4-6 Newbury Street | Back Bay
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Jesus Christ, they objected to bay windows?! I am totally befuddled; do these people not understand that what makes the Back Bay what it is is its architectural diversity? They are elitist morons who have their heads up their asses.
I never knew this was a garage on the upper floors -- I assumed the garage went below grade!
I guess those proposed bay windows will really soar and create overwhelming shadows.
On the other hand, the other buildings on this block are flat-fronted, and the setback is notably wider than in the blocks closer to Mass. Ave.
I have always thought that this makes for a subtle but nice (if unintended) effect of opening up as the street nears the Public Garden. Its the setback that needs to be preserved, not the flat facades.
I guess those proposed bay windows will really soar and create overwhelming shadows.
On the other hand, the other buildings on this block are flat-fronted, and the setback is notably wider than in the blocks closer to Mass. Ave.
I have always thought that this makes for a subtle but nice (if unintended) effect of opening up as the street nears the Public Garden. Its the setback that needs to be preserved, not the flat facades.
Re: New Building Proposed for Newbury Street
Newbury St. garage site to get ritzier
By Scott Van Voorhis
Thursday, November 22, 2007
It?s boom times on Newbury Street with a pair of developers pushing a plan for the first new major retail and office building in years on the upscale shopping boulevard.
Developers Nader Golestaneh and Peter Bassett are in talks with City Hall to tear down a 1980s garage near the Taj and replace it with seven stories of high-end shops and offices. The developers have already owned and sold a number of buildings on Newbury Street over the years, according to Tom Brennan, a broker who specializes in Newbury Street property.
The move comes after several sales of retail buildings along Newbury Street for a total of about $200 million. Developer Ron Druker is also planning a major project just around the corner at the former Shreve, Crump & Low?s building at Arlington and Boylston streets.
?I have sold 12 buildings along Newbury Street,? said Brennan of Talanian Realty. ?It?s a hot time for the street.?
The developers, under the banner of Centremark Properties, have presented preliminary plans to the Back Bay Architectural Commission to demolish the roughly 160-car garage at 4-6 Newbury St., a seven-story glass, metal and masonry building. Golestaneh could not be reached for comment.
The first three floors of the new building would feature shopping space, topped by four floors of offices.
The project would take shape at the center of the most lucrative shopping block on Newbury, where rents can top $200 a square foot, said Talanian?s Brennan. He expects the retail space to be rented to high-end clothing stores, while the offices upstairs will be attractive to lawyers, architects and venture capitalists.
The developers, however, will likely have to win city approval to change the zoning rules for the site. The proposed building rises to 80 feet, above the 65-foot limit for the area, said William Young of the Back Bay Architectural Commission.
Link
Newbury St. garage site to get ritzier
By Scott Van Voorhis
Thursday, November 22, 2007
It?s boom times on Newbury Street with a pair of developers pushing a plan for the first new major retail and office building in years on the upscale shopping boulevard.
Developers Nader Golestaneh and Peter Bassett are in talks with City Hall to tear down a 1980s garage near the Taj and replace it with seven stories of high-end shops and offices. The developers have already owned and sold a number of buildings on Newbury Street over the years, according to Tom Brennan, a broker who specializes in Newbury Street property.
The move comes after several sales of retail buildings along Newbury Street for a total of about $200 million. Developer Ron Druker is also planning a major project just around the corner at the former Shreve, Crump & Low?s building at Arlington and Boylston streets.
?I have sold 12 buildings along Newbury Street,? said Brennan of Talanian Realty. ?It?s a hot time for the street.?
The developers, under the banner of Centremark Properties, have presented preliminary plans to the Back Bay Architectural Commission to demolish the roughly 160-car garage at 4-6 Newbury St., a seven-story glass, metal and masonry building. Golestaneh could not be reached for comment.
The first three floors of the new building would feature shopping space, topped by four floors of offices.
The project would take shape at the center of the most lucrative shopping block on Newbury, where rents can top $200 a square foot, said Talanian?s Brennan. He expects the retail space to be rented to high-end clothing stores, while the offices upstairs will be attractive to lawyers, architects and venture capitalists.
The developers, however, will likely have to win city approval to change the zoning rules for the site. The proposed building rises to 80 feet, above the 65-foot limit for the area, said William Young of the Back Bay Architectural Commission.
Link
Beton Brut
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Re: New Building Proposed for Newbury Street
^^What he said...
^^What he said...
czsz
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Re: New Building Proposed for Newbury Street
Too bad no one ever proposes to fill the lot at the corner of Dartmouth Street...I guess parking is a more premium commodity on Newbury than whatever a new building would house.
Ablarc: Newbury Street thrives while Washington Street dies because one is more versatile than the other: there's no use for an exclusive, 9-5 downtown retail district when the majority of people in the metro (and even the inner city) can head for malls to get their big-box fit. If Downtown Crossing's makeover results in a more diverse-use, 24 hour culture for that whole area, it will be the best thing that ever happened to it.
Too bad no one ever proposes to fill the lot at the corner of Dartmouth Street...I guess parking is a more premium commodity on Newbury than whatever a new building would house.
Ablarc: Newbury Street thrives while Washington Street dies because one is more versatile than the other: there's no use for an exclusive, 9-5 downtown retail district when the majority of people in the metro (and even the inner city) can head for malls to get their big-box fit. If Downtown Crossing's makeover results in a more diverse-use, 24 hour culture for that whole area, it will be the best thing that ever happened to it.
Re: New Building Proposed for Newbury Street
I suggest four stories of parking here on top of two stories of retail.
The real scar on Newbury Street --not bay windows. Why don't the mother hens do something about this?
I suggest four stories of parking here on top of two stories of retail.
Ron Newman
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Re: New Building Proposed for Newbury Street
Was there once a building where that parking lot is now, or was it forever unbuilt since the filling of Back Bay? If there was a building, did it burn down?
Was there once a building where that parking lot is now, or was it forever unbuilt since the filling of Back Bay? If there was a building, did it burn down?
Re: New Building Proposed for Newbury Street
The parcel on the corner of Newbury and Dartmouth is controlled by Kevin Fitzgerald of FitzIn Parking. A decent enough guy, but...A. He leases the property and therefore couldn't build on it even if he wished and B. He runs a perfectly profitable parking lot empire and seems quite content with that income stream.
The parcel on the corner of Newbury and Dartmouth is controlled by Kevin Fitzgerald of FitzIn Parking. A decent enough guy, but...A. He leases the property and therefore couldn't build on it even if he wished and B. He runs a perfectly profitable parking lot empire and seems quite content with that income stream.
Ron Newman
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Re: New Building Proposed for Newbury Street
Surely he could make more money with a garage?
Surely he could make more money with a garage?
statler
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Re: New Building Proposed for Newbury Street
If what sidewalks says is true it's not really his call.
The owner of the lot, on the other hand, should be willing to work out a deal with Mr. Fitz to build the garage (with ground floor retail, of course).
Seems like a win/win to me but I'm not wise in the ways of parking finances.
Plus, the NIMBY's would complain about the loss of 'open space', the new shadows and the need for a park there.
If what sidewalks says is true it's not really his call.
The owner of the lot, on the other hand, should be willing to work out a deal with Mr. Fitz to build the garage (with ground floor retail, of course).
Seems like a win/win to me but I'm not wise in the ways of parking finances.
Plus, the NIMBY's would complain about the loss of 'open space', the new shadows and the need for a park there.
Re: New Building Proposed for Newbury Street
There are two parking lots in, one in the south end at Clarendon and Lawrence and one at Belvidere and Daton by the Christian Science Center, both are about to lose their variance that allows parking. I don't know if the Newbury has a variance but I hope it does and that it will expire some day.
There are two parking lots in, one in the south end at Clarendon and Lawrence and one at Belvidere and Daton by the Christian Science Center, both are about to lose their variance that allows parking. I don't know if the Newbury has a variance but I hope it does and that it will expire some day.
type001
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Re: New Building Proposed for Newbury Street
The loss of the garage and the addition of more retail will make finding a parking space much harder. It won't affect me, but I wonder if the city is going to do or say anything about that.
Also, NIMBYs seem to have a problem with Back Bay towers causing more traffic, yet there aren't 100 of them lined up waiting to denounce these plans. I guess they don't mind the traffic if it's not a "tower" being built.
The loss of the garage and the addition of more retail will make finding a parking space much harder. It won't affect me, but I wonder if the city is going to do or say anything about that.
Also, NIMBYs seem to have a problem with Back Bay towers causing more traffic, yet there aren't 100 of them lined up waiting to denounce these plans. I guess they don't mind the traffic if it's not a "tower" being built.
Padre Mike
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Re: New Building Proposed for Newbury Street
^It will be good to get rid of this ugly facade from the view of the Public Garden. I remember when this was built; I seem to recall that it was an empty lot, that nothing of import was torn down, so that we were relieved to see the street wall reestablished. At the time the added fenestration was considered an innovative solution to a potentially ugly garage. I can't wait to see what's being proposed to replace it.
^It will be good to get rid of this ugly facade from the view of the Public Garden. I remember when this was built; I seem to recall that it was an empty lot, that nothing of import was torn down, so that we were relieved to see the street wall reestablished. At the time the added fenestration was considered an innovative solution to a potentially ugly garage. I can't wait to see what's being proposed to replace it.
Ron Newman
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Re: New Building Proposed for Newbury Street
How did there come to be an empty lot here? Did a previous building burn down?
How did there come to be an empty lot here? Did a previous building burn down?