Boston Properties Office Tower | 888 Boylston Street | Back Bay

It's weird that none of the required documents are up on the BRA's website. There's a page for 888 Boylston Street but no documents?

So ... how come they changed the rendering on the main page?
 
JohnAKeith said:
It's weird that none of the required documents are up on the BRA's website. There's a page for 888 Boylston Street but no documents?

So ... how come they changed the rendering on the main page?
Click to expand...

It seems that the BRA is placing a priority on getting renderings of projects up on project pages. Seems to be something new with the Walsh administration.
 
Maybe it's to cover up the fact they have little to no other digital documentation (as per the KMPG audit)?
 
I interned with the BRA in 2009 and they were still using paper as the primary development submission method at the time. As such, one primary responsibility I had was to scan all project documents into a relic of a database that seemingly had been managed by multiple people with different filing/organization systems. The majority of the files I saw were 3-4 inches thick and completely unorganized (with some projects dating back to the early 2000's). This of course made identifying the various filings messy and led to mix up's in the scanned documents. I don't recall the scans ever being named, so I assume they just showed up as Scan 1/2/3 etc., and I doubt that all of the scans made it into the right folders.

What the BRA really needs is a new database with a fixed filing system and outlined electronic submission requirements. It really shouldn't be that hard...
 
1. There is absolutely no word about what they are going to do with it. It's time to find out. I'm going to see if I can email Boston Properties for comment. I'd hate to see that statue go permanently. I haven't done something like this before, any suggestions?

2. This project is definitely happening, then. And soon.
 
Love the new render and am very excited this is finally starting.
 
My friend who lives in Avalon said that they got a notice that construction will be starting in the next few days.
 
Downburst said:
1. There is absolutely no word about what they are going to do with it. It's time to find out. I'm going to see if I can email Boston Properties for comment. I'd hate to see that statue go permanently. I haven't done something like this before, any suggestions?

Don't know if it will be of help but check with Child's Gallery on Newbury St. They're kind of the caretakers of Donald DeLue's work and someone there might have some information. Last time I asked (when the project was first announced years ago) the person there was kind of clueless and didn't seem to know about the issue, so I'd keep trying to find out through the manager of the Gallery.

I have written to art@publicartboston.com to the agency in charge...hoping for a cogent reply and will share it if I get one!
Click to expand...
 
BosDevelop said:
I know we say this a lot around these parts (myself included!) but why not 5-10 more floors here? I don't think it would take anything away from the Pru if it was a bit taller. Location could certainly support a some more space.
Click to expand...

The height is definitely a concession to the Back Bay grid residents. As I've said in the past, this is a tough site from a contextual perspective. On one side of Boylston, you have the historic Back Bay grid with 5-story buildings and on the other side, you have the Prudential Center with its towers. You have to bridge that height differential. I think they hit the low end of the sweet spot for the height of this tower. It probably could have been pushed slightly taller, but likely would have been whittled down by Back Bay opposition and dragged on the approval process longer.
 
14770942222_eeebdb1f7e_b.jpg
 
To me this building is going to be a disappointment. Boston only has so many spots to build on and if keep filling them with landscrapers we're going to keep the skyline the same for a very long time. Quality of materials will hopefully change my opinion.
 
I think the size is just right for Boylston St.
 
I actually think this building is the right size for the spot. Nice step up from the mandrin but still short enough to not block too much of the pru.
 
Tower is set to begin next month, completion June 2016.

17-story tower to complete Prudential Center complex
Executives at Boston Properties Inc. said work on the long-planned tower at 888 Boylston St. is scheduled to begin next month. The project, which will occupy the plaza next to the Hynes Convention Center, will include a total of 422,000 square feet of space, with about 60,000 square feet for retail stores.

The onset of construction was triggered by a lease with Natixis Global Asset Management, a financial firm that has made a commitment to occupy up to 150,000 square feet of the building. Boston Properties said it also is talking to national and international retailers about opening in the complex, but no leases have been signed.

“This may not be the tallest building ever built in Boston, but in many ways it will be the most important,” said Koop, adding that it will consume 45 percent less energy than the average office building and cut water usage by 37 percent.
Click to expand...

Included with the article was a bigger version of the rendering on the BRA page
888%20Boylston-8037.jpg
 
I love it. It's what the Goodwin Proctor building should have looked like.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top