Avalon Exeter | 77 Exeter Street | Back Bay

Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

NIMBYs always seem to pick the wrong fights: ones that are devoid of any real logic. It's like having the patients running the institution. We all lose!
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

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888 Boylston should be turned to the right side and be alot slimmer and at least 26 stories high with some kind of tapered top/spire, Seeing it's an office tower it should look a little like the other Pru office (111 Huntington,Pru tower' ect) tower's,I only say this because,I for one will miss the drama of walking/driveing down Boylston st, pass the Hynes and then suddenly there it is 52 stories from top to bottom! a real skyscraper in Boston! Same feeling when you walk into Copely sq. from Boylston st and behold the Hancock tower.
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As far as the Exeter st tower, I like the staircase,but think it should not have a tower over it,leave it open,put some plants,trees,3 story water feature on side of building? and make it a place people want to go to,photograph ect, instead of just a cut thru you don,t notice(unless its raining!),take the space above it and add some of the hieght to the tower so you might actually notice it amongst the other boxes around it!
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Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

Damn ground floors of both buildings look to be just lobbies.
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

The residential tower originally was to have around 1,000 square feet of retail space on the first floor, and I vaguely remember there being some on the second as well. It would be at the corner next to the Lenox, and appears to be there behind the trees.

As for wishing the stairs weren't under the tower, well, the tower footprint would become too small to do anything with. It's really hemmed in there.
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

So how many buildings are being proposed here? Is it 2?
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

Boston02124 said:
...I for one will miss the drama of walking/driveing down Boylston st, pass the Hynes and then suddenly there it is 52 stories from top to bottom! a real skyscraper in Boston!
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Agreed. If we loose the drama, it needs to be replaced with something dramatic. 888 Boylston ain't it.
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

GW2500 said:
So how many buildings are being proposed here? Is it 2?
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Yes, these are two separate projects. Boston Properties is involved with both. 888 Boylston will be the final 'piece' of the Prudential Center, and this Avalon building is being built over on Exeter Street by both BP and AvalonBay Communities.
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

Thanks
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

The Exeter Street building is sitting exactly where the rear end of Lord & Taylor is now. How is this to be accomplished?
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

riffgo said:
The Exeter Street building is sitting exactly where the rear end of Lord & Taylor is now. How is this to be accomplished?
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I walked over to the site a couple days ago (as I couldn't visualize where it was) and had the same question... it looks like some loading/fire escapes now.... what would building here do to the fire escapes et al?
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

Boston02124 said:
I for one will miss the drama of walking/driving down Boylston st, pass the Hynes and then suddenly there it is 52 stories from top to bottom! a real skyscraper in Boston!
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Beton Brut said:
Agreed.
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If there weren't height-obsessed NIMBYs and if this were a rational world in which real aesthetics (which are always particular to the case at hand) counted more than moronic theories (which are always claimed to be universal --"height is always bad"), 888 Boylston would be stacked in its entirety on top of the Exeter building, and the dramatic view to the Prudential Tower would be preserved in perpetuity.
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

AdamBC said:
I walked over to the site a couple days ago (as I couldn't visualize where it was) and had the same question... it looks like some loading/fire escapes now.... what would building here do to the fire escapes et al?
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I've read articles on the project and looked it up on the BRA website, and it mentions nothing regarding how the new building would interact with the current structure. You could say that the Avalon would go right on top of the building, but the renderings of the base don't seem to support that.

Just a question, when does L&T's lease run out on that building? Could we see this building be demolished to make room for the Avalon? I really have no idea, I'm just speculating.
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

Tim Jackson said:
I can understand why they would want to maintain a historical fabric, but it seems like they pick and choose the wrong fights. This is a great place for height, and it wouldn't require the destruction of any buildings of historical value (unless I am mistaken). Yet these people can't seem to care about the incredibly valuable SC&L building that will be replaced by a static cookie cutter design if it isn't saved. The lack of consistency is what kills their reputation.
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I don't understand it either. It seems that opposition to the Shreve building would be greater if the new structure would cast a shadow. No new shadow? Who cares??

Personally, I'd much rather live in a city with tall, slim buildings that cast an occasional shadow (like the centerpiece on a sun dial), provided the city preserved an interesting street-level atmosphere than live in a city with few tall towers and bland, office park-type lowrisers.
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

L&T looks like it's here to stay for now.
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888 could be taller/thinner and turned sideways to presevre the view,something of a cross between 111 Hunington and 150 federal st would be cool!
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Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

No, the opposition to 888 isn't height, it's density, silly.

Well, height as well. But mostly density.

That's my take, as well. At least, it's my concern.
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

Thanks for those renderings, Boston02124! I hadn't seen those before and it definitely clears the L&T thing up.
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

The idea of height in this location is non-sensical....as far as traffic, etc, the easy neighborhood request if for Boston Properties to pay whatever it would take to reopen the Boylston St. entrance for the Hynes T stop, and maybe put money in an operating fund....this is a win for everyone...too logical? Probably.
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

It's funny, from the rendering above, the Gloucester is putting shadows on the new Avalon tower, not the other way around ...

So, suck it, current residents.
 
Re: New Tower(s) Planned For Prudential Center

High-Priced Haggle

Upscale Retailers Battle it out Over Proposed Pru Property
By Thomas Grillo
Banker & Tradesman Staff Writer

Nordstrom and Bloomingdale?s are vying to be the retail centerpiece of a proposed Prudential Center tower.

The upscale retailers are in discussions with Boston Properties for 100,000 square feet of space on four floors at 888 Boylston St., ac-cording to sources familiar with the negotiations.

?Nordstrom?s has been looking to get into downtown Boston for years, while Bloomingdale?s would like to be there as a preemptive strike to keep competitors out,? said Michael Tessler, a retail analyst and adjunct marketing professor at Bentley College.

But before anyone can sign a lease for the showcase location, Boston Properties, the Pru?s owner, needs approval for the 17-story building to be built between the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center.

Stories Are Whacked
In August, Banker & Tradesman was the first to report that the developer agreed to lower the height by two stories following opposition by some neighbors. The Boston Redevelopment Authority asked the developer to revise the $115 million office high-rise following com-plaints about height from the Back Bay neighborhood and the Prudential Project Advisory Committee (PruPAC), a 25-member panel was founded to advise City Hall on development at the Pru.

In 2002, the BRA approved the office building at 11 stories. But the 287,000-square-foot high-rise never broke ground. Last year, Boston Properties sought approval for a 19-story tower, but retreated in the face of opposition and a call by Mayor Thomas M. Menino to each a compromise with opponents.

Michael A. Cantalupa, senior vice president of Boston Properties, declined to confirm or deny negotiations with the two retailers. Spokesmen for Nordstrom and Bloomingdale?s also declined comment.

Bloomingdale?s has a store in Chestnut Hill, while Nordstrom has shops in Burlington and Natick. The addition of either luxury retailers would add another choice for customers at the Shops at the Prudential Center. Today, the Pru has more than 75 shops and restaurants including Saks Fifth Avenue, Barnes & Noble, Lacoste and Sephora.

Nearby Copley Place features another 75 stores such as Neiman Marcus, Tiffany & Co., Barneys New York, Jimmy Choo, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Emporio Armani.
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And to think we can't even get a JCPennys in at DTX. Location, location, location.
 
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