Ahhg, seeing those renderings up close and in hi resolution makes the courthouse building seem like an ever bigger mistake than it actually is. The red break shoulders of the building barely poke above the newer buildings and completely clashes with the new designs. Fan pier is shaping up to be a disaster.
⚫ One Marina Park @ Fan Pier | One Marina Park Drive | Seaport
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This is the South Boston Waterfront, what did you expect?
awood91
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$3B Fan Pier Under Way After 20-Year Delay
By Joe Clements
One Fan Pier Blvd.
BOSTON-The human mannequins posing as prospective future occupants proved that no expense was spared for yesterday?s Fan Pier complex groundbreaking here on the city?s waterfront, and few of the dozen or so speakers held back, either. Mayor Thomas Menino declared the three-million-sf project ?the most exciting thing that will happen in Boston in our lifetime,? as he joined others lionizing veteran developer Joseph Fallon for getting the mixed-use venture under way after two decades of frustrating setbacks.
Indeed, while the hyperbole flowed freely throughout the mid-morning event, it might be difficult to underestimate the significance of the ceremony, one marking the start of a 500,000-sf speculative office building that will kick off the commercial portion of Fan Pier?s ambitious platform. The site does have one building open, with the Institute for Contemporary Art a beneficiary of the master-planned development?s civic benefits package. Now, however, Fallon is moving ahead on such elements as 1.5 million sf of office space; a five-star, 175-room hotel; high-end retail and luxury condominiums that some observers predict will set new pricing records for the market.
Offering such an outlook was groundbreaking attendee David Begelfer, executive director of the Naiop Massachusetts chapter. The views of Boston Harbor and mix of amenities to be provided throughout the complex will ensure such an outcome, Begelfer told GlobeSt.com, ?It is a triple-A location,? he said. ?I think they are going to do extremely well on that.? Ditto for the office building, added Begelfer, who supports Fallon?s decision to move forward on a speculative basis. ?Once people see the steel going up, they know its real, and they will react,? said Begelfer. Leasing agent Steven Lynch of CB Richard Ellis agreed with that assessment, and said the long-held mindset of Boston tenants fits into that approach.
?Boston is still very much a ?show-me? kind of town,? said Lynch. ?They are really accustomed to having a project under construction before they commit.? Fallon, who through past ventures such as the nearby Park Lane Condominiums and Boston Westin Hotel has proven he can meet the ?show-me? challenge, responded accordingly with the office building, one which is slated for completion in the third quarter of 2009. Lynch, who is handling the leasing assignment with CBRE/New England president Andrew Hoar, would not discuss rental projections, but observers have been placing it in the $70-per-sf range. Industry icon William McCall Jr., also in attendance yesterday, told GlobeSt.com that he believes the rent level seems ?reasonable,? especially given the time frame for delivery. McCall was among those lauding Fallon for moving the plan along, and said he believes the location could prove popular.
If nothing else, McCall agreed that the decision to move Fan Pier along is generating buzz. ?It?s very exciting,? he said. Lynch said CBRE has met with about 30 prospective tenants, and indicates ?positive? feedback towards the building. The efficient floor plates of about 30,000 sf should meet the needs of the current crop of prospects, he says, and the amount of tenant turnover between 2009 and 2011 also bodes well for the leasing campaign of the 18-story structure, which was designed by Elkus/Manfredi Architects of Boston.
As with the other structures, the inaugural office building known as One Fan Pier Blvd. will have new millennium technology and other forward-thinking features, said Lynch, while the entire development aims to gain LEED certification. That, according to Fallon, will make Fan Pier the largest mixed-use development in the country seeking such a distinction. ?Fan Pier will truly have something for everyone,? Fallon told the audience in his speech, with four acres of open space and a 96-slip marina that will be able to accommodate mega-yachts.
Besides Fallon, the ceremony also included speeches from several Boston City Councilors and State Sen. Jack Hart from the South Boston district, whose neighborhood abuts Fan Pier. Fallon?s equity partner, Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors, was represented by VP Thomas Dudeck, who was among those citing Fallon for his leadership. ?This is an exciting day,? he said. ?But it was not without its challenges, and Joe Fallon was able to overcome them all.?
Besides a labyrinth of regulatory approvals mandated as part of the state?s Chapter 91 law regarding waterfront development, Fallon also had to steer through neighborhood and environmental concerns, plus the expensive prospect of developing a site that has been in disrepair for decades. While the first effort in the mid-1980s to create Fan Pier fell apart as a result of lawsuits between the original partners, the costly renovation and a series of regional economic downturns have subsequently kept the likes of Pritzker Corp. from pulling off Fallon?s feat. ?The dreams of many others is finally being realized,? Menino said in his remarks.
By Joe Clements
One Fan Pier Blvd.
BOSTON-The human mannequins posing as prospective future occupants proved that no expense was spared for yesterday?s Fan Pier complex groundbreaking here on the city?s waterfront, and few of the dozen or so speakers held back, either. Mayor Thomas Menino declared the three-million-sf project ?the most exciting thing that will happen in Boston in our lifetime,? as he joined others lionizing veteran developer Joseph Fallon for getting the mixed-use venture under way after two decades of frustrating setbacks.
Indeed, while the hyperbole flowed freely throughout the mid-morning event, it might be difficult to underestimate the significance of the ceremony, one marking the start of a 500,000-sf speculative office building that will kick off the commercial portion of Fan Pier?s ambitious platform. The site does have one building open, with the Institute for Contemporary Art a beneficiary of the master-planned development?s civic benefits package. Now, however, Fallon is moving ahead on such elements as 1.5 million sf of office space; a five-star, 175-room hotel; high-end retail and luxury condominiums that some observers predict will set new pricing records for the market.
Offering such an outlook was groundbreaking attendee David Begelfer, executive director of the Naiop Massachusetts chapter. The views of Boston Harbor and mix of amenities to be provided throughout the complex will ensure such an outcome, Begelfer told GlobeSt.com, ?It is a triple-A location,? he said. ?I think they are going to do extremely well on that.? Ditto for the office building, added Begelfer, who supports Fallon?s decision to move forward on a speculative basis. ?Once people see the steel going up, they know its real, and they will react,? said Begelfer. Leasing agent Steven Lynch of CB Richard Ellis agreed with that assessment, and said the long-held mindset of Boston tenants fits into that approach.
?Boston is still very much a ?show-me? kind of town,? said Lynch. ?They are really accustomed to having a project under construction before they commit.? Fallon, who through past ventures such as the nearby Park Lane Condominiums and Boston Westin Hotel has proven he can meet the ?show-me? challenge, responded accordingly with the office building, one which is slated for completion in the third quarter of 2009. Lynch, who is handling the leasing assignment with CBRE/New England president Andrew Hoar, would not discuss rental projections, but observers have been placing it in the $70-per-sf range. Industry icon William McCall Jr., also in attendance yesterday, told GlobeSt.com that he believes the rent level seems ?reasonable,? especially given the time frame for delivery. McCall was among those lauding Fallon for moving the plan along, and said he believes the location could prove popular.
If nothing else, McCall agreed that the decision to move Fan Pier along is generating buzz. ?It?s very exciting,? he said. Lynch said CBRE has met with about 30 prospective tenants, and indicates ?positive? feedback towards the building. The efficient floor plates of about 30,000 sf should meet the needs of the current crop of prospects, he says, and the amount of tenant turnover between 2009 and 2011 also bodes well for the leasing campaign of the 18-story structure, which was designed by Elkus/Manfredi Architects of Boston.
As with the other structures, the inaugural office building known as One Fan Pier Blvd. will have new millennium technology and other forward-thinking features, said Lynch, while the entire development aims to gain LEED certification. That, according to Fallon, will make Fan Pier the largest mixed-use development in the country seeking such a distinction. ?Fan Pier will truly have something for everyone,? Fallon told the audience in his speech, with four acres of open space and a 96-slip marina that will be able to accommodate mega-yachts.
Besides Fallon, the ceremony also included speeches from several Boston City Councilors and State Sen. Jack Hart from the South Boston district, whose neighborhood abuts Fan Pier. Fallon?s equity partner, Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors, was represented by VP Thomas Dudeck, who was among those citing Fallon for his leadership. ?This is an exciting day,? he said. ?But it was not without its challenges, and Joe Fallon was able to overcome them all.?
Besides a labyrinth of regulatory approvals mandated as part of the state?s Chapter 91 law regarding waterfront development, Fallon also had to steer through neighborhood and environmental concerns, plus the expensive prospect of developing a site that has been in disrepair for decades. While the first effort in the mid-1980s to create Fan Pier fell apart as a result of lawsuits between the original partners, the costly renovation and a series of regional economic downturns have subsequently kept the likes of Pritzker Corp. from pulling off Fallon?s feat. ?The dreams of many others is finally being realized,? Menino said in his remarks.
statler
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^^Where is that from?
Also: Criticism is a healthy and useful part of a good discussion.
The South Boston Waterfront is probably the best opportunity this city will have at city planning for a very long time. To throw-up cost effective boxes on suburban street grid is to throw all that potential away.
Boston has a lot of great, unique pedestrian oriented neighborhoods and this could of been another, adding the next chapter into the citiy's history book.
Instead we get an auto-oriented Atlanta/Phoenix/etc redux.
Boston deserves better.
Globe St said:
Also: Criticism is a healthy and useful part of a good discussion.
The South Boston Waterfront is probably the best opportunity this city will have at city planning for a very long time. To throw-up cost effective boxes on suburban street grid is to throw all that potential away.
Boston has a lot of great, unique pedestrian oriented neighborhoods and this could of been another, adding the next chapter into the citiy's history book.
Instead we get an auto-oriented Atlanta/Phoenix/etc redux.
Boston deserves better.
awood91 said:
Hey man, life isn't all happy sunshine and fuzzy kittens. The South Boston waterfront is shaping up to be a failure, from an urban and design perspective, and this is the place to talk about it: an internet forum designated to discuss such topics. Maybe you should tell us what you like about it?
awood91
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LeTaureau wrote:
Well, its the (or at least one of the) biggest LEED certified developments in the country and the office building that broke ground yesterday is designed by Elkus/Manfredi, who, in my opinion, does some very nice stuff. Apart from that, I think its very hard to judge an unfinished product, let alone one that broke ground just yesterday. I think we all know that renderings can be deceiving, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. 500 Atlantic Ave is a good example. I thought its renderings were some of the worst I've ever seen and yet the finished product has turned out very nicely. So yeah, you can be negative, it doesn't actually bother me, but I'm just saying that you can't judge a $3 Billion project by its cover.
Well, its the (or at least one of the) biggest LEED certified developments in the country and the office building that broke ground yesterday is designed by Elkus/Manfredi, who, in my opinion, does some very nice stuff. Apart from that, I think its very hard to judge an unfinished product, let alone one that broke ground just yesterday. I think we all know that renderings can be deceiving, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. 500 Atlantic Ave is a good example. I thought its renderings were some of the worst I've ever seen and yet the finished product has turned out very nicely. So yeah, you can be negative, it doesn't actually bother me, but I'm just saying that you can't judge a $3 Billion project by its cover.
I don't see what we're complaining about. The only thing i can see that i don't like (on that one rendering) is the pier in front of the ICA. Other than that, after looking at the high res rendering linked on this page, I have to say that with some storefronts and restaurants, it's a great starting point for South Boston.
I like that the rendering has enough open space for residents but it's also clearly an urban neighborhood. The views of the skyline will make this a destination in the summer especially for outdoor dining and lounging. It's a beautiful spot and in my opinion offers better views of the skyline than you can find in most locations.
The renderings don't show the most amazing architecture, no question. It'll probably be mostly pre-cast concrete and boring, but the thing that worries me about these mass developments is the risk of suburbanizing it. I don't see that in these renderings. I think it has the potential to be really nice even with the mediocre architecture.
It'll be the street life, NOT the architecture that defines this development, and from these renderings there is clear potential for something nice.
I like that the rendering has enough open space for residents but it's also clearly an urban neighborhood. The views of the skyline will make this a destination in the summer especially for outdoor dining and lounging. It's a beautiful spot and in my opinion offers better views of the skyline than you can find in most locations.
The renderings don't show the most amazing architecture, no question. It'll probably be mostly pre-cast concrete and boring, but the thing that worries me about these mass developments is the risk of suburbanizing it. I don't see that in these renderings. I think it has the potential to be really nice even with the mediocre architecture.
It'll be the street life, NOT the architecture that defines this development, and from these renderings there is clear potential for something nice.
JimboJones
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Please ....
I have cupcakes for anyone who stops calling it the "South Boston" Waterfront District.
I much prefer Seaport District.
South Boston can break off and fall into the ocean, for all I care.
Regardless of its history, I think one area has little to do with the other, so let's cut this off while we still can.
I have cupcakes for anyone who stops calling it the "South Boston" Waterfront District.
I much prefer Seaport District.
South Boston can break off and fall into the ocean, for all I care.
Regardless of its history, I think one area has little to do with the other, so let's cut this off while we still can.
Ron Newman
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Over time, this district and the existing South Boston will blend into each other.
It's not so much the Fan Pier development that I dislike, its the neighborhood itself and how everything is falling into place. Its all too suburban feeling, and yes, I don't think that it's too early to pass judgment. We've seen neighborhoods and developments like this before. Look to Kendall Square, or any southern city for that matter. A true neighborhood ends up being greater than the sum of its parts. the South Boston Waterfront is just the sum of its parts.
Re: Please ....
Was it really called South Boston in the past? I distinctly remember that there was a concerted effort 5-10 years ago to get this area designated as part of South Boston. Everybody had been calling it the Seaport up to that point. Which is all just semantics unless you're a politician from South Boston proper who wants to leverage bullshit linkage payments out of Seaport developers because their development is in "South Boston." I ran into someone who was at the Fan Pier ground breaking yesterday, and to paraphrase him --"every other word was Menino and South Boston. I've got ten cousins in South Boston who couldn't find Fan Pier if you paid 'em."
briv said:
Was it really called South Boston in the past? I distinctly remember that there was a concerted effort 5-10 years ago to get this area designated as part of South Boston. Everybody had been calling it the Seaport up to that point. Which is all just semantics unless you're a politician from South Boston proper who wants to leverage bullshit linkage payments out of Seaport developers because their development is in "South Boston." I ran into someone who was at the Fan Pier ground breaking yesterday, and to paraphrase him --"every other word was Menino and South Boston. I've got ten cousins in South Boston who couldn't find Fan Pier if you paid 'em."
Ron Newman
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Kendall Square is nowhere near Riverside, so I don't really understand.
^Look at a map of Boston, say on Google Maps, and compare the distance and street layout separating Kendall Square from Riverside, and the distance and layout separating Fan Pier from South Boston proper. I think you'll find that Riverside is, in fact, much closer to Kendall Square than most of the Seaport District is from most of South Boston. The fact that Kendall seems nowhere near Riverside is sort of my point.
whighlander
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Real Nemes for Seaport
Until the recent activity there were 6 names in common use and none had South Boston or Seaport as part of them:
1) Where the court house is located was PAHHking
2) Where the Cruise Terminal and Design Center isd located was AHHmy Base
3) Where the Bank of A Pavilion is located was Navy YAAHHd or Dry Dock
4) Commonwealth Piaahh {where the World Trade Center is located}
5) Piaahh Fouahh {the Restaurant}
6) Fish Piaahh {still the same name}
The only other names that meant much outside of the above names was Papas {as in Brothers warehouses now where the BEC is located}, Atheanas {aka Pier 4} and Doulos {aka Jimmy's Harborside} and of course and that restaurant on the Fish Pier with a {can't seem to remember the name -- oh that's right it had NO Name}
Westy
Until the recent activity there were 6 names in common use and none had South Boston or Seaport as part of them:
1) Where the court house is located was PAHHking
2) Where the Cruise Terminal and Design Center isd located was AHHmy Base
3) Where the Bank of A Pavilion is located was Navy YAAHHd or Dry Dock
4) Commonwealth Piaahh {where the World Trade Center is located}
5) Piaahh Fouahh {the Restaurant}
6) Fish Piaahh {still the same name}
The only other names that meant much outside of the above names was Papas {as in Brothers warehouses now where the BEC is located}, Atheanas {aka Pier 4} and Doulos {aka Jimmy's Harborside} and of course and that restaurant on the Fish Pier with a {can't seem to remember the name -- oh that's right it had NO Name}
Westy