115 Federal St. (Winthrop Square)

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City's tallest tower clears first hurdle


Businessman Steve Belkin was designated by the Boston Redevelopment Authority today to build the city's tallest building.

The tower would be on the site of a parking garage in the Financial District.

Belkin has proposed an unusual 1,000-foot tower, perched on columns three stories above Federal Street, with a public park underneath, restaurants, and a gathering area called a town green.

Elevators on the outside of the glass building would whisk tenants and visitors skyward; atop the 80 stories would be a half-acre "look-out park."

"Boston's known for its revolution," Belkin told the BRA board. The building, he said, "will revolutionize skyscrapers. We?re actually creating green space ... We?re giving land back to the community."

Belkin made millions from a network of companies in the travel, financial, and communications businesses, and began plotting to build a tower more than a decade ago when he bought a commercial building adjacent to the city parking lot.

He has hired noted architect Renzo Piano, who spoke of the proposed building's "slender, slim" profile.

The BRA designation is the first hurdle. Belkin has pledged to begin construction in 2008 and finish by 2011.

His initial plans were enthusiastically endorsed by BRA board members. "It's very exciting for the city," said Consuelo Gonzales-Thornell.

Chairman Clarence "Jeep" Jones quipped, ?It seems so attractive what are you going to do when everybody in the city wants to be there at the same time?" (By Thomas C. Palmer Jr., Globe staff)


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Italian architect Renzo Piano (left) and Steve Belkin. (Globe photo)

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good news. it does look nicer in that model. resembles a transluscent prudential tower.
 
Hmm by 2008? That's quite in Boston considering most towers will take about 10 years to get a green light to break ground.
 
Press release on the BRA website:

Menino Announces First Official Step in Realization of Winthrop Square Tower

Says Trans National?s Proposal Would Exhibit World-Class Design; Be Among First Major Buildings in Boston to Go Green

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced that the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) recommended to the City of Boston the tentative designation of Trans National Properties to develop the 115 Winthrop Square site. The Board?s recommendation is the first milestone for the downtown project, expected to carry the distinction of being Boston?s tallest building, and boast a total of 1.5 million square feet of office and retail space, as well as one acre of public space. The locally-based development team includes world-renown architect Renzo Piano, who was present for today?s Board vote.

?The Trans National team has made a significant financial commitment to the City, and they have brought a project proposal to us that would serve as a model for sustainable growth and design ? a concept that the City of Boston is deeply committed to.? said Mayor Menino.

In November of 2006, Trans National Properties submitted a response to the City?s Request for Proposals for the Winthrop Square site, a currently underutilized, City-owned parking garage. The project proposal calls for a mix of uses, and includes plans for new public green space that is nearly double the existing footprint of the garage, as well as a year-round public market that will feature locally-grown organic produce and food. Upon completion, the tower would boast a diverse range of green building principles, making it among New England?s most sustainably designed, built, and operated commercial towers and a lasting symbol of Boston?s innovative reputation.

Earlier this month, the Zoning Commission adopted Article 37 into Boston?s Zoning Code, a new green building zoning article introduced by Mayor Menino last month. The adoption of the new zoning has made Boston the first major city in the nation to require adherence to the US Green Building Council?s LEED Certified standard as part of the private development review process. In his effort to promote and encourage new green buildings and development, as well as ?greening? Boston?s existing buildings, Menino said the city seeks to stimulate business growth and job creation for Boston.

The new green building zoning provision requires that projects over 50,000 square feet meet a basic level of certification, known as the level ?Certified,? according to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Building rating system, as defined by the Boston Interagency Green Building Committee. Using the LEED-New Construction standard requires earning 26 points to meet the level of certified. In addition to the LEED points, four additional points that reflect priorities of the City are being proposed in the areas of modern mobility (transportation), modern grid (energy), historic preservation and groundwater.

Once tentatively designated, Trans National has 90 days in which to submit a financing plan to the BRA which should include an acquisition fee established by an appraisal of the site. The project plan will then be reviewed to determine whether it is financially viable, at which time, a recommendation could be made to the Board to grant them final designation, setting into motion the Article 80 review process.

Press Contact: Lucy Warsh, 617.918.4296

Release Date: January 25, 2007
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Interesting about the market. I don't recall having heard about that before. The market, park and rooftop garden will certainly give the building the feel of a public gathering space, which is unusual in an office high-rise.
 
Wow, I really like the positivity that seems to be coming from that article...it seems that the right people are impressed with the tower. The model does definitely look better...when I was back in Massachusetts for my Christmas break I had the opportunity to stop by the BRA right as it was closing. (I decided to get out of the bar so I could stop watching my school get their ass kicked in our bowl game) I got the chance to see the model of Winthrop Square and it looked really really nice. When you get to see it from a 3-dimensional perspective you get the chance to appreciate it in a whole new way.

Does anyone have any idea what that arch thing with the yellow ball on it is?

Also, now that they have made it by the BRA is there anyone else (other than NIMBYs) that this project will have to get by? I'm glad to see that this project really seems to be moving with some haste...I was a bit skeptical at first, but it seems to be becoming more and more of a possibility. Also this is the first time I've heard the building claim to have 80 stories...I thought it was 75?
 
tmac9wr said:
Does anyone have any idea what that arch thing with the yellow ball on it is?
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Uh, the sun maybe? Duh! :lol: No, it probably shows the tragectory of the sun in relation to the tower in order to simulate where those deadly shadows might pop up.

tmac9wr said:
Also, now that they have made it by the BRA is there anyone else (other than NIMBYs) that this project will have to get by?
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They will have to jump through some environmental reviews, 10,000 public/strikeforce meetings, then finally, permitting (no-brainer). This is all assuming that there is plenty of financing to go around - cost of construction, linkages, and God-knows-what else. My apologies, I sound a little cynical.
 
I'm still worried about the FAA more than anything else.
 
When will we hear from the FAA? Is it normal for them to be silent at this point in the process?
 
I think they would have raised a stink about it already if it really concerned them. But who really knows. If it was a problem then anything over 400 feet in downtown could not be built.
 
I'm pretty sure that the little yellow ball representing the sun is supposed to draw attention to the fact that there are mirrors strategically placed on the sides and the mast of the building (and on the roofs of neighboring buildings, theoretically) that will reflect light down to ground level.
 
I think the sun and its trajectory are for basic shadow studies, to give an idea of the shadows the building will cause using the model of the building. Note how he sun is in the southern "sky" of the model of the city.
 
Whatever the final design is (buildings rarely start->end the same) I hope the rooftop garden stays (and stays public)
 
I like the idea of the tower being elevated on 'stilts' to allow for a public area underneath. Basically it will be a lobby without walls.

I also like the idea of the glass elevators whisking people up and down on the sides of the building - I would hate to have an office near one of those, however.
 
how about this

Ugh-2.jpg


I like it, there could be some improvement but really could be awesome... to bad it wont happen
 
Isn't that one of the propose towers for Vancouver?
 
Here's the smaller version of the rendering. I can't get the full version on. Also Winthrop Tower antennae supposed to be on the right on this picture but I forgot to change it. I also included other proposals including the Aquarium Tower, the 2nd 1000 ft tower, and the North Station Towers. Not all proposal are shown including Joshua St. Tower, Kensington, along with many others.

futurebostonproposalreioc5.png
 
What is the large blue one to the right of the new ritz?
 
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