Bulfinch Crossing | Congress Street Garage | West End

Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

Here's what I think is a new rendering, courtesy of the Globe.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine...L6J/story.html?p1=Article_Related_Box_Article
p55_OneCongress2.jpg


The article also says that his is only going to be 480 feet tall. I thought it was going to be close to 600.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

480 feet to the roof was the change after the project was "voluntarily" scaled down by the developer but the extension above the roof of the curtain wall is not included in that height so this will probably actually be around 600 feet.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

The 480' is the residential tower to the left and the office tower to the right is to be 520' but that does not include the fancy top.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

The Globe messed up and put in the rendering of the office tower. And I seriously question the author's integrity given that s/he projected 1 Congress to be completed before Copley.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

The 480' is the residential tower to the left and the office tower to the right is to be 520' but that does not include the fancy top.

Oh that makes much more sense. In the Globe article they used a picture of the taller building in place of the actual building.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

Exciting stuff. By this time in 2018, the skyline is going to have a nice updated look to it. Hoping everything gets built and gets built as planned.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

Didn't ask...I assume 1 year from groundbreaking so by this time next year we should see progress.

I want all these projects done yesterday.

617 -- No No No

what we want is about 2 of these per year for the next decade or so -- keep the pipeline filled and the sky cranefull
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

Exciting stuff. By this time in 2018, the skyline is going to have a nice updated look to it. Hoping everything gets built and gets built as planned.

I feel like we were saying the same thing 3 years ago about 2015 and we've only got one skyline impacting project out of the ground.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

You have to compare skyline 2015 to 2012 to truly compare to what he's saying.
I'd say things like Kensington and Jacob Wirth have impacted the skyline as well as Troy and Parcel 24 from the south. Northpoint stuff & Avalon garden tower wasn't there 3 years ago, and the 2 new towers at Prudential weren't there. Add MP to the center and the skyline not only grew taller, but wider and fuller.

Hopefully there is as much change by 2018. I'll call that a win and a half.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

You have to compare skyline 2015 to 2012 to truly compare to what he's saying.
I'd say things like Kensington and Jacob Wirth have impacted the skyline as well as Troy and Parcel 24 from the south. Northpoint stuff & Avalon garden tower wasn't there 3 years ago, and the 2 new towers at Prudential weren't there. Add MP to the center and the skyline not only grew taller, but wider and fuller.

Hopefully there is as much change by 2018. I'll call that a win and a half.

Granted, many spots have filled in and that is a good thing, but of slight visual impact. The shape of Boston has not really changed in that time (until right now with Millennium topping out). In 2012 we were looking out for Millennium, Copley, and SST (maybe a few others we are still waiting on stretch back that far) to transform the skyline. One of the above actually happened.

I do think the next 3 years will be more productive and visually transformative than the last 3, but I have to remain cautiously skeptical until things are really moving. I would not be surprised to still be talking about the Garden and CSG in 3 years. Copley, I think, is really happening now and CSC obviously has shovels in the ground so that one is guaranteed. I guess The Point in Fenway is also actually definitely happening and will punch above its weight for total skyline impact.

EDIT: I suppose I should give credit to Avalon North Station too. That one will top out soon and will really stretch the skyline.
 
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Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

CSC obviously has shovels in the ground so that one is guaranteed.

Not to be a "Debbie Downer", but remember Vornado put shovels in the ground at Filene's before it was Millennium, and that did not turn out very well for a long time.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

Not to be a "Debbie Downer", but remember Vornado put shovels in the ground at Filene's before it was Millennium, and that did not turn out very well for a long time.

The scars may never heal...
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

I feel like we were saying the same thing 3 years ago about 2015 and we've only got one skyline impacting project out of the ground.

Very true. I'm trying to think positive that everything gets built.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

Not to be a "Debbie Downer", but remember Vornado put shovels in the ground at Filene's before it was Millennium, and that did not turn out very well for a long time.

I was also going to comment about that. You just can't say anything is "guaranteed" until the day the building is finished, yes finished, not even just under construction. The MCCA hotels are likely to be abandoned and not fitted out inside until funding is re-appropriated. This is a highly volatile industry. The plug can get pulled at any point.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

I was also going to comment about that. You just can't say anything is "guaranteed" until the day the building is finished, yes finished, not even just under construction. The MCCA hotels are likely to be abandoned and not fitted out inside until funding is re-appropriated. This is a highly volatile industry. The plug can get pulled at any point.

Really? Don't we have a huge hotel room shortage?
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

Hearsay from an inside source. I don't want to derail this thread though. My point is: no project is safe.

We are simply not used to the volatility here.

In places like Miami, towers are routinely abandoned mid construction, with a developer bankruptcy, to only be completed during the next boom cycle by a different developer (or the same developer with a new company...).
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

B&T article today:
http://www.bankerandtradesman.com/2...-to-kick-off-government-center-redevelopment/

(Can only be viewed for free today, so read up quickly)

Construction of a 475-unit apartment tower could kick off the $2.2 billion One Congress development this winter, jumpstarting one of the Boston’s long-delayed transformative projects.

Final designs by Boston-based CBT Architects for the 42-story tower will be submitted to the Boston Civic Design Commission in early November, said Thomas O’Brien, managing director of Boston-based HYM Investment Group. The commission is the final layer of permitting before groundbreaking.

“We should be in the ground in a matter of months,” O’Brien told Banker & Tradesman.

According to the article, interior work in the garage relocating the ramps is already underway. Also, the height is listed as 480 feet.
 
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Re: Congress Street Garage Development | West End

It's finally starting! This is exciting news!
 

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