Trader Joe's Leads Alewife Boom*

Yes, the new building going up at the Fresh Pond Rotary will be a Trader Joe's. So if you don't like the prices at Whole Foods, or Whole Paycheck as some like to call it, you can just cross the street, carefully, to Trader Joe's.

Alewife "is the last area (in Cambridge) that has significant development potential..." according to Susan Glazer, deputy director of the city's Community Development Department. But the area "doesn't really have a focus," said Glazer and "some streets don't even have sidewalks."

Local residents and business owners would like to see the Concord Avenue/Alewife area become more pedestrian and small business friendly with more opportunities for housing development, and some zoning changes were implemented in 2006.

Community vigilance is important to see that this area is responsibly developed in accordance with community needs. There are two wetlands n the area: The Fresh Pond Reservation and Alewife Brook Reservation. Anyone who has enjoyed Fresh Pond and seen the Great Blue Heron or the Screech Owl that live there will understand this.

"The Alewife area is already one of the most congested in the state," said state rep Will Brownberger. "It's a matter of great concern that relatively intense development is expected in the area.....Our challenge is to improve public transportation and to facilitate pedestrian and bicycle travel in the area to....reduce congestion to accommodate whatever beneficial developments are planned."

In the last few years, residential condo developments at 733 Concord Avenue, 27 Wheeler Street and 318 Rindge Avenue are bringing more residents to the area. The Starbucks next to the Best Western confirms the trend and in some ways is a leading edge indicator for what's to come. And the Best Western's Hotel Tria is undergoing a $10 million renovation to double its room capacity.

It sounds to me that the city is doing a good job of controlling development in the area, although Cambridge residents need to maintain their vigilance. There is a 20 year plan to add mixed use infrastrucute and roadways to the area, Glazer said.There has been continuing development pressure as well on the area near "Faces" on Route #2, which is close the the Alewife wetlands. Needs of residents, developers, small business owners and the environment must be balanced for the good of all. Making the area more pedestrian and bicycle friendly and integrated with mass transit at the Alewife Red Line stop should reduce traffic and make this an appealing area for some time to come.

*Info from " City, developers see Alewife boom" in the Boston Globe on 2/8/09.

For photo and full article, click here.

Related Link: Friends of Alewife Reservation
Fresh Pond Reservation