From Bike Shop to Apartment Building

By Veronica Grecu, Associate Editor

What came as bad news for the Boston biking community could turn into an excellent opportunity for middle-class renters looking for a nice place to call home.

Rendering of 89-95 Brighton Ave. – Allston

Back in January, International Bicycle Centers—one of the largest bicycle retailers in the Boston area—announced to its customers it closed permanently after 45 years. The business was sold to Landry’s Bicycles, while the popular shop located at 89-95 Brighton Ave. in Boston’s Allston neighborhood was transferred to Eden Properties, a private development company based in Cambridge.

Much to no one’s surprise, Eden Properties acquired the site along with two other brownfield parcels encompassing 33,820 square feet with plans to replace it with a transit-oriented development. Last month the Cambridge-based developer filed an extended project notification form with the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA), according to BostInno. As detailed in the public documents, Eden will demolish the existing three buildings—two low-rise commercial buildings and a house—to make room for a mixed-use structure with 138 rental units, around 7,100 square feet of new commercial space, a surface garage with 69 parking spaces, covered bike storage for 142 bicycles, and an on-site bike repair station.

The building designed by Prellwitz Chilinski Associates will offer a combination of studios, one- and two-bedroom units, while the commercial space will include retail and café space on Brighton Avenue.

If approved by the BRA, the project could kick off as early as May 2016 and wrap up in June 2017.

Rendering courtesy of the Boston Redevelopment Authority