BU Development Thread

As an alum I think its about time BU does something bold again on campus. Appreciate the little projects and fixer-uppers but they haven't done anything significant since Agganis almost 15 years ago IMHO.
 
Last fall an article in BU Today said that the next projects on campus would be the Dental school expansion and renovation and the addition to the Questrom building on BSR to start this summer. The Dental project is well underway but I see no mention of the Questrom addition.

Here is a thought: BU will build a new Questrom building on that large parking lot next to Sargent. The current Questrom building will then be renovated for COM, which really needs a new home. Maybe this is in the works and that is why the Questrom addition has not been mentioned recently.

Then the current COM building and its shrinking lawn will be available for yet another STEM building.
 
BU is currently wrapping up the design process of a new building to go next to Sargent in the parking lot on Comm. Ave. The building recently got bumped in height and will be 17 stories, plus a mechanical penthouse, making it as tall or taller than Warren Towers. Will share renders as soon as they're public.
 
I remember the school of management expansion talk. I think its just a small expansion that would jut out to some open parcels on Bay State next to the Towers dorm (is it still called that or did some Richie Rich get that name changed too).

I thought the building on the parking lot near Sargent was for computer science but not sure. Regardless yes COM does need a new building and its time to start filling in some open spaces at the very least, such as the aforementioned parking lot as well as the area by the Comm Ave bridge.
 
Rover said:
I remember the school of management expansion talk. I think its just a small expansion that would jut out to some open parcels on Bay State next to the Towers dorm (is it still called that or did some Richie Rich get that name changed too).

I thought the building on the parking lot near Sargent was for computer science but not sure. Regardless yes COM does need a new building and its time to start filling in some open spaces at the very least, such as the aforementioned parking lot as well as the area by the Comm Ave bridge.
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Yes, the parking lot next to Sargent is for Computer Science, Mathematics & Statistics, and the Hariri Institute for Computing, as well as classroom space. Another note on this building: I am pretty sure there is no parking included.

COM certainly needs a new building, but I really hope it does not come as an extension that takes over the COM Lawn, especially now that it has been shrunk by KCILSE (this was what BU had in their last IMP, of which KCILSE was not a part). I heard a rumor recently that they were thinking about putting COM in West Campus as an addition above the building next to the new theatre (where Darque Tan is now the sole occupant). From what I understand, this project is pending until a significant donor is found.
 
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ccole said:
BU is currently wrapping up the design process of a new building to go next to Sargent in the parking lot on Comm. Ave. The building recently got bumped in height and will be 17 stories, plus a mechanical penthouse, making it as tall or taller than Warren Towers. Will share renders as soon as they're public.
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If I remember correctly from the IMP the parking lot next to Sargent would be filled with two buildings.
 
Rover said:
As an alum I think its about time BU does something bold again on campus. Appreciate the little projects and fixer-uppers but they haven't done anything significant since Agganis almost 15 years ago IMHO.
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In the nearer term I would be most interested to see the redevelopment of a number of surface parking lots and garages. Especially the surface lots. That would be a step in the right direction.

Lot N is slated for redevelopment under the master plan. But also Lot Q, Lot J and the Kenmore Lot at the corner of Deerfield St and Comm Ave next to the old HoJo. That Kenmore lot at Deerfield St is a real gateway to campus from Kenmore and it is a surface lot that really detracts from the look and feel of the current campus.

https://www.bu.edu/maps/

Although I would consider it bold to just convert the Kenmore surface parking lot into a park space and then redevelop the HoJo at some point. Or vice versa by building at the Kenmore Lot and then filling in between a new building at the corner with a pocket park between the management school and the a new building... Sometimes a pocket park can help define the surrounding space better. Especially a green just off Kenmore Square could provide a focal point for that side of campus.

The really big bold thing in my mind would be to create dorm capacity elsewhere for 1800 students to be able to totally redo Warren Towers and the Cummington Mall area. The somewhat obvious thing to do would be to put residential at Lot N and then some residential at Lot J (although worth considering some other use for Lot J being right behind the Tsai Performance center) and then really redevelop Warren Tower and Cummington for upgraded science, engineering or flexible classroom space. Nothing in that block sticks out in my mind as something really worth preserving other than trying to get as much value from the built space as possible before considering demolition and redevelopment.
 
ccole said:
Yes, the parking lot next to Sargent is for Computer Science, Mathematics & Statistics, and the Hariri Institute for Computing, as well as classroom space. Another note on this building: I am pretty sure there is no parking included.

COM certainly needs a new building, but I really hope it does not come as an extension that takes over the COM Lawn, especially now that it has been shrunk by KCILSE (this was what BU had in their last IMP of which KCILSE was not a part). I heard a rumor recently that they were thinking about putting COM in West Campus as an addition above the building next to the new theatre (where Darque Tan is now the sole occupant). From what I understand, this project is pending until a significant donor is found.
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In the scenario I painted in my post 1622 the vacated COM site could be the site of a new computer science building. It would place it on the STEM side of Comm Ave.
 
Anyone else remember when Lot N was a Burger King with Drive Thru?
 
Rover said:
As an alum I think its about time BU does something bold again on campus. Appreciate the little projects and fixer-uppers but they haven't done anything significant since Agganis almost 15 years ago IMHO.
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I dunno, Rover, I stumbled upon the Booth Theatre last week and was impressed. Impressive statement building and good pedestrian area. Apart from the bridge work right now, all up and down Comm Ave they are doing impressive sidewalk work - - by this time next year that boulevard's world class stature will be extended further west.
 
jass said:
Anyone else remember when Lot N was a Burger King with Drive Thru?
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I do. In fact I remember when it was a non-chain burger joint with an undulating roof. The other half of the lot was a gas station.
 
tangent said:
The really big bold thing in my mind would be to create dorm capacity elsewhere for 1800 students to be able to totally redo Warren Towers and the Cummington Mall area. The somewhat obvious thing to do would be to put residential at Lot N and then some residential at Lot J (although worth considering some other use for Lot J being right behind the Tsai Performance center) and then really redevelop Warren Tower and Cummington for upgraded science, engineering or flexible classroom space. Nothing in that block sticks out in my mind as something really worth preserving other than trying to get as much value from the built space as possible before considering demolition and redevelopment.
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According to a master plan I read (circa 1985) Lot J was reserved for a future library to replace Mugar in the distant future. That was before the digital age of course.
 
shmessy said:
I dunno, Rover, I stumbled upon the Booth Theatre last week and was impressed. Impressive statement building and good pedestrian area. Apart from the bridge work right now, all up and down Comm Ave they are doing impressive sidewalk work - - by this time next year that boulevard's world class stature will be extended further west.
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I like the theatre don't get me wrong. However I'm talking more like what they did with the John Hancock village which was transformational for that area (the old Armory). In fact the Booth theatre location is a good place to consider. That intersection of Comm Ave and the BU bridge is an eyesore. Desolate parking lots and on ramps everywhere. I know they've had some ideas in the past (the abandoned Ellipse idea) but now that the bridge work is wrapping up they need a master plan here.

Same thing with the aforementioned parking lots and area near Kenmore. Use that parcel and the ridiculous HoJo building to actually get something worthwhile constructed befitting of the gateway to East campus.
 
TomOfBoston said:
According to a master plan I read (circa 1985) Lot J was reserved for a future library to replace Mugar in the distant future. That was before the digital age of course.
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Interesting, In my quick read through I didn't see anything about Lot J in the current master plan. Lot N will be a good infill project right on Comm Ave.

I have mixed feelings about Lot J. Could be a good infill or it could just be a nice way to create a new quad next to the BU beach.
 
Rover said:
Use that parcel and the ridiculous HoJo building to actually get something worthwhile constructed befitting of the gateway to East campus.
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BU is a top 50 school now and one of the most prominent gateways to their campus is a renovated Howard Johnson's with a non-distinct low rise building which used to house weddings and other event space and a surface parking lot in front at the corner.

The SOM building is a nice academic building and the new(er) student center on Deerfield isn't bad looking at the corner. Heck I could even see them going somewhat tall there with a residence hall right there in Kenmore, perhaps focused on the business majors and/or grad student housing.
 
tangent said:
BU is a top 50 school now and one of the most prominent gateways to their campus is a renovated Howard Johnson's with a non-distinct low rise building which used to house weddings and other event space and a surface parking lot in front at the corner.
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As someone once mentioned the HoJo needs to be demolished before it gets classified as an historic mid-20th century building.
 
jass said:
Anyone else remember when Lot N was a Burger King with Drive Thru?
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Every single graveyard shift I worked at the print window at the Information Technology computer lab on Cummington St., I do. BK was always open much later than Taco Bell.


That lunch break was often my only refuge from having to issue warnings to students about the nasty porn they were printing out at 1:00am while they thought no one was minding the store. Yeah...I'm talking about you at Terminal #12, buddy; I will never be able to un-see that as long as I live.
 
ccole said:
BU is currently wrapping up the design process of a new building to go next to Sargent in the parking lot on Comm. Ave. The building recently got bumped in height and will be 17 stories, plus a mechanical penthouse, making it as tall or taller than Warren Towers. Will share renders as soon as they're public.
Click to expand...

Can you share details on the design approach for this building?
 
tangent said:
BU is a top 50 school now and one of the most prominent gateways to their campus is a renovated Howard Johnson's with a non-distinct low rise building which used to house weddings and other event space and a surface parking lot in front at the corner.

The SOM building is a nice academic building and the new(er) student center on Deerfield isn't bad looking at the corner. Heck I could even see them going somewhat tall there with a residence hall right there in Kenmore, perhaps focused on the business majors and/or grad student housing.
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With all of the potential redevelopment in Kenmore, this lot is just screaming for a bold statement. It would also be an opportunity for something mixed use and anchored by retail to further extend the commercial opportunities in Kenmore.
 
Rover said:
As an alum I think its about time BU does something bold again on campus. Appreciate the little projects and fixer-uppers but they haven't done anything significant since Agganis almost 15 years ago IMHO.
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I’ve actually thought the post-Silber area additions to the campus have been an overwhelming improvement over the decades of brick and pre-cast stone buildings that came before.

The Law tower and expansion, Booth Theater, Bay State student services center, and Integrated Life Sciences building are quality additions to campus. Renovations to Myles and the Welcome Center (the former Hillel) are also well executed.

What I would like to know is if the recent acquisition of the Wheelock campus will put anything on hold at the Charles River campus. That is a pretty significant increase in buildings. The School of Education is in the process of consolidating to the “Fenway” campus before the start of the school year, and renovations to several of those buildings has been ongoing this summer.
 
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