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statler

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The Globe said:
Apple amends its designs for planned Back Bay store
Goal is to tie fa?ade to historic area's existing structures

By Jenn Abelson, Globe Staff | June 14, 2006

After two months of delays, Apple Computer plans today to present several building designs for its first Boston store at a hearing before the Back Bay Architectural Commission.

Apple is seeking to demolish a small building at 815 Boylston St. that houses a Copy Cop store and construct a three-story building with a glass fa?ade across from the Prudential Center.

At an advisory meeting in March, commissioners expressed concerns about the design, saying it didn't have a sense of place, and suggested that Apple replicate or preserve the existing fa?ade. In its latest filings to the city, Apple has proposed several designs that would add vertical columns and divide the fa?ade in nine sections. It gives a boxier look, appearing to fit in more with adjacent buildings.

Stephen V. Miller of McDermott, Quilty & Miller LLP, a Boston firm representing Apple, said the company is presenting different ideas, ``variations on the original design that take into account input we've gotten from the staff and members of the commission to tie the fa?ade more into other buildings in the area."

Miller said the company delayed its previous two hearings with the commission because ``they just weren't ready. They spend a lot of time with these signature stores, and they don't rush into anything."

Miller previously said the Apple store would be a ``nonstarter" if the existing building can't be demolished. Demolition in the Back Bay Architectural District generally requires the commission's approval. The commission can either approve, deny, or deny without prejudice such proposals.

Apple is proposing to demolish a 16,587-square-foot building and construct a new one with a full basement that measures about 22,116 square feet. Apple wants to create three floors for retail; the basement would be reserved for support services and equipment. Sketches of the inside show a spiral staircase in the center of the store.

A San Francisco architecture firm, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, is designing the project.

When Apple first began talking to the city about its plans this year, the Boston Redevelopment Authority described the Boylston Street site as a prime location for Apple that would attract thousands of young people in the heart of a top shopping district that also has hotels and the Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center. Apple ``represents innovation, technology, and cutting-edge design, all of which we think match the Boston brand," BRA spokeswoman Susan Elsbree said in February.

Apple already operates stores in Braintree, Burlington, Cambridge, Chestnut Hill, and Peabody.

Last month, Apple opened its second New York City store, described as the company's ``most architecturally innovative ," and featuring a 32-foot glass cube. The Apple Store Fifth Avenue is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and offers more than 100 Macs and nearly 200 iPods, as well as the world's largest assortment of accessories.

Jenn Abelson can be reached at abelson@globe.com.
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Wow. Scaled down and made to look boxier.

That surely is unprecedented in this city. I almost thought Apple could change things a little around here.
 
I like the '][', lets see how many people get it.

The new Apple store in NYC is pretty sexy. It would look great at Gov't Center.
 
addd vertical columns and divide the fa?ade in nine sections
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I'm going to withhold judgment until I see an actual drawing rather than just a description. The above sounds like a 'tic-tac-toe' fa?ade which might actually be pretty cool.
 
I haven't seen the existing fa?ade, but all indications were that it wasn't anything special. What is wrong with these NIMBYs? I'm hoping that the new design will pacify the NIMBYs enough to get it built.
 
It's not. However, if you walk down Beacon Street or Comm. Ave, you will see the occasional modern building that totally clashes with its neighbors and clearly doesn't belong there. The Back Bay historic district was created to prevent any more of this from happening, and it has served its purpose pretty well.
 
Ron Newman said:
It's not. However, if you walk down Beacon Street or Comm. Ave, you will see the occasional modern building that totally clashes with its neighbors and clearly doesn't belong there. The Back Bay historic district was created to prevent any more of this from happening, and it has served its purpose pretty well.
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Agreed. But those are much more residential streets that have beautiful existing architecture. Boylston street is an entirely different situation. It's all business and much of its architecture is pretty ugly. Not to mention that this is Apple. They're known for innovative design. I think the Resistance to letting them build what they want to build is what may re ult in a bland or ugly structure.
 
True, one could make an argument for excluding Boylston Street from the district. (I think only the north side is in the district now, not the south.) Though I'd prefer to keep protecting such buildings as the Arlington Street Church, Louis Boston, New Old South Church, the fire station, and the (now closed) old ICA.
 
The Copley Sq. block of Boylston's pretty bad. However, I don't think that any well-done modern building could be worse than the Copy Cop.
 
The commission should note that half of the buildings on the north side of Boylston Street are relatively modern in both style and age. What's the difference if Apple wants to put an ultra-modern building in Copy Cop's place? What is the commission trying to save here? Have they seen 823 Boylston? Or the Wendy's across Copley Plaza?

I think the 'commission' is trying to justify their existence on this one.
 
Then what you really want to lobby for is removing part (not all) of the north side of Boylston from the historic district.
 
The Globe said:
Apple gets green light on Boston store plan
Full OK contingent on a revised design

By Jenn Abelson, Globe Staff | June 15, 2006

Apple Computer Inc. is moving in the right direction with a revised building design for its first Boston store, the Back Bay Architectural Commission told the company at a hearing last night.

Giving Apple a conditional blessing, the group approved the demolition of the existing building at 815 Boylston St. as long as the computer maker presents an appropriate building design. But the commission, while complimenting the design changes, denied for now last night's proposal, an expected move for a project of this scope, according to commission chairman Anthony Casendino.

Apple is seeking to demolish the building across from the Prudential Center, which Copy Cop currently occupies, and construct a three-story building with a glass fa?ade. The changes presented at last night's meeting include creating a recessed entrance and installing stainless steel columns inside the store that divide the glass fa?ade in sections -- alterations that are intended to make the modern design fit better with the older architecture in the neighborhood.

``We like the direction it's going in. You're on a great track, keep going," said John Christiansen , a commission member. ``It's technologically inspired and historically inspired."

Development projects that propose demolition of buildings in the Back Bay Architectural District generally require the commission's approval. The group formed a subcommittee to work with Apple to tweak these designs and come up with additional proposals.

Commission members last night expressed concerns about the amount of light emitted from inside the store, especially with new residential neighbors moving into the planned five-star Mandarin Oriental across the street. Apple said there might be some degree of coating on the glass, but that it wants to keep the building as transparent as possible.

Apple's current design also includes a spiral staircase in the center of the building and a skylight with a green roof. Apple is seeking to suspend its logo, a white apple, in the middle of the fa?ade and have it illuminated during operating hours. Apple's Bob Bridger said at last night's meeting that the company hadn't addressed whether the store would operate beyond ``normal working hours." The merchant recently opened a store in New York City that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and features more than 100 Macs and nearly 200 iPods.

In an advisory hearing in March, members of the commission gave Apple's proposal a cool reception, expressing some concerns that the design did not seem to fit in with other buildings in the neighborhood.

Apple, which twice delayed its first formal hearing before the commission over the past several months, said it wants to press ahead as quickly as possible and noted an agreement with the building's existing landlord that expires this week which required Apple to receive design approval.

``It certainly moved in the direction we asked, but I'd like to see a little more," said Frances Duffly, a commission member.

Apple's retail division generated more than $1 billion in revenue during the 2005 holiday season. The company operates 147 stores and said it plans to open 40 stores in 2006. In Massachusetts, Apple runs stores in Braintree, Burlington, Cambridge, Chestnut Hill, and Peabody.

Jenn Abelson can be reached at abelson@globe.com.
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Was the commission in existence when the BAC was built? If they were then...um...yeah.
 
The commission was established in 1966. The BAC's building was designed in 1966 and presumably grandfathered in. So basically, no.
 
Nice, a victory to us and a loss to the NIMBYs.
 
Am I the only one not understanding the article's title? It says the store got the "green light", but then says "the commission... denied for now last night's proposal".

-ALJ
 
I think that's just a formality until final agreement is reached on details. They might have been up against a deadline where lack of action would have constituted automatic approval.
 
Just for reference, here's the old design that the BBAC found so objectionable:

apple_store.jpg
 
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