Bulfinch Triangle Infill & Small Projects

Charlie_mta said:
The Warren Bridge was completely removed when the "new" Charles River dam was built in the 1970's.
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Actually, it was destroyed by a fire in the early 1960s and never rebuilt. The Charles River Dam was built in its place in the mid 1970s.
 
You're right. I was living somewhere else during that time period.
 
Awesome finds!

I especially love the second picture where you can see the facade of north station?
 
Developer must bag grocer to get OK
By Greg Turner
Wednesday, July 18, 2012 - Updated 11 hours ago

The developer of One Canal won’t get a green light for its $175 million apartment complex in Bulfinch Triangle without first guaranteeing it will bring a long-sought-after supermarket to the site, state and city officials promised yesterday.

Trinity Financial said it has committed to signing a grocery tenant — a prospect that appeared uncertain last year — as part of a deal to develop a former Central Artery parcel at the northern tip of the Greenway.

“It will be a requirement in the lease that they have a supermarket in the building,” said Bill Tuttle, real estate chief for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

Geoff Lewis, a senior project manager for the Boston Redevelopment Authority, echoed Tuttle’s stance. “It’s going to be part of the approval process,” he said at a community meeting held last night near the project site.

The commitment reassured residents of the North End, West End and Beacon Hill, who have been clamoring for a traditional supermarket since Stop & Shop shuttered its Cambridge Street store in 2003.

“I must thank the BRA and MassDOT for standing behind a supermarket so strongly,” said Dan Wilson, member of a “supermarket committee” created by community groups.

Trinity project manager Abby Goldenfarb said the firm is in the midst of “serious conversations” with two “credible supermarket operators” but declined to name the companies.

Stop & Shop had previously been interested in the project and remains a contender along with rival Shaw’s, according to a source with knowledge of the talks. Trinity developed a Shaw’s in 2003 at the former Walter Baker chocolate factory in Dorchester.

At One Canal, located next to Trinity’s Avenir apartment complex, the supermarket would take up 20,000 square feet of space on the ground floor of a 12-story, 320-unit building.

Trinity is looking to break ground next spring but must have a supermarket committed by a MassDOT lease deadline of March 1, Tuttle said.

The only way Trinity can get out of the requirement is if another supermarket opens in the vicinity, which is unlikely given the status of alternative locations.
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http://www.bostonherald.com/business/real_estate/view.bg?articleid=1061146592

God help us if this gets built. The renderings looks terrible

It reminds of the development what ruined Kenmore Square.
 
Getting the commitment on the Market is a big change. Last bit of news was that BRA couldn't convince them to do it, so they were working to put it in the building that'll EVENTUALLY go in front of the Garden. I guess with the new plan for that spot (the mall or whatever they're doing), they decided to really push for it in 1 Canal.
 
I like the idea of having an affordable supermarket there but I agree, the rendering looks terrible. It's like they decided to place a big block to have as much usable space as possible on the small lot and then realized it looks terrible so lets add some different sized glass panes all over it.

Peterborough
http://www.bostontipster.com
 
This is 90% better than most of the buildings that are described as crap on this website. I was prepared for the worst when I clicked the link but it's just boring.

What would be great for this area would be a Whole Foods / WH-equivalent that's maybe not as pricey in the building in front of North Station. Commuters could eat prepared meals on the go and it would serve the locals. It would mean bagging (ha. ha.) the location on Cambridge St., though.

Or dare I suggest (given North End proximity) an Eataly?
 
There's already a Whole Foods nearby; the neighborhood needs something more reasonably priced in addition.
 
You'd have to pry the Whole Foods on Cambridge St from Beacon Hill and the West End's cold dead hands. They love that thing, and it's wildly convenient for them. Putting a Stop and Shop or similar here is really the best solution. Two different options for the neighborhoods, and a better coverage area (WF is actually a little bit of a haul from most places in the North End). Plus WF gets the bonus of MGH traffic and SS gets North Station traffic.
 
If Star/Shaw's is having such difficulty it seems unlikely they'll be going in. Also interesting to think about is that whatever goes in would likely perform very well if 24hrs and has a liquor license. I wonder which Stop & Shop would lose it's liquor license (or be transferred) if one is built here.

Peterborough
http://www.bostontipster.com
 
atlantaden said:
http://northendwaterfront.com/?p=174301

If you check out the video of the meeting...skip forward to 40 minutes...the presenter has pic of the building from many different vantage points!
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Thanks for posting this. I got a much better sense of this project from the renderings shown during the presentation. Based upon the small rendering in the paper, I was concerned about the design of the project like several previous posters. However, after watching the video, I actually think it is a decent design that will fit in well.
 
Screenshots from the video:

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d54dd7_OneCanal_greenway_view.jpg


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dirtywater said:
Thanks for posting this. I got a much better sense of this project from the renderings shown during the presentation. Based upon the small rendering in the paper, I was concerned about the design of the project like several previous posters. However, after watching the video, I actually think it is a decent design that will fit in well.
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DirtyW -- The key is all about how it relates to Canal St and and the Corner with New Chardon at the sidewalk level as the rest of the frontage is on a major traffic artery (North Washington) or two small streets (Valenti and Beverly)

Walk the existing Canal St. Block on your way to Causway St. -- its a "superblock" -- yet it works fine

There is one stucture for the entire block with half a dozen restaurants, cafes and bars/taverns

Extending activity with the grocery on the Corner of Valenti and North Washington is very positive

I also don't understand the "knee-jerky" negative comments about the building -- if you actually listen and look at the presentation by the projects architect from ICON -- you think that the building is totally different from the building mentioned in the posts to this thread

I find the presentation of the building to be quite impressive -- especially given all of the complexity of the site including the constrants imposed by the tunnels underneath and the existing and retained ground level vent and traction power substation structures. When you throw in the need for delivery to the market -- you will be impressed with what they have acheived. I also like the fact that from different views you see a totally different building -- including a corner made to accomodate the very fine 19th Century terracotta Canal St. Building
 
TheRifleman said:
http://www.bostonherald.com/business/real_estate/view.bg?articleid=1061146592

God help us if this gets built. The renderings looks terrible

It reminds of the development what ruined Kenmore Square.
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Riff -- you've got to stop firing when the barrel is filled with mouse droppings you are spreading it all over the city

A) it looks very little like anything in Kendall Sq. and it certainly has a totally different responsibility as how it relates to its surroundings

B) it does a nice hob accomodating all of the constraints of the site
 
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Jesus the Greenway looks worse than ever in this view (not this building's fault; it does nothing to help or hurt).
 
czsz said:
Jesus the Greenway looks worse than ever in this view (not this building's fault; it does nothing to help or hurt).
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You're taking a picture completely out of context and using it to judge the most successful part of the project. There's no one on the street. Gee, I wonder if the picture could have been taken early in the morning? NA FAILURE! There are plenty of things about the Greenway to be critical about, but this parcel is not one of them. Give it a rest.
 
This is my favorite new project. I think the massing, scale, and street level interaction is a home run on every front. I think its very sucessful at pulling off the "same building but looks like a few different ones" as well. As long as they don't cheap out on finishes like the bay state BU project this should be great for the neighborhood and a plan for other new buildings to follow.

Also, all the windows line up, thank god
 
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