Everyone knows that there is a lot of development going on in East Cambridge, but just how much is a lot? 80 acres is a lot. That’s my estimate of the area being built up recently, currently and imminently east of the tracks and north of Broadway. In fact, it is about 2% of the land area of Cambridge. 2% doesn’t sound like a lot does it? If It were the country we were talking about, it would take up all six New England states and most of West Virginia. That’s big. So big that it might even catch the attention of the public and the government might even have to get involved in the planning process to insure that some public benefit comes out of it. ( OK not the Bush administration except to maximize their policy of corporate socialism, but they’re short timers.) read more...