Boston Landing | New Balance Complex | Brighton

palindrome

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Mr. Michael Pahre is reporting that New Balance is looking to launch a new major development where the former lowes was being proposed in Allston.

New Balance is poised to announce a major new project for Brighton Landing that would redevelop an industrial and commercial neighborhood into a mixed-use development.

Word has been leaking out for a number of months that New Balance -- whose corporate headquarters is located next to WGBH's "nuclear aircraft carrier" in the Brighton Landing area alongside the Massachusetts Turnpike -- wishes to initiate a large development project on the currently under-utilized industrial and commercial land between their current buildings and the Stop-and-Shop grocery store to the east.

Full blog post can be found here: http://brighton-community.blogspot.com/2010/02/new-balance-to-propose-large.html
 
Re: Allston-Brighton Developments

The New Balance project concept would address its transportation impacts in two major ways: pushing for the state to locate a commuter rail station at Brighton Landing near Everett Street, which could also service diesel multiple unit trains; .

Hooray?

and building a new flyover on-/off-ramp for the Mass Pike (and/or a cloverleaf located further east by the Leo Birmingham Parkway). The current transportation constraints of the site are such that the Mass Pike ramps are a requirement for the project to move forward, according to those briefed on the plan.

While the office towers would likely be buffered from existing residential neighborhoods, the pike ramp flyover might be located relatively close to the residential neighborhood of North Brighton along Lincoln Street.

On and off from both directions?
 
Re: Allston-Brighton Developments

New Balance is looking to launch a new major development

Full blog post can be found here: http://brighton-community.blogspot.com/2010/02/new-balance-to-propose-large.html

It will be interesting to see this proposal unfold. There's a ton of potential here for a great mixed-use project if they can actually get a T or commuter-rail stop. IMHO, the development area should be expanded to include almost everything on the north side of N. Beacon and west of Everett St, including the Stop & Shop plaza.
 
Re: Allston-Brighton Developments

Companies vie for Brighton site
Sneaker maker seeks community support
By Thomas Grillo | Tuesday, February 2, 2010 | http://www.bostonherald.com

New Balance, the athletic shoemaker, plans to seek city approval for a mega-development along Guest Street that could include a pair of office towers, hotel, residences, movie theater, shops and skating rink, according to state Rep. Michael Moran (D-Boston).
...


Full Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/business/real_estate/view.bg?articleid=1229971
 
Re: Allston-Brighton Developments

Interesting. I would love to see some mock ups/proposals by New Balance. It seems, at least to me, they would have the better offer for the area.
 
Re: Allston-Brighton Developments

New Balance proposal.

via Michael Pahre

brighton_landing_development.20100129.page3.gif
 
New Brighton Landing | New Balance Complex

This project already exist in the Allston-Brighton Developments, http://www.archboston.org/community/showthread.php?t=1969&highlight=new+balance&page=10 , but now should have it's own thread


By Matt Rocheleau, Town Correspondent

A group formed and run by New Balance?s chairman and former CEO intends to develop a 15-acre stretch of commercial property it recently purchased in Brighton adjacent to the shoe manufacturer?s headquarters along the Massachusetts Turnpike.

For $7.5-million in two separate deals finalized late last week, New Brighton Landing, LLC purchased two large, contiguous properties, 38-40 and 180 Guest St., which run along the Turnpike?s eastbound side.

The purchases come one year after New Balance unveiled plans for a $250 million mixed-use development there that would feature a sports complex, hotel, park, movie theater, office buildings, and community space, along with a commuter rail station and access to the turnpike.

Ty Hanlan, vice president of NB Guest Street Planning and Development LLC, announced that quarter-billion proposal at a public presentation last February. He said Tuesday that New Brighton Landing intends to develop the tract, but said the group will not ?go forward with [or discuss] a concrete plan? until the city has come back with recommendations from its own, ongoing study of that area.

?New Brighton Landing is a standalone entity that was the purchaser of these properties, and it has only one thing in common with New Balance, which is that [New Balance Chairman and former CEO James [Jim] S.] Davis owns both? said Hanlan, who is employed by an entity owned by Davis.

New Balance officials declined to comment beyond a statement issued via company spokeswoman Amy Dow: ?We continue to see great opportunity for future development in the Guest Street area, including the potential for a new company headquarters,? she said. ?We recognize that there is a BRA Brighton Planning Study that will be done and look forward to participating in that process with the BRA, the City of Boston and the local community.?

About half of the acreage purchased by New Brighton Landing was previously under agreement for home improvement retailer Lowe?s to build a store.

Lowe?s proposals to build a store at 38-40 Guest St. were denied by the city?s redevelopment authority in Sept. 2007 and again last June as being ?inadequate.? In early November, that site?s Newton-based developer told Boston.com it was exploring other options for the property.

Meanwhile, the city department that denied Lowe?s continues to move forward with a comprehensive study on multiple development scenarios for that section of Brighton.

Boston Redevelopment Authority spokeswoman Susan Elsbree said the city is excited about the prospect of development there and the potential job creation that would come along with it.

The city selected Sasaki Associates Inc., and its consultant team partners, Hacin + Associates and GLC Development, in recent weeks to design the Brighton Planning Study. The city hopes to complete the study, announced last summer, around the end of 2011.

Hanlan declined to discuss specific development ideas, but said New Brighton Landing will continue to take ?interim steps not related to development,? including asking the state about creating a commuter rail station at Everett Street

A copy of state records shows New Brighton Landing filed to become an organization in mid-February with Davis as ?manager? and is based at an address listed inside the Guest Street building where New Balance headquarters is housed.

NB Guest Street Associates, LLC owns that building, part of a complex dubbed Brighton Landing, but did not return calls seeking comment. State records show NB Guest Street Associates was formed in 2007 by, and remains under the control of, Davis and Paul R. Gauron, a Boston attorney at Goodwin Procter, a national law firm that has represented New Balance in the past.

Gauron declined to comment Tuesday.

Thirty-five years after buying the company, Davis stepped down as the New Balance's CEO in April 2007. Robert T. DeMartini took over for Davis and remains New Balance?s CEO.

In announcing Davis? departure from the position, he was 63 at the time, the company said, ?we feel that it is time to introduce younger and more progressive management.?

The Newton company involved in the 38-40 Guest St. transaction confirmed that the sale happened last Thursday, but declined to discuss details of the purchase or how the property plans to be used.

State records show the 180 Guest St. property sold for $5,350,000. It is adjacent to a Stop & Shop and is currently home to the Massachusetts Electric Construction Company Industrial headquarters. The national electric contractor, founded locally in 1928, divided into two districts in 2007. MEC Industrial is based in Brighton and MEC Transportation is headquartered in Irving, Texas. Company officials did not return calls seeking comment.

The 38-40 Guest St. property sold for $2,125,000, according to the state. It is currently home to the vacant Barry Controls and Briggs New York warehouse buildings and parking lots.

E-mail Matt Rocheleau at mjrochele@gmail.com.


http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news..._balance_chair.html?p1=HP_Well_YourTown_links
 
Re: New Brighton Landing

I think having a comuter rail stop at the CSX train yard would be a little better, but a stop at Everett st would be ok. I hope this unnecessary study dosn't have suburban desires, like open space next to a highway.
 
Re: New Brighton Landing

If the goal is transportation for people in Brighton and lower Allston, Everett St. is a good location. If the goal is an off-load station for commuters from the suburbs, then I suppose something closer to BU would be better. Then again, it sounds like this project will turn the area into more of an employment center, so the station could serve both functions. That area could definitely use better transit and more commercial development. I'm optimistic about this.
 
Re: New Brighton Landing

The best solution is obviously both with DMU service

South Station
Back Bay
Yawkey
BU Bridge
Everett or Cambridge
N Beacon
Washington/Centre/Park clusterintersection
Newtonville
West Newton <<<<Transfer to/from Worcester Line
 
Re: New Brighton Landing

And then to Riverside on a disused but maintained ROW.
 
Re: New Brighton Landing

LOL. Well, it's certainly loftier than plopping down a Lowe's. But not by much.
 
Re: Allston-Brighton Developments

From Allston Brighton part of your towns on Boston.com


http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news...n:twit:HLboston/allstonbrighton&dlvrit=155355

In an section of Brighton where New Balance owns around 23 acres assessed at a combined $63 million, the shoe manufacturer is looking to buy more property near its headquarters on Guest Street and is working on development plans there that may be released this fall, according to a company lawyer.

Both the sought-after property and the company’s development planning are located within an about 100-acre area the city’s redevelopment authority is midway through studying in order to establish preferred development scenarios.

At the first meeting of a 13-member advisory group for that city study, New Balance attorney Lawrence Kaplan told a small crowd Monday night that the shoe manufacturing company hopes that between September and October it will be able to announce possible new land acquisitions around its headquarters as well as development plans.

“We’d be happy to share our plan,” Kaplan, a member of the study advisory group, said. But, "It’s not quite ready yet.”

He declined to provide further detail about the ongoing development planning and about which area the company is looking to purchase.

Earlier this spring, the company acquired a large stretch of commercial property adjacent to its headquarters for a combined $26.5-million in two separate deals, according to state and city land records of properties listed under sub-entities of New Balance.

Those purchases came around one year after New Balance unveiled its vision for a $250 million mixed-use development along 15 acres there that would feature a sports complex, hotel, park, movie theater, office buildings, and community space, along with a commuter rail station and access to the adjacent Massachusetts Turnpike.

In the week after the property purchases, Ty Hanlan, vice president of New Balance entity NB Guest Street Planning and Development LLC, told Boston.com that the company intends to develop the tract, but said the group will not “go forward with [or discuss] a concrete plan” until the city has come back with recommendations from the ongoing study of that area.

Developers often visit with city redevelopment officials to discuss their plans prior to officially filing them with the city for the public review process. The redevelopment authority said Tuesday New Balance has not yet approached the city agency to discuss plans.

About half of the acreage New Balance purchased in mid-March was previously under agreement for home improvement retailer Lowe’s to build a store.

Several months after New Balance had announced its $250-million development idea despite not owning the property to build it on, the Boston Herald reported the shoe company's chairman and former CEO James S. Davis was “running up a big bill to halt development of the home improvement store adjacent to his Brighton headquarters,” and had “hired a team of engineers and attorneys to refute Lowe's traffic estimates.”

Lowe’s proposals were denied by the city’s redevelopment authority last June as being “inadequate” following the city’s denial of Lowe’s initial plans in Sept. 2007.

After New Balance bought the land, the Newton developer that had worked with Lowe’s to develop its home improvement store proposals e-mailed a statement to Boston.com.

“We are very disappointed that Lowe’s Guest Street project was not approved by the City of Boston,” the statement from Marathon Realty Corp. said, in part. “Unfortunately, certain influential forces aligned themselves against Lowe’s and ultimately succeeded in derailing its permitting efforts.”

The recent acquisitions expanded New Balance’s property ownership along Guest Street to 19.4 acres assessed by the city at a combined $58.6 million. A review of public records show the company owns an additional 1.5 acres on nearby Everett Street and 1.98 acres more on North Beacon Street.

The study’s advisory group is comprised of eight residents, the directors of Brighton Main Streets and Allston Village Main Streets, the New Balance lawyer, along with representatives from two other major property owners within the study area, WGBH and Stop & Shop.

The media entity owns around 2 acres where its animated headquarters overhangs the turnpike. The grocer owns 9 acres in and around where its supermarket sits in the study zone’s center.

The BRA initially dubbed the study, the “Brighton Planning Study,” and now calls it the “Brighton / Guest Street Planning Study.”

The city selected Sasaki Associates Inc., and its consultant team partners, Hacin + Associates and GLC Development, to design the study. The city hopes to complete the study, announced last summer, around the between by early 2012.

At Monday’s meeting, Janne Corneil of Sasaki called the Guest Street corridor within the study area, “the only piece left that hasn’t been worked out,” development-wise in Allston-Brighton.

“There’s significant capacity for new development,” she said.

City redevelopment officials as well as study consultation officials also said Monday that while New Balance’s development ideas will likely be a part of the study’s discussion, the study will have a broader focus than any individual proposal. It’s a process is designed to explore many possibilities in order to provide guidelines to potential area developers like New Balance.

“We’re here to participate,” in the study process, Kaplan, the New Balance lawyer said, adding that the study’s focus “is not just on the land New Balance owns.”

Two advisory group members, including resident Sal Pinchera, each said during the meeting, that “what’s going to happen here is huge.”

He added later that he had some concerns about the study work done so far because “Everything we hear is how to benefit tax dollars … I didn’t hear much about preserving the residential community on either side.”

The advisory group discussed ways to improve railway access to the study area, which once contained two commuter rail stops along the Framingham Line, as well as the A Line.

Officials said a commuter rail stop could be added along the Framingham Line either at Everett Street, Cambridge Street or a stop near the Allston-Brighton tolls unofficially called “West Station,” which Harvard University has advocated for. Only one stop could be added because of the length and acceleration rate of commuter rail trains.

The idea of establishing a lighter, faster railway, using smaller train cars or “Diesel Multiple Units” – similar to the T’s subway lines – was also presented. That alternative could allow for multiple stops along the study area’s northern boundary, officials said.

However, due to a lack of public funding for such projects, officials said they have been told such railway additions to the Allston-Brighton area are likely to be a decade to two decades away from being achieved.

Another topic at the meeting centered on exploring ways to improve access from the study area to the nearby Charles River Reservation, which sits north and outside of the study area. Only one percent of the study area – the Penniman Road Play Area – contains green space; the majority is zoned as a local industrial sub district.

E-mail Matt Rocheleau at mjrochele@gmail.com.
 
Re: Allston-Brighton Developments

I was curious about New Balance's Guest Street plans and thought any new development plans had evaporated. I covered the community meetings in Brighton for the Lowes and New Balance proposals last year for school (Journalism student, my beat was Brighton) and hadn't heard much news since.

On top of that, the NB headquarters has had a huge "For Lease" banner next to their corporate logo overlooking the Pike for about a month now, and, as those who follow redevelopment in Boston do, I assumed the worse.

I live on N. Beacon literally across the street from this massive site and I'm shocked. I thought the Guest Street development was huge, at least for the area, but positive - Guest Street is ripe for this kind of development as it's an abandoned industrial shithole. This expanded map however kind of scares me. Not to be a NIMBY, but a lot of the space outside of the original Guest Street plan is utilized if not completely integral to the Allston neighborhood. To second the comments on practice space, I have friends who have had to relocate because of space closure or redevelopment and the last thing the area needs is to come off as unfriendly to those in the music scene - one of the best things about Allston-Brighton.

I'd hate this neighborhood to loose any more of its character. It's totally selfish, but I'm absolutely an advocate of "Keep Allston Shitty." It may just be a neighborhood of students/kids, immigrants and low income, but it's an urban space that works (in my opinion best international food in the city) and pushing out the kids and businesses that make it work would suck. It's probably just because I literally face these parcels that I'm so worried - I'd have no problem if they redevelop the Volvo dealership, but leave me Marty's Big Buys, and don't displace the thriving congregations that have filled up some of the storefronts.
 
Re: Allston-Brighton Developments

I also attended some of the Brighton Landing meetings last year, but got too frustrated after a while listening to my neighbors yell like spoiled children. (I live across the pike, and can see New Balance from my front porch. I doubt the people complaining are this close.) Anyway I'm extremely supportive of all their ideas for the area west of Everett Street. While I think there is a lot of room for improvement (their current buildings feel a bit 128ish), it is similar to the pru: whatever they build will be a million times better then the nothing that is there now.

However, I'm really not a fan of the fact the study area has proceeded east of Everett Street. I really think that area should be left to evolve naturally, and am under the impression as well that the old industrial flavor back there should be kept as it is. The Rugg Road lofts are a big part of whats left of the music scene in Allston, and there are some other buildings back there that could find some use in the future (like these old wood framed depot buildings: http://g.co/maps/9dwwg)

A bigger benefit to that area would be to organize a land swap for the Jack Young warehouses, which make the area appear extremely blighted. They own this entire block from Linden Street to Harvard Ave http://g.co/maps/szkwp as well as the ones caddy corner from it here http://g.co/maps/6mpbm. These are the original buildings that formed Allston after the train station was built, and are discussed heavily on the allston-brighton historical society's website. To see the potential compare the new: http://g.co/maps/kggxb and the old: (second picture down) http://www.bahistory.org/HarvardAve.html

I have no doubts of New Balances ability to attract big name tenants and make a much better area, I would just prefer it stay West of Everett, which needs a lot more help. The study area could perhaps in stead be extended across to the other side of the pike. This area of Market Street: http://g.co/maps/3q3n4 has enormous potential as can be seen on the 11th and 12th pictures down this page: http://www.bahistory.org/MarketSt.html. The area between Birmingham Parkway and Soilders Field Road (Marignetti's, Ihop, iParty, the Acura dealership, the terrible office park, etc) could also use a wrecking ball.
 
New Balance Complex

New Balance seeks to build new HQ, sports complex, hotel across 14 acres in Brighton

By Matt Rocheleau, Town Correspondent
Posted by Matt Rocheleau February 2, 2012 11:24 AM

New Balance is planning a major development project across nearly 14 acres along Guest Street in Brighton that would include a new world headquarters, sports complex, boutique hotel, and up to three office buildings along with retail and restaurant space.

Saying that it hopes to create Boston’s "health and wellness district," the footwear and apparel company outlined the plans yesterday in a letter hand-delivered to city officials.

The project would encompass two sites neighboring the company's 10-story, decade-old headquarters. The sites are 77 Guest St., which comprises about three acres, and across the road 38-180 Guest St., which comprises about 15 acres and runs along the Massachusetts Turnpike’s eastbound side.

The development plans call for projects across 608,969 square feet or 13.98 acres of that land. Both commercial properties are currently occupied by surface parking lots and low-level warehouse buildings.

A sub-entity of New Balance, New Brighton Landing, LLC, “seeks to create an anchor for renewed activity along the Guest Street corridor, focused on job creation, health and wellness, sporting activities, public open space, and vast improvements to public infrastructure,” the letter to the Boston Redevelopment Authority said.

The project would need to go the city's review process for large projects.

Under the plans, the sports complex would house a 200-meter track and field facility, a regulation hockey arena, plus other amenities for health/wellness and sporting activity, and a boutique hotel. As many as three office buildings would be built and used by “like-minded entities that will share our vision,” according to the filing.

“Interspersed within the new development will be restaurants, and a variety of retail and service facilities, including sports-related retail,” the letter says.

The area where New Balance hopes to develop is a key section of an about 100-acre area of Brighton that the city, in conjunction with local residents and various representatives from local business stakeholders including New Balance, has been studying for the past year.

A final report for the long-term, general vision of development scenarios created through the “Brighton / Guest Street Planning Study,” process is scheduled to be released this month.

"We continue to see great opportunity for future development in the Guest Street area," New Balance spokeswoman Amy Dow said in a statement today. "As a member of the Allston-Brighton business community for more than 30 years, New Balance supports thoughtful development that benefits the community through job creation, open public space and improvements to public infrastructure."

"We believe this proposed [health and wellness] district has the unique potential to promote a healthy lifestyle through exercise and healthy eating opportunities that build upon the Mayor's vision to make Boston the healthiest city in the country," she added. "We have actively participated in the BRA Brighton Planning Study and will continue to work closely with the BRA, the City of Boston and the local community to ensure this proposed project benefits our neighbors and our city."

The development plan New Balance outlined this week comes two years after the company publicly unveiled a similar vision for that area – despite not owning the property to build it on and that another company, Lowe’s, was going through the city’s review process after it had filed plans to build a home improvement store there.

Announced in Feb. 2010, New Balance’s plan called for a $250 million mixed-use development along 15 acres there that would feature a sports complex, hotel, park, movie theater, office buildings, and community space, along with a commuter rail station and access to the adjacent Massachusetts Turnpike.

Two months after New Balance had broadcast that development idea the Boston Herald reported the shoe company's chairman and former CEO James S. Davis was “running up a big bill to halt development of the home improvement store adjacent to his Brighton headquarters,” and had “hired a team of engineers and attorneys to refute Lowe's traffic estimates.”

Lowe’s proposal was denied two months later by the city’s redevelopment authority as being “inadequate” following the city’s denial of Lowe’s initial plans in Sept. 2007.

In moves that grew the company’s landholdings along Guest Street five-fold within seven months, New Balance purchased the commercial properties, including the large area Lowe’s wanted to develop on, spending a total of $33.8-million in three separate deals – two last March and the third in October.

Shortly after New Balance bought 38-40 and 180 Guest St. in March, the Newton developer that had worked with Lowe’s to draft its home improvement store proposals to be built on part of those properties e-mailed a statement to Boston.com.

“We are very disappointed that Lowe’s Guest Street project was not approved by the City of Boston,” the statement from Marathon Realty Corp. said, in part. “Unfortunately, certain influential forces aligned themselves against Lowe’s and ultimately succeeded in derailing its permitting efforts.”

The 38-40 Guest St. property sold for $21,250,000 in March. It is currently home to the vacant Barry Controls and Briggs New York warehouse buildings and parking lots.

The 180 Guest St. property sold for $5,350,000 in March. It is adjacent to a Stop & Shop and is home to the Massachusetts Electric Construction Company Industrial headquarters. The national electric contractor, founded locally in 1928, divided into two districts in 2007. MEC Industrial is based in Brighton and MEC Transportation is headquartered in Irving, Texas. Company officials did not return calls seeking comment.

The 77 Guest St. property sold for $7.3 million in October. Across from a five-story parking garage New Balance owns at the corner of Guest and Life streets, the is site presently occupied by low-level warehouse buildings.

Counting its existing headquarters and a five-story parking garage, New Balance’s 22.4 acres of property along Guest Street were assessed by the city in 2011 at a combined $60.5 million. An additional property on nearby Everett Street and another on North Beacon Street put the company’s total land neighborhood footprint at 26 acres assessed by the city in 2011 at a combined $65 million.

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news...balance_seeks_to_build_new.html?p1=News_links
 
Re: New Balance Complex

Sounds good so far -- the area is clearly underdeveloped

While I thought that the "Greenie" arguments against the Lowes home developing center were mostly bogus -- New Balance did the right thing by buying out their competition

Now we need to see the details but the idea of the track is novel

Hopefully the "NB World Running HQ" office structures (with apologies to PG Gillette) will feature some height visible from some distance when approaching on the Pike from the west -- Note: just as the picture in the article shows the tallness of the Pru, etc. off in the distance

However -- what New Balance most now needs to make this place succeed is a race that finishes in the plaza in front of their new world HQ
 
Re: New Balance Complex

However -- what New Balance most now needs to make this place succeed is a race that finishes in the plaza in front of their new world HQ

I for one really love this idea. With the proliferation of races and triathlons, and a fairly accessible location I think this would be a great idea. I know that the Harpoon 10K is usually pretty well attended and a co-sponsorship between New Balance and one of the local brewery's would seem to make a lot of sense...although it may go slightly against the the "we want to be really healthy" thing.
 

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