Columbus Ave Student Housing | 10 Burke St | Northeastern University

datadyne007

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Columbus Ave Student Housing

Developer: Northeastern University / American Campus Communities
Architect: Cube 3 Studio / Elkus Manfredi

Description:
Northeastern University and American Campus Communities have submitted a PNF/IMPNF for an 800 student dorm totaling 310,000 SF.

"The University intends to ground lease the site to an ACC-related entity that will develop,
own and operate a student residence under a dormitory license from the City of Boston.
The ground lease will restrict the use of the site to student housing apartments and will give
Northeastern University students in their third, fourth, and fifth years of study the first right
to lease apartments. The ground lease will require that the Project be operated in
accordance with the Northeastern University student code of conduct and housing
standards. This partnership between a local university and a national student housing
developer represents an opportunity for Boston to attract private capital to fulfill the City’s
ambitious student housing goals. "
Click to expand...

Building Size: 310,000 sq ft
Uses: Dormitory / Retail
Residential Mix: 800 Beds
Parking: (-)58 spaces (Spaces in the Burke St lot will not be replaced)
Height: 230'-0"

PNF Filed 01/21/16: http://www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org/getattachment/56a3e8d4-fbb8-447d-b393-3301093317e4 (75 MB)

Renders:

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Boring, but whatever. It'll hopefully increase pressure on the far side of tremont, which right now is pretty grim.
 
It looks like they've already reprogrammed the 1st floor of the building compared to the community meeting I attended in December. The secondary residential entrance is new, and it appears they've relaid out the common spaces on the ground level.

Functionally-speaking, I'm a big fan of this project. You design-types can duke it out over how the facade looks, but at the end of the day I think this proposed residence hall fulfills its duty: complement the neighboring buildings, house more students, and activate ground floor (3,000 sq. ft. of retail on Columbus is tremendous!).
 
I love NU's commitment to developing the Columbus Ave part of the campus. That used to be a no-go zone back in the day.
 
The PNF link has been corrected. Sorry to anyone who may have tried to access it.
 
Is the 230' to the top of the mechanical penthouse, or is this a typical understated number for Boston proposals?
 
MEETING TONIGHT:

FEB 23, 2016 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Contact Name: Katelyn Sullivan
Contact Email Address: Katelyn.Sullivan@Boston.gov
Contact Phone: 617.918.4425
Type: Public Meeting

Location:
Northeastern University Crossing
1175 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02120

Description:
The Boston Redevelopment Authority ("BRA"), pursuant to Sections 80B-5.2 and 80D-5.2 of the Boston Zoning Code (“Code”), hereby gives notice that an Institutional Master Plan Notification Form (IMPNF)/Project Notification Form (“PNF”) was received by the BRA on January 21, 2016 from Northeastern University and American Campus Communities (together, the “Proponent”).

The Proponent proposes an approximately 310,000 square foot (sf) building for student housing that will contain approximately 800 beds in apartment units on the upper floors as well as ground floor commercial space. The 2016 Northeastern IMP Amendment Project (the “Project”) is located at 10 Burke Street, bounded by Burke Street to the east, Columbus Avenue to the north, Coventry Street to the west, and an existing building to the south.

Agenda:
Presentation from Proponent on the Proposed Project/ IMPNF
Task Force discussion
Community Q+A

http://www.bostonredevelopmentautho...eastern-columbus-student-housing-task-force-p
Click to expand...
 
BCDC MEETING TONIGHT:

BOSTON CIVIC DESIGN COMMISSION DESIGN COMMITTEE MEETING
MAR 15, 2016 | 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Contact Name: David Carlson
Contact Email Address: David.Carlson@Boston.gov
Contact Phone: 617.918.4284
Type: Boston Civic Design Commission (BCDC)

Location:
Boston City Hall, 9th Floor
1 City Hall Plaza, Boston, MA 02201

Description:
BCDC meeting to discuss the public realm impacts of major projects currently being reviewed by the BRA. Committee meetings are open to the public.

The agenda is as follows (times may be approximate):
5:00 PM Room 937A 32 Cambridge Street
6:00 PM Room 933A Northeastern Columbus Avenue Housing

http://www.bostonredevelopmentautho.../03/15/boston-civic-design-commission-meeting
Click to expand...
 
Do we think there will be much neighborhood opposition to this project? There has traditionally been resistance from the Columbus-Tremont neighbors whenever NU wants to build here.
 
Yes. Yes there will be even though this dorm will ultimately benefit them by alleviating housing pressure.
 
Opposition? Let's bring back the ghetto and the alkies sleeping on the sidewalks....the good old days.
 
JohnAKeith said:
Councilor Jackson is against it.
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Any rational? Too big or will spread gentrification?

More importantly, does he have any real ability to block the project?

There is always a question of how much if at all do new luxury apartments contribute to "filtering" vs. just bringing new affluent people into the city. But, new student housing seems to be a pretty clear case of filtering at work. Pulling students out of private housing frees up older class B units for working class/lower middle class residents.
 
jpdivola said:
Any rational? Too big or will spread gentrification?

More importantly, does he have any real ability to block the project?

There is always a question of how much if at all do new luxury apartments contribute to "filtering" vs. just bringing new affluent people into the city. But, new student housing seems to be a pretty clear case of filtering at work. Pulling students out of private housing frees up older class B units for working class/lower middle class residents.
Click to expand...

Partly true, although bringing a large dorm closer to Roxbury does bring the demographic intrusion of college students into Roxbury. Which is fine by me; I think in general, the area south of tremont is run down and seedy. In fact, it's not even a question. So bringing some well-heeled college students with their demands for more coffee shops and late night food places would be welcome. I also don't live right here, and I also can say that I can't entirely blame the neighborhood if they don't want this. They may want to defend a patch of land that seems crappy to outsiders, but is their land to defend... And whatever benefit may befall the city overall by easing rental pressures from students, this building will still bring change to the area. I do think that the net benefit to the city should cause the city itself to ram this thing through, but I can't say I don't sympathize with those who might fight it, either.
 
I hope the Ali's Roti Wraps shop doesn't get priced out the neighborhood (it's right on the corner of Tremont at Coventry St.). That is one of the great cheap eats in that part of town.

And I dread when the students and Northeastern administration start complaining about the SRO that's right there on Coventry St., too. That's important housing for people who would most likely otherwise be homeless, but it's not nice by any stretch of the imagination.

Bringing in well-heeled students will certainly put upward pressure on retail rents for the small businesses that serve the nearby low-income population, which will be impacted by the sudden influx of 800 students in a high-rise housing complex.

Northeastern and the YMCA have really wanted to kick the Cardinal Medeiros men's housing program out of the YMCA on Huntington, but thankfully it managed to stay despite the lack of basic maintenance over the years. Again, that program serves a very disenfranchised population in a part of town that used to be very gritty but is now brick sidewalks and Starbucks.

Here's what it was like in 2008, and it wasn't much better when I lived there in 2012:
https://www.boston.com/news/local/a...r_men_in_need_is_called_deplorable/?page=full
 
Every big tower in every neighborhood is going to get the nimby vote from their respective counselor.... Boston is going to need 50-75 +250~300 unit towers (to join the infill) by 2030......otherwise we end up 20~25,000 units short of Mayor Walsh's 53,000 mandate. It's not like this is a well-kept secret. Behind closed doors, Councelor Jackson may very well be on board with Brian, Sara and the Board.
 
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