GrandMarc Residence Hall (YMCA) @ Northeastern U | 291 St. Botolph Street | Fenway

If you want to see a better rendering of the GrandMarc, you can see one here: http://www.bankerandtradesman.com/pub/5_282/commercial/196161-1.html

Personally, I think that the tower looks alright. However, it sounds like this is receiving a lot of opposition from the locals. I think that this will either get scaled down, or scrapped all together.

However, the concept is a great one (privately owned dorms, that is). I am mystified as to why this really hasn't happened much in Boston since this is such a huge college town (probably the NIMBY's).
 
Not a big fan of what I'm seeing of this building, but I think the idea is great.

The B&N rendering:

Grandmarc_rendering.jpg


Looks like someone had some fun with the florescent Crayolas.
 
But don't the locals want the college kids in dorms and off the streets? This is right inside Northeastern. It is even set back really far.
 
Whatever happens here, I hope the YMCA building remains a YMCA, with its current lighted sign.

(Northeastern University started out as a branch of this particular YMCA.)
 
TC said:
If this is the project from the front of the Boston Courant, then they are talking about the YMCA site fronting St. Botolph. In the rendering it also looks like another building across the street either in Mathews Arena parking lot or on the Gainsborough Garage site.


The high rise behind this mega-tower is the proposed Northeastern owned dorm on the site of Cullinane Hall. It will house 600 students. It will get underway in 2009. Normally in Boston such start dates are only rough estimates but Northeastern has pretty much kept on schedule.
Click to expand...
 
This project is being billed as GrandMarc at St. Botolph Street. The tallest portion of the proposed complex will be 34 stories setback from the 12 story portion of the building closer to Huntington Ave. A portion of the Hastings Wing of the YMCA will be retained and rebuilt at the same eight story height. The building as proposed is 345' to the top of the highest occupied floor. Including a mechanical floor or two this building should be in the 360' range.

The description in the following ENF makes note of the fact that there are no immediate neighbors to complain about this project.

http://www.mass.gov/envir/mepa/pdffiles/enfs/050907em/14014.pdf
 
There will be a meeting where the public can comment on this project next week:

6 PM Wednesday, May 30th in the library of the YMCA

I'll probably go to it.. anyone else?
 
From the article:

"The project called GrandMarc at St. Botolph, drew a wary response at a public meeting last week from both neighborhood residents and representitives of nearby colleges that have labored to get their own housing projects off the ground."

I think the above is why this is such a great idea. Instead of having a bunch of quasi-towers sprouting up over the city, it makes more sense for a few of these to be built.

The only downside I could see is that the prices wouldn't be regulated by the schools and would be insanely high. Then again the students of the schools that these dorm towers would hold probably aren't too worried about money.
 
Then again the students of the schools that these dorm towers would hold probably aren't too worried about money.

I bet many of their parents are, however. Many parents put off their retirement to put their kids through school!
 
BostonSkyGuy said:
The only downside I could see is that the prices wouldn't be regulated by the schools and would be insanely high. Then again the students of the schools that these dorm towers would hold probably aren't too worried about money.
Click to expand...

My guess is that for the developers to go forward with this project, they'll need to negotiate per-bed rates with several area institutions (Northeastern, New England Conservatory, Berkley, Boston Conservatory) and have leases on blocks of floors for each school.

I'll bet that NEC will be a key stake-holder in this proposal, as it would offer them the opportunity to redevelop their current dorms (located on Gainsborough, across form Jordan Hall), and (potentially) build a new building on that site and the current parking lot on St. Botolph...I have it on good authority that this has been part of their strategic plan for nearly a decade...
 
Beton Brut said:
My guess is that for the developers to go forward with this project, they'll need to negotiate per-bed rates with several area institutions (Northeastern, New England Conservatory, Berkley, Boston Conservatory) and have leases on blocks of floors for each school.
Click to expand...

I think this is the way it should be to keep prices relatively normal as compared to regular school owned/operated dorms and housing. If these types of projects were green lighted ahead or even instead of college run facilities it could create a bad precedent.
 
atlantaden said:
Then again the students of the schools that these dorm towers would hold probably aren't too worried about money.

I bet many of their parents are, however. Many parents put off their retirement to put their kids through school!
Click to expand...

Yeah, I should have said "I bet a good portion of the students of the schools that these dorm towers would hold probably aren't too worried about money."

There are a lot of people who attend BU, BC, Northeastern, MIT, etc. who have lots and lots of money. There's also those who get their through scholarships or have parents as ATLDen said, putting off retirement to pay for schooling.
 
Here are some more detailed renderings of the proposed dorm tower...

GrandMarc___Huntington__west_.jpg


GrandMarc___St.jpg


GrandMarc___skyline.jpg


GrandMarc___Huntington.jpg


Since he made a big fuss about it last time...these renderings were originally posted by altrvr over at UP.
 
^ This is an OK project.




When will Northeastern buy the Midtown Motor Inn and replace it with a high-rise dorm?

Plus retail on the ground floor, of course, some condos and a hotel to help pay for it all.

Maybe the Midtown's owners could put up the land as equity partners and operate the new hotel.
 
There will be a meeting where the public can comment on this project next week:

6 PM Wednesday, May 30th in the library of the YMCA

I'll probably go to it.. anyone else?
Click to expand...

I think I'll see you there! I live very close, and my classes end before 6:00, so I have no reason not to go
 
I like the height, but the building design itself is pretty boring. You really need extremely modern looking high rises down there to compensate for the 60's bunker-like tall buildings that surround the Prudential Center.
 
It is a good modern looking building, and it definitely will have a huge impact over there. It looks so tall, are you sure it is gonna be around 360'???
It looks more like 400' or more.

pharmerdave:

The building as proposed is 345' to the top of the highest occupied floor. Including a mechanical floor or two this building should be in the 360' range.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top