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• Jamaica Plain 
• Apartment , Condo  
• For Rent 1650.00 

I am currently sitting on the couch at 65 Brookside in the Brewery District of Jamaica Plain. I’m giving Home of the Week to this condo for the 2nd time because it’s that cool. I think it’s a perfect dwelling in many ways:

1. It’s incredibly efficient. The highest energy bill of the year is less than $100, and most are a fraction of that. It is heated by compact Rinnai heaters on each floor.

2. The location is perfect. Situated right in the middle of Jamaica Plain’s Brewery District – walking distance to Mikes Fitness, Bella Luna, Ula Cafe and both Green Street and Stoney Brook stations. It’s also a few blocks from Franklin Park and Centre Street with all it’s shops and restaurants.

3. This is a one-of-kind property. There is nothing like it. Designed from the humble beginnings of a shoe factory – now one of three market rate units in an artist live/work community. From the historic architecture and smokestack to the old boardwalk that runs the length of the building allowing the community to chat and engage each other.

4. Really good space. The plan is incredibly flexible – use it how you see fit, but currently the entire first floor is set up as a wicked studio space.

Check it out at www.65brookside.com. I’m happy to show it to you anytime. Just call me at 617-828-7956.

If you’re interested in whats happening in the building industry or looking for that new, cutting edge product you’d better mosey over to Boston Build 2009 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston from November 18th-20th. You can visit the exhibit hall only for about $15 or register for work shops, symposiums and tours which cost starting around $150. There is an entire range of options.

This directly from the website, “Build Boston is the largest regional convention and tradeshow for the design and construction industry. In this 25th anniversary year, over 250 exhibits fill the tradeshow floor and more than 200 workshops, tours and other professional development and networking events are offered. More than 10,000 building industry professionals from 43 states and 19 countries attended last year’s event.

There’s something for everyone at Build Boston — building owners/managers, architects, engineers, contractors, interior designers, design and construction firm administrators, landscape architects and all professionals, interns and students with an interest in the built environment.

This year, three keynote speakers, seven one-day symposiums and dozens of alumni receptions, building industry dinners and special tradeshow events are planned.

View the show information online, download the full conference program or request a hard-copy brochure and start planning your Build Boston 2009 experience today.

Last year I attended a couple rather tense and sometimes heated meetings regarding the potential development at the corner of Green and Amory Streets in Jamaica Plain. This writer is of the opinion that The plan by Chris DeSisto of Maplehurst Builders was outstanding – at least in regard to the drawings, renderings and concepts shown that night in the E13 community room. If I remember correctly the DeSisto said the project would consist of roughly 13 units atop a commercial retail space. The community chimed in on what types of stores they would like to see including a cafe and an art supply store (personally, I think art supplies would be awesome, but question how viable this would be at this location.) There was to be parking below for the residential as well as a indentation to the sidewalk on Green allowing for, I think, three more cars to park short term during the day to patronize the stores, and then for the public in the evenings. It was a well thought, attractive and impressive plan. Unfortunately, the lot is still empty with nary a rock out of place.

Mixed use development by Maplehurst Builders

The project seemed to get through all the usual complicated hurdles such as the JP zoning committee and the BRA zoning board. The Maplehurst website shows the last news on the project as being a lawsuit filed by Carlysle Engineering late in June at the Superior Court.  Personally I’m hoping that the recession and the complications with the less than popular Carlysle Engineering hasn’t stopped this project completely. The Brewery District desperately needs the Amory Corridor to be developed. The existing junkyard look of the stretch from Green St. to the Foundry Lofts is terrible for the neighborhood. Even the anti-gentrification folks couldn’t argue that improving this length of Amory could only do good for the neighborhood. The billboard on the lot ajoining 154-160 Green St. came down a few weeks ago as well. It previously had a sign stating that there was future commercial space for rent by Denenburg Realty but there is nothing about it on the comapany website currently.

Just down from these projects, across the Green St. and adjacent to the T station is a new building that appears to be for various commercial offices and such.

It’s fairly plain but a fairly attractive piece of architecture. It’s clear that this side of the tracks is less afraid of a little modernization. The new building in the area seem to be trying to mesh fresh, clean lines with brick to call out to some of the historic buildings nearby.

It is my distinct hope that this area will continue to develop with this unorthodox Boston architecture as I am tres bored with the 1800’s! There I said it.

Hey dudes and dudettes – I’ve been a subscriber to Dwell Magazine for sevaral years. Recently I signed up as a user on Dwell Connect. It’s actually a really great resource for all things modern. There are forums for almost everything related to the home and the modern market. I’m especially interested in the discussions about renovations, construction, green building practices, etc. There’s also this really cool feature called simply, “People Map“. You just drop in all your specifications like, role, region, state, reason for joining, interests, etc. and it will hook you up with people you would like to talk to or hire or whatever. It’s a really neat tool for connecting people. Just FYI

Connect to all your mordernist peeps