88 Seaport Blvd | Seaport Square Parcel D | Seaport

Not sure what is gping on, but two earth movers were working the site Wednesday. They seem to be digging up the asphalt and excavating in the NW corner.

Is this the beginning of site prep or a refurbishment of a parking lot?

Hub Week is going to be staged on this parcel next week in event tents and shipping containers, so they're probably cleaning things up for that.
 
Haven't seen anything on this project for a while, so I did a quick Google search and found this site for leasing with a potential delivery date of December 2022: https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/88-Seaport-Blvd-Boston-MA/11759548/.


Back in 2017, when she first appeared, it was love at first sight! Years passed, new loves appeared, but I never gave up hope! Now, I think it's time for me to whisper a sweet adieu. Yet, deep down, one can only hope.
 
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Looks promising --

Somec: new USD 36 million order for project in Boston's seaport district



From the article:

Fabbrica LLC will oversee the design, engineering and production of over 17,000 sq. meters of curtain walling of the building, including a dramatic 8-story sloped glass façade that will provide natural light to the interior spaces.

which means, "hallelujah, they are keeping the design!"
 
Great news! This plot definitely still feels like a gap in the neighborhood. At the rate the Seaport is going, there might not be any gaps left by about 2025 and we'll start seeing more of the Fort Point projects coming to fruition.
 
Another announcement in BBJ. Interesting/exciting to note that OMA (Office of Metropolitan Architecture) is the architect - Rem Koolhas’ firm. His first project in Boston. He’s considered one of the most important and influential architects and theorists in last 50 years. Also a prof at Harvard.

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I don’t have a subscription, but that lede doesn’t sound promising at all regarding a construction start? FWIW, I passed my this site this morning and the lot looked nearly completely cleared.

You’re right - that is a pretty noncommittal start. Here’s the article in full:

“WS Development is aiming to start construction later this year on an 18-story lab-and-office building on Seaport Boulevard in Boston’s Seaport District, a half-decade after plans for the unique-looking tower were introduced.

The designs for 88 Seaport Blvd. drew lots of attention when unveiled in 2017, as they offered up a dramatic vision in a neighborhood known — and sometimes reviled — for a glass-box uniformity. As drawn up by the Dutch architecture firm OMA, the building has a tree-filled gash around its midsection, giving passersby a glimpse into what's happening inside.

Back then, the 499,400-square-foot tower was expected to be the first of nine new buildings to go up in WS Development’s Seaport Square, with construction anticipated to start in the lot in 2018. The property is located just west of District Hall and is bounded by Fan Pier Boulevard, Seaport Boulevard and Northern Avenue.

But other projects ended up breaking ground first after tenants were lined up for the buildings, including 111 Harbor Way, where Amazon.com Inc. recently opened its office, and 400 Summer St., set to be home to Foundation Medicine.

Now, without any tenant publicly attached to 88 Seaport, Chestnut Hill-based WS is taking concrete steps to bring the slice of striking architecture to the Seaport.

The Cisco Brewers beer garden that had been on the 88 Seaport lot was moved down the street, opening for the season at a new Northern Avenue address earlier this month. The lot is now being temporarily used for parking. The property was once home to Our Lady of Good Voyage Catholic chapel before it was relocated closer to Fort Point Channel.

At a recent meeting of the Boston Public Improvement Commission, a WS executive told officials that the developer plans to file a permit application with the city’s Inspectional Services Department in the coming months, with hopes of starting construction in 2022.

While the bulk of the building will be made up of lab and office space, it is also expected to include retail storefronts on the ground floor and a civic space on the second level, as well as a three-level underground parking garage. The developer appeared before the Public Improvement Commission in connection with the creation of a new street between the future tower and District Hall, to be known as Pier Street.

The 88 Seaport building isn’t the only WS project in the neighborhood getting closer to reality: Earlier this week, an affiliate received a building permit from the city for its 350 Summer lab-and-office building, to be located next to Foundation Medicine’s future headquarters.

Construction on Foundation’s building at 400 Summer is well underway, and construction has started on what will be a second Amazon building, at 1 Boston Wharf Road.”
 
Surface lot was cleared out the other day and I noticed this sign. Don’t think it was there a few months ago, and it’s not on Streetview dated Sept 2022.

Seems strange to start work now with interest rates at an all time high, but maybe they scraped together some financing? I’ll keep an eye out for any actual work starting.

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Maybe WS knows that if they don't start foundation work on something now, there is a chance the great Seaport crane streak will end with 10 World Trade!
 
Maybe WS knows that if they don't start foundation work on something now, there is a chance the great Seaport crane streak will end with 10 World Trade!
great point, that streak is at risk now and i don't think this one starting immediately would be enough to save it. i think we need one of these 2 projects to start to keep the streak alive (as foundation work is already done):
- Fan Pier Parcel H
- Seaport Square Block N
 
Eh, looks like the lot was cleared for a festival rather than imminent construction. So if you’re looking for Afro Caribbean fare now is the chance.

 
Maybe WS knows that if they don't start foundation work on something now, there is a chance the great Seaport crane streak will end with 10 World Trade!

Not sure the bankers are worried about that exciting streak.
 

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