toll. Historically that had an impact. I spent a fair amount of time up there in my youth as my mother's family is from Chelsea and that's where we went. Never cared for the vibe and that definitely impacted me and my outlook.

[G-fused]

Seems like prime land. I'm really surprised it hasn't become more desirable. Especially with the crunch of so many needing an ok place to live that is close to the Boston downtown and Cambridge. I would have expected yuppies to have moved into it by now, pushed out the "undersirables", and open up cafe's and such. It's right there...so close. And so many people working in Cambridge with a good income. It's happened in places like Sommerville so I just don't get why not Revere...hard to understand with the beach right there.

I get the reputation thing. But reps can change. They have in other areas as yuppies took over.

I don't know. I'm just surprised it hasn't happened with all the growth and competition for places.

[tysmith95]

This might explain it


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MlyAvUfh8E

[massnative71]

Other places like Somerville once had a reputation as well, yet Revere didn't have the "benefit" of Cambridge overflow (which then "Meffa" later "benefitted" from the same Cambridge/now Somerville overflow.). The only thing Revere ever had was "East Boston" overflow (need I say more).


It's also important to note that the ocean traditionally didn't have the same allure is it does in modern times. It's easy to forget Boston Harbor being one giant sewer, but it really wasn't that long ago. The waterfront of areas like Revere, Southie, Quincy and Winthrop were stinky and industrial. Lynn still is. That is why places to the west like Brookline and Newton were where the affluent largely went, the "beach" just wasn't where anyone wanted to be back then. A few like Quincy have become quite desirable now, much of it owed to the harbor cleanup, and I guess Winthrop to an extent. Revere isn't there yet. Not every place can gentrify. Revere, Everett, Chelsea and Lynn seem to be the where it "flows downhill to".

[GeePee]

Originally Posted by timberline742

Those things came from being desirable because of location.


Some of it is history, most of it is blue line. I wouldn't have considered blue line. Most people I know only ever take it for the airport stop.

Blue line is one of the more efficient and clean lines in the system. It just services crap locations. We could sit here and talk for days about why Revere and Chelsea haven't stepped up to bat like places further out that have. The whole structure of it to me seems grim. just going into and out of those areas. The beacon st. exit off Tobin would and should be PRIMO for gentrification. Why it hasn't is probably due to a bunch of factors. Same argument with Mattapan and Hyde Park.