MassDOT Pike Parcels 12 - 15 | Boylston St. and Mass. Ave | Back Bay

[datadyne007]

This should answer most of your questions:

http://www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org/getattachment/249a4243-0be3-4367-8d8d-6a6867fc43fc

See previous post for Parcel 15/1000 Boylston St.

Parcel 12:

 

[bigpicture7]

This should answer most of your questions:

http://www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org/getattachment/249a4243-0be3-4367-8d8d-6a6867fc43fc

This is a beautifully done presentation. That corner at which Parcel 12 is located is currently a total mess - a chain link fence surrounds a triangular patch of overgrown weeds and garbage sloping down toward the pike (see here). This will activate that corner with some storefronts and eliminate an eyesore.

Meanwhile, the relatively new building adjacent to Parcel 12 (1085-1087 Boylston) looks like it was designed with this development in mind...while the adjacent wall has a few inset windows at the center, it certainly seems as though it was designed with the assumption that there'd be a building next door. It looks like Parcel 12 will also encompass the small surface parking lot that abuts the overgrown weeds/trash zone.

Overall, great stuff.

 

[atlantaden]

I'm a bit confused. Firstly, is Samuels developing both Parcels 12 and 15? And in the renderings, there are two transparent buildings shown (place markers I imagine). Are these two transparent buildings both part of Parcel 12? Or is one in 12, the other in 15?

 

[Beton Brut]

The same pastiche of glass, white pre-fab concrete, and odd angles. Recalls a new stab at PoMo, as unfortunate as the original one.

I don't mind the "torqued" form, as it responds to the shape of the site (and its engineering challenges) in an interesting way, but the non-glass cladding looks cheap. In a location this prominent, it should look anything but cheap.

 

[datadyne007]

I'm a bit confused. Firstly, is Samuels developing both Parcels 12 and 15? And in the renderings, there are two transparent buildings shown (place markers I imagine). Are these two transparent buildings both part of Parcel 12? Or is one in 12, the other in 15?

Samuels is developing 12. Weiner is developing 15. The transparent tower next to 15 is Berklee's Crossroads Tower project. The transparent low rise across from 15 is Parcel 13 - The Viola.

 

[stick n move]

This is a crazy year. Every single project that was once dead has risen from the ashes like a phoenix and the skyline is changing right before our eyes. Crazy to see. Anyone thats been on here a while knows this is not typical and we are spoiled right now. Its like 1 new project per week + renders.

 

[stick n move]

To whoever was asking why 1 dalton looks too short, its the normal Boston height politics. Theyre rendering it up to the highest occupiable floor 691' and excluding the mechanical crown which will bring it to 755'. You saw this a lot with millennium tower at first. Its nimby guard.

 

[JeffDowntown]

I really like most of this. I do kind of wish the Mass. Ave. frontage of Parcel 12 was 3 story rather than just 2. I realize that may be a cost-to-build over the Pike limitation.

 

[bigpicture7]

To whoever was asking why 1 dalton looks too short, its the normal Boston height politics. Theyre rendering it up to the highest occupiable floor 691' and excluding the mechanical crown which will bring it to 755'. You saw this a lot with millennium tower at first. Its nimby guard.

Agreed, but why bother to do that for other developers' projects that are already under construction? They are not trying to sell One Dalton...if anything, depicting it at its true crown height will make theirs appear shorter...?

EDIT: or is it an I've-got-your-back-if-you've-got-mine sorta thing within the developer community?

 

[odurandina]

for the scoreboard, it looks like the roof tip is just topping 600' ??

I really like most of this.

This is a crazy year. Every single project that was once dead has risen from the ashes like a phoenix and the skyline is changing right before our eyes. Crazy to see. Anyone thats been on here a while knows this is not typical and we are spoiled right now. Its like 1 new project per week + renders.

i'm dizzy. Parcels 12, 13, 15, Fenway Center, 2 Charlesgate W, 1/30 Dalton, Back Bay Station, Trinity, Copley Tower.....

 

[FenwayResident]

i'm dizzy. Parcels 12, 13, 15, Fenway Center, 2 Charlesgate W, 1/30 Dalton, Back Bay Station, Trinity, Copley Tower.....

Even if only half of these end up built it'd be a huge win!

 

[stick n move]

Dont forget about columbus center lol. Craaaaaazy.

I had said a few months ago that at this rate were going I could see Columbus Center going next...after SST and Copley were both reincarnated from the dead.

 

[tysmith95]

And south station tower, and Winthrop square tower, and Bulfinch crossing/one Congress, and garden garage tower, and the hub on causeway, and assembly, and the seaport, and VLOPE, harbor garage, Wynn, charlestown project redevelopment.

Hell in 10 years we'll be talking about towers in Sullivan Square, Inner Belt, and air rights along the orange line. (I know there is a thread for this but I couldn't contain my excitement.)

 

[stick n move]

Agreed, but why bother to do that for other developers' projects that are already under construction? They are not trying to sell One Dalton...if anything, depicting it at its true crown height will make theirs appear shorter...?

EDIT: or is it an I've-got-your-back-if-you've-got-mine sorta thing within the developer community?

I think theres an element of that. I think their project overall looks more scary with 1 Dalton behind it built taller than the PRU. It looks like the area is being completely overwhelmed to nimby's and even regular residents. I think its kind of a back room look out for me I look out for you, because with the 111 fed project you also saw Millennium tower only rendered to the highest floor as well in many proposals. I think they understand the climate here and you kinda have to look out for eachother and it will benefit you in the long run if your project gets approved.

The less scary it looks the more likely you will get through. Right now it looks like a bunch of towers smaller than the pru being built around it, when we know 1 Dalton is actually going to be tall as sh*t and a new crown when complete.




These have to be moved to the next page. Also Im a huge fan of the tower. One side is glass terraced and slopes outward as it goes up. The other twists elegantly and just looks like a classy tower. Hopefully this design stays.

finally I can post these

sorry for the bad quality I didn't scan them

It's rare when Elkus makes me say woah, but... WOAH:

Parcel 15 (1000 Boylston St):

 

[Suffolk 83]

Actually seeing the pike covered and a continuous streetwall up is amazing in itself... this would do wonders to sew Boylston st together. As it is now, it does kinda suck to walk across the pike portion of Boylston

 

[Arlington]

Do any of these developments come with any sort of commitment to enhance capacity at the Hynes T, Back Bay or Yawkey? Bus? Feels like the Seaport all over again: drop big developments on empty parcels, wonder later why transport bogs down.

Step 1 would be that MassDOT promise to reinvest their own proceeds into transit, but Step 2 would be some nod from the city or developer that infrastructure isn't free.

 

[stick n move]

Viola and back bay station developments both have transit improvements included.

 

[Reznor]

Do any of these developments come with any sort of commitment to enhance capacity at the Hynes T, Back Bay or Yawkey? Bus? Feels like the Seaport all over again: drop big developments on empty parcels, wonder later why transport bogs down.

Back Bay station project does. The OL, especially once new cars arrive, will create more capacity. The Orange Line is a much better way to travel in/out of Back Bay neighborhood.

 

[tobyjug]

Pretty pictures. Paper is cheap.

 

[Blackbird]

I find it interesting that the Parcel 12 building has a big glass wall overlooking the Mass Pike. Like is that a very scenic vista?