[go back out to Brookside and turn left until you get to 68 Brookside]
Seven Sisters (56-68 Brookside Avenue)
These matching three deckers are known as the seven sisters. They were designed by Milton Favor around 1892. The three decker is a housing style unique to Eastern Massachusetts. They are 3 story structures, which are tall and thin – with an apartment on each floor. This configuration housed more people in less space and provided housing for the working classes. Moving into a three decker was considered a real step up from old tenements downtown. They had a bathroom, kitchen and bedrooms for the family members.
The 2 at the end are especially nice examples with the lattice work and spool posts remaining. The others have lost these charming details. #64 actually burnt in a fire in the 1970s and so, in fact, there are only six sisters.
Former Cable Rubber Factory (57-67 Brookside Avenue)
This building is the former Cable Rubber Factory. Once the factory closed (as did most of the industry in this area by the 1960s) artists took over the space. Old industrial spaces provided plenty of room for them to create within and they created lofts out of them. In 1999, a major conflict arose between the landlord of this building and the 25 artist residents. A new owner wanted to evict everyone and tear down the building for redevelopment. With the help of the City, the residents worked out a deal to buy the complex. It has been rehabbed (including a large amount of environmental abatement) and most of the original artist residents purchased their live/work spaces. Then the remaining spaces were sold to other artists. Come by during the weekend of Jamaica Plain Open Studios and you might be able to visit inside.