Seven real estate developers are competing to buy the old Middlesex County Courthouse in East Cambridge.

At least two of the developers — Trinity Financial and HYM Investment Group — are looking at building residential components to any redevelopment of the 22-story complex, the Herald is reporting. One has to assume some of the other bidders, such as Boston Properties, see an office-development opportunity for the site, which isn’t too far from Kendal Square.

The building, believe it or not, still houses prisoners in its upper-stories jail. But the prisoners will soon be move to a correctional facility in Billerica.

It’s going to be interesting to see who wins the competition — and what will become of the building. The Boston area desperately needs more housing. But East Cambridge could also use more offices. We’ll see.

File under: Courthouse intrigue

The Globe has a big piece on the history of Cambridge’s Kendall Square:

Kendall Square’s transformation from urban wasteland to futuristic high-rent district was hardly a straight line, requiring stops, starts, and nearly a half-century to complete. It included botched plans, neighborhood outrage, and some plain, old-fashioned luck.

And most people probably don’t realize it was the secondary result of a botched “urban renewal” campaign:

In the mid-’60s, with the promise of a new NASA space center locating there, Cambridge acquired and razed more than 40 acres around Kendall Square as part of an urban renewal effort.

Nearly 100 businesses were relocated at government expense, yet the project never lifted off. After the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, who backed NASA’s move to Cambridge, congressional support for the project dwindled. Although NASA had constructed several buildings on the site, the project was eventually lost to Houston, in the home state of Kennedy’s successor, Lyndon B. Johnson.

Kendall Square still needs more residential units and basic convenience stores, pharmacies, Etc. But it’s definitely come a long way.

It looks like it may take a while to untangle the North Point development debacle in East Cambridge.

The big question: Will the MBTA push ahead on building a new Green Line T station near Lechmere, paving the way for the planned Green Line expansion? No new station, no expansion. The developers were supposed to pay for the new station. Now the entire North Point project – not just the new station – is in limbo.

Also: See condo sales stats within the article.

File under: Fields of Dreams.

After being open for twenty years the Uno Chicago Grill in Porter Square closed for good Monday, part of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy Uno Restaurant Holdings Corp. filed for in January. The West Roxbury company is still said to have about 160 restaurants, including one in Back Bay.

“Let’s not say goodbye!” says a sign in the deep-dish pizza restaurant’s at the Porter Square doorway. Then, pointing diners to the 22 JFK St. restaurant, “We’ve closed these doors for the last time …”

That leaves a large vacancy for KS Partners LLC, the management company at the Porter Square Galleria, which saw its second-story Blockbuster close in July. That space is still empty; the Uno Chicago Grill is more than twice the size of the former video store, with two stories connected by an elaborate stairwell and has an outside dining area. The bottom floor is primarily a bar and the upper floor dining space, restrooms and kitchens.

Tenants have criticized KS Partners for rent increases and difficult lease negotiations.

So if you are looking for a pizza and movie don’t go to Porter Sq.

File Under: So sad.

A major $559 million complex — which includes 220 housing units — is pushing ahead in East Cambridge, despite the current financial crunch and economic conditions. From the Herald:

Alexandria Real Estate Equities seeks approval under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act to build 1.5 million square feet of office and laboratory space, 220 units of housing, 20,000 square feet of retail space, 1,932 underground parking spaces and two parks on more than 11 acres near the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Keep in mind a couple things: a.) This project is spread over 20 years. b.) This is the second version of the plan, which previously was much bigger when originally proposed. Neighborhood residents weren’t wild about it first time around.