April 30, 2018 Team Readies Upham’s Corner Comfort Station Project for July Construction Start
It’s been a while since we reported on the Upham’s Corner Comfort Station, but we’re pleased to announce we are gearing up for a July 2018 construction start to transform this little gem to the Sip & Spoke Bike Kitchen. While we await confirmation of final sources of funding needed to begin the rehabilitation, our contractor Michael Mawn is sharpening his pencil and confirming construction costs. Plans have been submitted for permitting to Boston Water & Sewer (the building currently has no water service or other utilities) and project architects Utile, Inc. are working toward finalizing the architectural plans for wrapping up other approvals and submission for a building permit.
One significant design change we’ve made is to restore the front façade to its original appearance, as can be seen in our updated rendering. Previous concepts we considered replaced much of the front façade with glazing. While this approach has merits, HBI felt too much of the structure’s original character would be lost, so we’ve shifted to more of a preservation design.
Bowdoin Bike School opened a pop up shop across the street from the Comfort Station at 786 Dudley Street. They are building momentum in the community and continue to raise funds. We are thrilled to report the project was recently awarded a $50,000 matching grant from Patronicity/MassDevelopment. Stay tuned for details on how to get involved in the crowdfunding campaign!