BFIT Redevelopment | 41 Berkeley Street | South End

Equilibria

Equilibria

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Related Beal to redevelop the BFIT campus. Apparently, they've learned a lesson from Kenmore North:

This diverse, mixed use Project will complement and enrich the historic urban fabric of the South End, preserving much of the existing structures on the Project Site while introducing new, contemporary and contextual design and extensive landscape and public realm improvements.
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Let's see how much they save, exactly.

bpda.app.box.com

2020-07-13_Letter of Intent (LOI)_41 Berkeley Street.pdf | Powered by Box

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Yeah, will want to see more plans before having any hopes...
 
And FWIW, they note "the adaptive re-use of the Franklin Union building for commercial use of approximately 80,000 square feet," which sounds promising, although the ground floor may be altered significantly for retail, and the existing building lacks the transparency you'd expect with retail..
 
PNF:

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2020-09-14_Project Notification Form (PNF)_41 Berkeley Street.pdf | Powered by Box

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The existing Franklin Union Building located at the corner of Berkeley and Appleton streets will be renovated for commercial uses. The historic facades and the bulk of the existing floors will be preserved, and a two-story vertical addition will be constructed. The total building will include approximately 76,000 sf of commercial (likely office) uses. The 1980s auto-repair addition to the existing building will be removed, which will allow for additional pedestrian open space on the Project Site. The new, accessible building lobby will occupy the space of the previous auditorium and will be made open to the public during business hours. Parking will be accommodated for users of the Franklin Union Building via the parking spaces located in the aforementioned parking garage below the Senior Care Building, accessed via Appleton Street.

The Appleton Building will include the renovation and expansion of the existing building at 4 Appleton Street to create an approximately 22,050 sf building housing a non-profit affordable cultural space at the ground floor and approximately 18 units of income-restricted housing above.The non-profit affordable cultural space will have an entrance on Appleton Street, as well as an entrance onto the new plaza at the corner of Appleton and Tremont streets.
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Looks great. Man everything lately is high quality, seems like a corner has been turned. Not even so much expensive, just good use of materials overall.
 
The main component for this building is a senior care facility... what?
 
Yep, and people want/need more support as they age so staying in a place on their own may not work. We are certain to see more of these in and around Boston.

Equilibria said:
We can't have everyone age in their homes if young families are ever going to buy them.
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stellarfun said:
Globe columnist opining on a supposed (and secret) merger between BFIT and Wentworth. This project not apparently affected.

www.bostonglobe.com

Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology and Wentworth are talking merger — in secret - The Boston Globe

The negotiations are so hush-hush that board members are bound by nondisclosure agreements while the deal is being hammered out. What a merger would do to the pending sale and move to Roxbury is unclear.
www.bostonglobe.com www.bostonglobe.com
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"Secret" as quoted in The Globe!
 
Making this a senior living facility is actually really smart, if not just because residents in a residence like this do NOT have cars. But also, being in the middle of the city is a good thing. Seniors can actually get outside and walk places and participate in the neighborhood activities/community, rather than relying 100% on the van/bus shuttles. I often feel bad for seniors in the suburban retirement homes. I would think that they are very isolating.
 
Hard agree. I've often thought that somewhere like Manhattan would be perfect for retirement (except for the cost). Lots going on and easy to get around without driving. The South End seems like another really good option--there is a lot there.


cden4 said:
Making this a senior living facility is actually really smart, if not just because residents in a residence like this do NOT have cars. But also, being in the middle of the city is a good thing. Seniors can actually get outside and walk places and participate in the neighborhood activities/community, rather than relying 100% on the van/bus shuttles. I often feel bad for seniors in the suburban retirement homes. I would think that they are very isolating.
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estyle said:
Hard agree. I've often thought that somewhere like Manhattan would be perfect for retirement (except for the cost). Lots going on and easy to get around without driving. The South End seems like another really good option--there is a lot there.
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And lots of random parts of Manhattan do actually function like this. Notably, Murray Hill was built for that, then taken over in part by banker bros.
 
sm89 said:
Public meeting tonight on this. Earlier this month they showed an updated (shorter) version. Adds sidewalk level separated bike lanes on one side though!
2022-04-12_Presentation_41 Berkeley Street.pdf | Powered by Box
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So Related Beal made it shorter, wider footprint, less detailed facade/window treatments, less sidewalk retail presence and less inviting to humans. Jackasses.

On the plus side, they didn't invade Ukraine.
 
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