I went down to the BRA this morning and viewed the 115 Winthrop Square RFP. I was not allowed to use my laptop while viewing the document, and was instructed not to use a digital camera either. This air of secrecy was a little annoying, since it's not as though they need to do this to make sure potential developers pay the $5,000 purchase fee (since if a developer is going to submit a proposal, the BRA could make them buy it then if they hadn't already). As already mentioned, there is also a $25,000 fee to submit a proposal. According to the lady who is in charge of the little room where they keep every single proposal that the BRA is currently looking at, seven copies of the RFP have been bought so far (it became available on May 30). That's pretty good, I think.
What was interesting to me about the RFP was that there was almost no technical information about the site, like dimensions, etc. In fact, the only number in the entire pamphlet was the reference to the fact that the city expects this building to be a new tallest for Boston. There was an appendix, which consisted largely of reference information that a developer will need in order to comply with various local zoning regulations (for example, the resolutions about no new shadows on the common and public garden). The rest of the appendix was checklists and descriptions of exactly what documents each developer was expected to submit as part of his proposal (one thing they have to include is a little wooden model of the building that is correctly scaled to fit into that huge model the BRA has of downtown Boston - the "map room"). There were suggestions of seven or eight locations they might want to use as the POVs for renderings. That part made me realize that this building is going to dramatically change the skyline from practically every vantage point around downtown.
The most interesting part of the appendix was a section devoted to FAA regulations. The city of Boston has already hired a consulting firm, which looked into the formulae the FAA uses to determine whether a potential building might propose a "hazard" to air traffic. There were three key criteria, ALL three of which had to be present for the FAA to declare a building a hazard. The first was a simple question of being over a certain height if the site is within a certain distance from the end of any runway in the area. This building will certainly be over the height threshold. The second had to do with flight paths (which included take-off and landing, but also for planes that are just flying through the area), and the third had to do with whether or not the building would cause a large enough change in the operation of the airport that efficiency would be affected. Anyway, interesting stuff.
Here's the relevant info from the RFP (in shorthand, so I hope it makes sense). There were also background pictures of existing buildings on each page, a sort of montage, and each one had a little slogan, so I'll include the gist of that stuff too:
Urban Design Objectives:
A. Architecture / Building Form
1. icon - tallest and most notable downtown structure, to redefine image of skyline.
2. provide new, long-term viability for public realm in financial district.
3. immediately become memorable and marketable.
4. express Boston's long-standing reputation as a center for innovation.
5. architecture should be on the cutting edge of the 21st century, expressing the bold, forward-looking, creative, inventive, technological spirit of Boston.
6. alignment of taller parts will express street pattern, making building uniquely Boston, and helping orient people to downtown.
7. architectural icon AND new type of building for Boston - combining public and private uses, sustainable technology, public realm at multiple levels of structure.
-Ulm Cathedral, Germany
-Chrysler Building, NY
-Woolworth Building, NY
Skyscrapers represent ambitions and aspirations: religious, cultural, economic.
B. Massing / Height
1. no specific height given, expected to be up to 1000 feet.
2. massing will enhance composition of surrounding buildings, express importance of the pivotal location.
3. civic character, especially at ground level.
4. base of tower will reinforce streetwalls of Devonshire and Federal streets. Since Devonshire's streetwall is "irregular," it will create an effective transition between the facades of the existing buildings.
5. base of tower will conform to massing in district, filling lot to a height of 5-10 floors at base.
6. location of site in the middle of Boston's tall buildings, and the additional height that will be allowed, create an opportunity for project to be the "organizing element" for the entire skyline.
-Bank of China, HK
-7 South Dearborn, Chicago
-London Bridge Tower (Piano!)
A tower can lend its identity to the city, and even become and icon FOR the city.
C. Building Uses
1. multi-level, multi-use civic spaces. Create a destination - bringing new life and energy to the financial district.
2. public spaces of base, middle and top levels. includes an observation deck withing the top 1/3 of the building, which will include 360-degree views, restaurants, and a entertainment/info center.
3. ground-level lobby will be a spectacular multi-level space, including civic, cultural, recreational and retail activities.
4. upper floors may include residential, hotel, recreational, office, retail activities.
5.service docks and parking spaces must be internal to the site, and located below grade (also there must be at least 600 public parking spaces, in addition to whatever the developer wants to put in for people who use and live in the building).
-Hansen Corporation Tower, Korea
-Highcliff & Summit, HK
-Turning Torso, Sweden
Residential use, because of smaller floorplates, can result in slender buildings which include elements of a more human scale, one example being balconies.
D. Pedestrian, Vehicular Circulation
1. function as working part of pedestrian/vehicular circulation, street and block pattern, organization of street level activities.
2. ground floor - direct pedestrian passage through lobby with unobstructed views from Federal to Devonshire.
3. improve open space connections, facilitate movement between Greenway, Post Office Square park, and Winthrop Square park.
4. main entrances will face both Devonshire and Federal streets. The Devonshire entrance will be located directly opposite the diagonal path which leads through Winthrop Square to Winthrop place, that little footpath which leads to Washington Street and DTX.
5. parking entrance and loading facilities will be on Federal street.
6. lobby = grand public space, in the tradition of the IBM bamboo garden in midtown Manhattan, and the winter garden at the World Financial Center in NY.
-Foster WTC proposal
-Axe building (the sausage), London
Recent technologies, materials, computer-assisted design allow previously impossible forms and shapes.
E. Environmental Impact
1. sustainability; the building will consider its impact in a much larger context than just the site itself.
2. will go well beyond LEED platinum standards; it will break new ground in green design.
3. it will minimize wind and shadows, especially on common and public garden.
4. observe FAA guidelines and protocols.
5. follow article 80 of the zoning code.
-Ibe Perking Road, HK
-Plaza 66, Shanghai
A well-designed tower will contribute to its urban context, adding activity at the base, and strengthening the skyline at the top.
Evaluation Criteria:
-extent to which the proposal reflects objective listed in RFP (duh).
-ability to work with BRA, public agencies, and community groups.
-ability to finance project.
-prior experience with projects of this size and in developing and marketing mixed-use projects of this complexity.
-ability to contribute equity to project.
-ability to pay dispensation price, determined by BRA, in a timely manner.
-development schedule, key milestones, and project completion.
-how the proposal shows an understanding of larger planning initiatives and competitive economic aspirations of the city.
"The BRA expressly reserves the right to reject any and all proposals."
So, before I left, I asked about how I might be able to get technical information about the site, and was told that I could go to the registry of deeds for that info. Do they make developers do this too? It seems like it would be easier if they included this info in the RFP.
There were a couple key dates listed, too:
-September 14: Respondents first site visit.
-September 22: Q&A in BRA board room for respondents.
-November 13: Proposals due.
The general impression I got from the document is that the city is VERY serious about having a modern tower that is completely different from anything else in Boston, which will set a precedent for modern architecture, and which will dispel Boston's reputation for being stodgy and conservative. They want this tower to be THE image that defines the Boston brand for the next few decades. Can you believe they cited the Fordham spire and the London Bridge Tower as possible inspirations?
As an aside, I was standing in Dewey Square a couple of days ago (that's going to be one HUGE public plaza when they're done bricking it over) and I realized that 115 Winthrop Square will really tower over this area. Even though its farther away, it will still appear taller than the Fed building. When this and the South Station tower are complete, it will be one visually impressive spot in which to eat ones lunch. These two, along with Russia Wharf and the Harbor Garage tower, will really help make the skyline way more distinctive when viewed from the harbor.
Some time next November or December, there's going to be a lot of activity on this board! Man, I can wait to see some renderings...
