02.22.2024

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Today’s Forecast

40º | 0% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:31 a.m. | Sunset 5:25 p.m.

🏘️ Raise the roof

Raising the roof on triple-deckers in Boston

Triple-deckers are hard to miss around the city, standing three levels off the ground. | Photo by @buildingsofnewengland

Triple-deckers, three-deckers, three-plexes, or 3-Ds — no matter what you call them, this style of housing is uniquely Boston. Dating back to the late 19th century, these stackable homes have spread across New England. Let’s take a closer look at this style and check out some available properties.

What makes a property a triple-decker?
The name should clue you in. They are all three stories, generally with one unit per story. Two other characteristics are flat roofs + windows on all four sides.

The history of these builds
Between 1880-1930, an estimated 15,000-16,000 triple-deckers were built in Boston and surrounding cities. Triple-deckers provided affordable housing for underserved Black and immigrant populations, as well as middle-class families. This style of housing offered a path to homeownership, generated income for families who could both live in and rent the same house, and provided space for multi-generational family living.

It didn’t take long for code changes to lead to bans. By the 1920s, 36 municipalities in Massachusetts — including Arlington, Brookline, and Swampscott — had banned triple-deckers, and while Boston didn’t specifically have a ban in place, by the 1930s triple-decker construction had all but stopped in the area.

Many triple-deckers have survived over the years and continue to be Boston’s dominant vernacular style, particularly in neighborhoods like Dorchester and Jamaica Plain.

Make a triple-decker home sweet home

BOS-JP-Triple-Decker-2024 — This location is a short walk to the MBTA Forest Hills Station.
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Photo provided by Cabot & Company

Cabot & Company has a triple-decker at 63-65 Weld Hill St. in Jamaica Plain that has gone through a complete renovation and is about to hit the market. Each unit has three bedrooms and two bathrooms, with private outdoor space, central AC, in-unit laundry, and plenty of natural light. Bonus: The units each come with a parking space + extra storage in the basement.

Construction is expected to be complete shortly and the units will be on the market this spring at prices ranging from $900,000-$1,100,000.

Events

Thursday, Feb. 22

New England Synth Fest | Thursday, Feb. 22 | 9:30 p.m. | Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston | $15 | Head to the Planetarium for exhibitions, meetups, performances, and education for everything related to synthesizers.

Friday, Feb. 23

Golda’s Balcony | Friday, Feb. 23-Sunday, March 10 | Times vary | Jackie Liebergott Black Box, Emerson Paramount Center, 559 Washington St., Boston | $25-$75 | See the inspiring true story of Golda Meir, a Russian immigrant, American school teacher, and the fourth Prime Minister of Israel.

Saturday, Feb. 24

B/Spoke X Trillium Brewing | Saturday, Feb. 24 | 10:30 a.m. | Trillium, 50 Thomson Pl., Boston | $20 | Tickets include a vinyasa class, one pretzel ticket, and one draft beer ticket.
Bowl of Zole Pozole and Mezcal Fest | Saturday, Feb. 24 | 12-4 p.m. | South Boston Lithuanian Club, 368 W. Broadway, Boston | $45-$75 | Boston’s hottest chefs and restaurants will show off their best takes on pozole with samples of tequila and mezcal.

Sunday, Feb. 25

Harvest’s 6th Annual Ice Party | Sunday, Feb. 25 | 6-9 p.m. | Harvest Restaurant, 44 Brattle St., Cambridge | $60 | Enjoy local craft beer from Trillium, invigorating ice luge cocktails, live music by DJ Ryan Brown, and delicious camping food.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Civic

The City of Boston will host the Mayor’s Youth Summit on Saturday, Feb. 24 from 1 to 6 p.m. The event will create opportunities for youths to connect with other young leaders in the city + featuring keynotes from Mayor Wu and Cousin Stizz, a rapper and songwriter from Dorchester.

Coming Soon

The Dooliner Irish Pub & Restaurant plans to open in Newton in the former Cafe Martin West Street space. The new Irish pub will offer shepherd’s pie with lamb and live Irish music when it opens in March, pending permits. (Boston Restaurant Talk)

Biz

A new cannabis industry group called the Massachusetts Cannabis Coalition launched this week to advocate for local marijuana businesses. The group plans to address topics at the Cannabis Control Commission, including dispensaries, growers, labs, and licenses. (Boston Business Journal)

Health

First Lady Jill Biden gave remarks at an event in Cambridge yesterday where she announced $100 million in federal funding to support new research into women’s health. This is the first round of funding for the Women’s Health Research Initiative announced last year. (NBC 10)

Arts

The MFA’s new exhibition titled “Hallyu! The Korean Wave” will open on Sunday, March 24. The collection includes over 200 objects including costumes, props, photos, and contemporary works that explores the impact of South Korean pop culture.

Film

New England author Stephen King expressed confusion surrounding the film adaption of “Salem’s Lot.” Warner Bros. pushed back the film’s theatrical release before announcing its move to streaming, but the completed movie — filmed around the Bay State in 2021 — has vanished. (Boston.com)

Home

Getting organized? This 24-piece glass storage container set is perfect for meal prep or storing leftovers and is on sale through the weekend.*

The Buy

The Buy 2.22.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

A memory foam knee pillow for side sleepers, which can help protect spine alignment and support knee joints while you sleep. Bonus: Choose standard or large for a pillow that’s sized right for your body.

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The Wrap

Jess Burton in a blue shirt and gold necklace

Today’s edition by:
Jessica

From the editor

Are you also affected by the latest round of Green Line closures? Bluebikes is here to help.

Bostonians can use a free $20 Bluebikes credit for traditional bikes or ebikes with the code “MBTA2024" on the Bluebikes app. Put the pedal to the metal while supplies last.

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