South Station Tower | South Station Air Rights | Downtown

The office portion is phase 3. Residential, Hotel & retail (Phases 1 & 2), already taking years will go a long way to managing risk.
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This is incorrect. Phase 1 includes 641,000 sf of office use.
 
odurandina said:
The office portion is phase 3. Residential, Hotel & retail (Phases 2 & 2), expected to take years is probably will probably go a long way to managing risk. Figure the hotel & retail to be a smash hit. They can always delay or slow the pace for Phase 3.









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Thanks Odurandina, any more site plan images or renderings? Where did you get those?
 
dirtywater said:
This is incorrect. Phase 1 includes 641,000 sf of office use.
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Dirtywater -- that is built into the Main Tower -- the latter phases include a dedicated office [nowadays probably "light lab" as well] space
Between when this thing was initially proposed [over 100 pages on AB ago] and its beginning of construction so much has changed that Hines had better do some rethinking about Phase 2 and Phase 3

For example when this was proposed 100 Summer St was a traditional big box of offices for financial, legal, and business consultants who filled up the Financial District and who worked a 9 to 5 schedule 5 days a week - with the exception of the financial types engaged in international currency speculation :geek:
Now the same building is the HQ of Tech companies [mostly software] who have had multiple floors connected by staircases and who might have some Gnurds working 24x7X52 and right across the street at the 'old" 125 Summer St is the Analog Garage where there are actual hardware folks connecting wires and perhaps even drilling holes in things

Like I said -- South Station has changed [for the better] in the two decades since this thing was a gleam in someone's eye
 
Just to remind folks who might be new to the AB Forum or the South Station Tower idea -- and are confused by the above post
Between when this thing was initially Re-proposed [over 100 pages on AB ago] and its beginning of construction so much has changed that Hines had better do some rethinking about Phase 2 and Phase 3
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here's a blast from the past -- highlighting the history, etc.
The plan to redevelop South Station first came about in 1963. In 1984 the MBTA, BRA and Federal Railroad Administration announced the plan to redevelop the site into a major transportation and commercial center. In 1991, the BRA designated TUDC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tufts University, as the developer of the air rights above South Station.

TUDC selected Hines to be its co-developer in October 1997 and later selected Cesar Pelli & Associates Inc. of New Haven, Conn. as the design architect.
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castevens said:
Much more optimistic title than "South Station Tower - Dead Forever??" :)

Article from about a month ago [back in 2006]:

Final reports filed for 1.8M-square-foot South Station project
Boston Business Journal


Hines Interests LP and TUDC LLC have filed final impact reports with the state and city for the 1.8 million-square-foot mixed-use project proposed at South Station Transportation Center.

The development partners filed an environmental impact report with the state and the final project impact report with the Boston Redevelopment Authority. The final reports respond to issues raised by the state and city in permits filed in 2000 and 2002.

The filings represent a major step forward in the development of the site, according to an announcement by the development partners.

The documents represent revisions to the proposal in response to comments and concerns raised from such neighbors as the Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak, the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

The revised project includes a proposed 40-story office tower, a 13-story hotel and residential building and a nine-story office building to be built on air rights between the back of South Station and the bus terminal. Hines has proposed $40 million in transportation-related improvements to South Station. The transportation improvements would connect the train station and bus terminal and expand the terminal by 40 percent.

David Perry, senior vice president at Hines, said in a statement the South Station project will generate approximately 2,600 jobs during construction and approximately 6,000 permanent jobs in the hotel and office buildings after completion.

Linkage payments will total approximately $10 million, and real estate taxes are anticipated to be approximately $12 million per year, according to the statement, which said the total private investment in the project is expected to exceed $800 million.

The plan to redevelop South Station first came about in 1963. In 1984 the MBTA, BRA and Federal Railroad Administration announced the plan to redevelop the site into a major transportation and commercial center. In 1991, the BRA designated TUDC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tufts University, as the developer of the air rights above South Station.

TUDC selected Hines to be its co-developer in October 1997 and later selected Cesar Pelli & Associates Inc. of New Haven, Conn. as the design architect.

Hines is a privately owned real estate firm involved in real estate investment, development and property management worldwide with assets valued at $11.7 billion. Hines has been active in the Boston real estate market since 1980, and is the developer and property manager of 500 Hundred Boylston and 222 Berkeley St.
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whighlander said:
HelloBos -- makes sense
Also -- thanks to F-Line for the update on the old foundation work and the use of rail at night for the materials delivery -- still have to store the materials somewhere near ---- somewhere*1

Big question there need to be materials brought in and staged so that the eventual BIG Crane(s) can access them -- so where does that occur

and while we are on the topic [one of my and I'm sure several others favorites] -- How about Cranes -- where will they go??

Further unanswered question -- I'm assuming that the raised podium which is the "Foundation" for much of the project -- not just the main tower -- will all be constructed at one time [at least until the podium reaches the Bus Station]

Perhaps that is to what old-Joe of the T is referring when he talks about the ends of the platforms being effected first

*1
Sure would make life easier if the PO was to finally surrender and move to the other Side of Summer St. down by the Reserve Channel
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I'm guessing for anything like the pegs brought in on flatcar that they store/stage them in the small seldom-used railyard abutting the retaining wall for Dot Ave., connected to Track 61. Directly across from Amtrak Southampton Yard with the 2 Red Line lead tracks and 2 Old Colony mainline tracks separating Amtrak from this little yardlet. Used to be used for freight set-offs way back in the early-90's when Dot Ave. and 61 still had active nocturnal freight. They'd probably bring in the flatcars with the air rights pegs, then take a T work train loco, back up onto the Old Colony, and back them into the platforms one at a time. Cranes on-platform will then lift them off the flatcar and affix them to the anchors, where they'll be quickly temp-secured so the given platform can open the next morning. Then they'll do permanent anchoring work on subsequent nights. Probably will be able to get a few of these moved per night.

If you look at an aerial of SS it's a lot of pegs. I count 50+ anchor stumps north of the bus station overhang that would have to be plugged with pegs in order to 100% cover over the station. So it'll take awhile just to erect the pegs, nevermind install the temp construction canopy on top of them to begin work laying steel.


BTW...if you look in the previous photo you can see this is exactly how they erected the bus station in '94-95. Stare down between the tracks at the row of anchor stumps and you'll see how the bus station's pegs affix further down to the same concrete anchor median that will support the tower. Gaze up to the second level of the bus station right above the platform canopy and you'll see 3 support beams in a row: thick one to the left, thin one in the middle, and thick one to the right. The thick ones are the load-bearing beams, and the one to the left over the platform canopy is the next set of load-bearing beams anchored to the next set of tracks over. So it ends up a large quantity of pegs over large area/# of tracks that distribute the weight for the overbuilds without needing to touch ground level for foundation work.
 
F-Line to Dudley said:
I'm guessing for anything like the pegs brought in on flatcar that they store/stage them in the small seldom-used railyard abutting the retaining wall for Dot Ave., connected to Track 61. Directly across from Amtrak Southampton Yard with the 2 Red Line lead tracks and 2 Old Colony mainline tracks separating Amtrak from this little yardlet. Used to be used for freight set-offs way back in the early-90's when Dot Ave. and 61 still had active nocturnal freight. They'd probably bring in the flatcars with the air rights pegs, then take a T work train loco, back up onto the Old Colony, and back them into the platforms one at a time. Cranes on-platform will then lift them off the flatcar and affix them to the anchors, where they'll be quickly temp-secured so the given platform can open the next morning. Then they'll do permanent anchoring work on subsequent nights. Probably will be able to get a few of these moved per night.

If you look at an aerial of SS it's a lot of pegs. I count 50+ anchor stumps north of the bus station overhang that would have to be plugged with pegs in order to 100% cover over the station. So it'll take awhile just to erect the pegs, nevermind install the temp construction canopy on top of them to begin work laying steel.


BTW...if you look in the previous photo you can see this is exactly how they erected the bus station in '94-95. Stare down between the tracks at the row of anchor stumps and you'll see how the bus station's pegs affix further down to the same concrete anchor median that will support the tower. Gaze up to the second level of the bus station right above the platform canopy and you'll see 3 support beams in a row: thick one to the left, thin one in the middle, and thick one to the right. The thick ones are the load-bearing beams, and the one to the left over the platform canopy is the next set of load-bearing beams anchored to the next set of tracks over. So it ends up a large quantity of pegs over large area/# of tracks that distribute the weight for the overbuilds without needing to touch ground level for foundation work.
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F-Line -- nice overview of the role of the railroad station to build it self -- I'm guessing that something similar happened in NYC waybackwhen for the Pan Am Building

We need one of our photo-x-purts to shoot some South Station today -- so that as things progress we can follow
 
I just read the comments from the BG article. I can understand the concerns that SS commuters may have about possible disruption to train service even though there are mitigation plans in play, but I don't understand the negativity of the proposed tower. I think it's well conceived and architecturally has the potential to be a gem in the skyline. The plan preserves the old building and it's historic significance (if there is any) but seamlessly adds a modern tower(s) sitting on top of the transportation hub of Boston. It makes sense on multiple levels (no pun intended). I'm very excited to watch this one develop.
 
odurandina said:
Have you seen the layout for the amenities and retail? imo, this project is going to radically transform how people live & interact with the rail and bus transit hub. It could be the catalyst for Parcels 25 & 26a/b to join 150 Kneeland, 1 Greenway & possibly 125 Lincoln--thus, expanding the urban core into the Leather District.
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You're replying to me about the wrong building.

Anywho... Back on topic about South Station Tower.
 
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odurandina said:
Have you seen the layout for the amenities and retail? imo, this project is going to radically transform how people live & interact with the rail and bus transit hub. It could be the catalyst for Parcels 25 & 26a/b to join 150 Kneeland, 1 Greenway & possibly 125 Lincoln--thus, expanding the urban core into the Leather District.
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'amenities' has me worried. The old plans had all we know of as the South Station waiting room destroyed to become the lobby of this new building, with the only track access from the stairwell on Atlantic Ave. I hope it's a better approach with this newer design.
 
johnmcboston said:
'amenities' has me worried. The old plans had all we know of as the South Station waiting room destroyed to become the lobby of this new building, with the only track access from the stairwell on Atlantic Ave. I hope it's a better approach with this newer design.
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Huh? I didn't think so. Maybe the plans from the 1990s, but I'm pretty sure the headhouse and waiting room are untouched here. The lobbies will be all along Atlantic.

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This is what the BPDA approved:


I hadn't actually remembered the breakdown of the "great space" arches on the track side. The vault will essentially underpin the tower.
 
Equilibria said:
This is what the BPDA approved:


I hadn't actually remembered the breakdown of the "great space" arches on the track side. The vault will essentially underpin the tower.
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Crazy that the entire tower will sit on eight columns, all located between the northern ends of the platforms and the existing waiting room. The ends of the platforms will be pushed back from the headhouse a bit to make room, but the headhouse will remain where it is. All of the tower space over the headhouse and tracks will be cantilevered.
 
JumboBuc said:
Crazy that the entire tower will sit on eight columns, all located between the northern ends of the platforms and the existing waiting room. The ends of the platforms will be pushed back from the headhouse a bit to make room, but the headhouse will remain where it is. All of the tower space over the headhouse and tracks will be cantilevered.
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Will be a case study in structural engineering with the columns and cantilever beams required to hold this thing up, and the constraints of keeping a busy train station open the entire time right underneath. I really hope this thing starts "going up" next month..
 
JumboBuc said:
Crazy that the entire tower will sit on eight columns, all located between the northern ends of the platforms and the existing waiting room. The ends of the platforms will be pushed back from the headhouse a bit to make room, but the headhouse will remain where it is. All of the tower space over the headhouse and tracks will be cantilevered.
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Only thing that would have made that cooler would be if the vault and arches over the concourse were actually load-bearing instead of decorative.

Also if the architecture of the tower spoke in some way to the feat of structural engineering below.
 
JumboBuc said:
Crazy that the entire tower will sit on eight columns, all located between the northern ends of the platforms and the existing waiting room. The ends of the platforms will be pushed back from the headhouse a bit to make room, but the headhouse will remain where it is. All of the tower space over the headhouse and tracks will be cantilevered.
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stefal said:
Will be a case study in structural engineering with the columns and cantilever beams required to hold this thing up, and the constraints of keeping a busy train station open the entire time right underneath. I really hope this thing starts "going up" next month..
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Ok this is getting interesting.
 
The best news about this project is they're building it on spec.
 
JumboBuc said:
Crazy that the entire tower will sit on eight columns, all located between the northern ends of the platforms and the existing waiting room. The ends of the platforms will be pushed back from the headhouse a bit to make room, but the headhouse will remain where it is. All of the tower space over the headhouse and tracks will be cantilevered.
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I read it that the northern portion of the tower will be cantilevered over the waiting room (see page 9), Page 17 (hand drawn sketch) shows the current waiting room entrance wall going diagonally across the outline of the tower base. So as Equilibria noted, above, this thing is sitting on only 4 load-bearing columns. "WOW!"
 
meddlepal said:
The best news about this project is they're building it on spec.
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Does it could as "on-spec" if they're 95% of the way to signing Salesforce?

I don't have any inside info, FWIW, but back in the Spring that sounded like a done deal.
 
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