Columbus Center: RIP | Back Bay

[philip]

Columbus Center, Boston, MA

This 35-story tower development would take shape on a deck over the Massachusetts Turnpike and would include an upscale hotel, multimillion-dollar condos, parks and an array of neighborhood shops. The $500 million mini-neighborhood would be one of the largest highway air-rights projects ever built in the country.

Status
Approved - Not yet under construction

Architects
cbt architects

Stats
Name: Columbus Center
Project Address: 101 Clarendon Street & 100 Berekley Street
Map & Plan Links: View aerial map (large file) : View plot map
Neighborhood:South End/Bay Village
Uses:Hotel, Retail, Residential, Ownership
Land Sq. Ft.: 44,734 ft
Building Sq. Ft.: 1,302,000 ft
Residential Units: 343
Applicant: Columbus Center Associates
Project Description: 493 residential units w/ 15% affordable (10% on, 5% off), 199 hotel rooms, and 917 parking spaces-over Turnpike Air Rights Parcels 16, 17, 18, 19 Zoning-exempt due to MOU. MOU Determinations approved 7/10/03. Voluntary PDA

Source: Development Projects - Boston Redevelopment Authority

Images

Articles
- Developer Disappointed With Mass Turnpike's Offer, 2006
- Deal Near To Give Columbus Center A Boost, 2006
- Columbus Center Wins Tax Credit Worth Millions, 2006
- South End News - Columbus Center Moves Forward, 2006
- Columbus Center Gets Key Financing, 2006
- Columbus Center Wants $50M in Aid, 2005
- Columbus Center Seeks Public Financing, 2005
- Columbus Center Air Rights Moves Forward, 2003
- Progress? Columbus Center could start in '04, 2003

Links

- Official Columbus Center Condo Website
- Project Information on Boston Redevelopment Authority
- Interactive Graphic of Columbus Center from the Boston Globe

- Columbus Center - archBOSTON Wiki

 

[philip]

Columbus Center sails through latest round of scrutiny

Home > Business Today > Business News > RSS Feed
By Scott Van Voorhis/ Dealmakers
Friday, May 26, 2006 - Updated: 01:38 AM EST

Whew! That was a close one.

Retired Judge Herbert Wilkins has found no special treatment when it comes to a key state subsidy for the $600 million Columbus Center air-rights tower complex.

Apparently, developer Arthur Winn?s status as a big Gov. Romney campaign contributor played no role in the special assistance the 400-foot-high condo and hotel skyrise complex won.

The conclusion, delivered quietly earlier this month, will hardly come as a shocker.

After all, it is our good governor with the big White House dreams who launched the review in the first place.

And to be fair, there was never any evidence of any undue influence, other than the fact that Winn has been a Romney supporter.

Rather, for a local politician with national aspirations, it was that old maneuver called covering your tail.

If the measure is just another silly government exercise, then I guess no harm was done.

That is unless you take into account the big picture surrounding the hotly contested Columbus Center plan, which would deck over an ugly Turnpike highway canyon that for decades has divided the Back Bay and South End.

While the goal is noble and ambitious, the project prompted years of fierce opposition from South End and Back Bay neighbors angered over the sheer scale of Winn?s creation.

And let me tell you, there were reviews galore, with the builders routinely grilled at more than 100 meetings - spanning years - by their prospective neighbors.

Still, by this spring, that gauntlet was history as Winn and Cassin prepared to pull the trigger on the complex financing package needed to get the long-delayed project into construction.

Then came the Romney review, and yet another - albeit minor - delay.

Now it?s time to see whether we are talking about a real plan, or just another Boston big development pipe dream.

International Place developer Don Chiofaro is ready to take another shot at what he likes to do best - building big.

He wants to build a giant new office, condo and hotel sky-rise that would soar, at its highest point, nearly 500 feet into the Boston skyline, city officials say.

The developer has an option to buy an unsightly parking garage strategically located on the new Greenway Park system and next door to the New England Aquarium.

Chiofaro will need room to build, with his plan typically outsized: 800,000 square feet of offices, 125 luxury condos and 175 hotel rooms - not to mention a huge, underground garage.

But the size of Chiofaro?s plan is likely to raise the hackles of waterfront activists eager to preserve public access to the waterfront.

So look for some stormy weather ahead.

 

[castevens]

The more of the highway that they cover up, the happier castevens becomes

 

[kz1000ps]

^ Yeppers! My room overlooks the highway where it crosses under Mass Ave, and although it gives me a much more expansive view than can normally be achieved from a 3rd floor window, all the concrete is not too pretty. I wish Boylston Place or whatever it was called went through, because by now it would have been done and I wouldn't have had to put up with construction noises! On the other hand, I wouldn't even want to begin imagining what traffic would be like on the arterials around here with that addition...Mass Ave is clogged enough as is, and Boylston is just the same heading east (west is at maybe 40% capacity).

The only good thing about the highway is that at nighttime, the ebb and flow of cars whooshing by is almost kinda sorta soothing. Like a perverse ocean or something....

 

[castevens]

I wish Boylston Place or whatever it was called went through

Going retro on us, eh?

For those who don't know, "Boylston Square" was supposed to rival the Prudential center in height, and go right on top of the Mass Pike on Mass Ave between Newbury St. and Boylston:

 

[quadratdackel]

On the other hand, I wouldn't even want to begin imagining what traffic would be like on the arterials around here with that addition

The only way to make it work would be if we somehow managed to populate it with lots of people who work in Back Bay, MIT, BU, NU, etc, even Longwood, who would mostly be walking to work. These are the same people who drive/T to the neighborhood every day causing all this traffic, so moving them into the tower would actually ease traffic. Of course, I'm not sure how you pull that off, especially since the apartments would probably have been on the high-end side, which means it'd probably pull lots of downtown workers, which would be bad for traffic, either car or Green Line.

Columbus Center, on the other hand, is close enough to downtown that many will walk, and others will take the Orange Line, which on that end is I believe substantially under capacity. This could be built to the sky without really messing up traffic so much.

 

[kz1000ps]

Going retro on us, eh?

Heh I guess. I just wish I could be able to say, "I live across the street from the 3rd tallest building in Boston! And I live in a student slum! whoop-dee-doooo!"

..But keep in mind, it was noted in the Bizjournal, I believe, maybe up to a half a year back that somewhere deep down in Millenium Parters' lair, this proposal is alive and being contemplated, but of course at (the) reduced height (proposed after the initial backlash).

 

[LeTaureau]

This thread has been quiet for a while. Construction was supposed to start this spring. Anybody notice any activity yet? Boston.com has a cool info-graphic set up:

http://www.boston.com/news/specials/columbus_center/flash_graphic

 

[kz1000ps]

I walked by the site today. I'm happy to report that there are weeds growing ( :roll: ) on the plot that, if I remember correctly, is to be a playground (Clarendon and Stanhope). Anybody know what is going on with that, e.g. is work on that contingent on Columbus Center getting built?

I saw absolutely nothing going on concerning Columbus Center.

 

[Mike]

Well this was in the Globe on May 27th:

Columbus Center receives Turnpike Authority OK

Columbus Center, the mixed-use project that will rise above a deck over the Massachusetts Turnpike, has cleared the last big hurdle in the permitting process, a spokesman for Winn Development said. The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority said it executed ground- and air-rights lease agreements after the governor's office signed off on the deal. With an estimated cost of $624 million , the project envisions 450 residences, a hotel, retail space, and public parks. Construction on the deck should begin within a month, and the project could be completed by 2010 . (Chris Reidy)

Link

 

[callahan]

Turnpike News

Columbus Center Project Ground and Air Rights Lease Agreements

Chairman Matthew J. Amorello announces that the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and CUIP-WINN Columbus Center LLC have executed the Ground and Air Rights Lease Agreements for the development and construction of the Columbus Center project on air rights over the Turnpike in Boston known as Air Rights Parcels 16, 17, 18 and 19, located between Clarendon Street and Arlington Street. CUIP-WINN Columbus Center LLC is a joint venture entity established by Winn Development Company/WDC Development Associates Limited Partnership and its equity partner, California Urban Investment Partners, LLC. The Leases have a term of 99 years.

Chairman Amorello stated, "This is great news for new development in the City, creating jobs and economic development opportunities. This is also great news for toll payers as a source of non-toll revenue to cover operation and maintenance costs of the Metropolitan Highway System."

Amorello also noted, "This development shows air rights developments have great value and are buildable. The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority continues to be a national leader in air rights development." The MTA was the first public transportation authority to use air rights with the development of the Prudential Center in Boston and Star Market in Newton in 1963. Chairman Amorello went on to say "We want to express our appreciation to the Office of the Governor for their review and approval of this agreement."

The Project will consist of 450 new housing units, a hotel, three new public parks, new retail and parking and will cover the turnpike and adjacent MBTA tracks, shielding the surrounding area from the view and noise of the highway and create new city blocks with new, active street walls. The project will significantly improve the connection of the South End, Back Bay, and Bay Village neighborhoods. The total project cost will exceed $600 million.

The Columbus Center project consists of:

Parcel 16: a 35-story, 608,000 square foot building containing a hotel of up to 162 rooms, approximately 162 residential condominium units, a health club, parking for approximately 186 cars, and street level restaurant and retail space;

Parcel 17: an 11-story, 300,000 square foot building containing approximately 151 residential condominium units with parking for approximately 98 cars and street level restaurant and retail space and a public park of approximately 24,000 square feet;

Parcel 18: a seven-story, 171,000 square foot building containing approximately 134 residential town house condominium units and street-level grocery and daycare space of approximately 23,000 square feet surrounding and screening a parking garage for approximately 633 cars, and a 2,000 square foot public park; and

Parcel 19: an 11,400 square foot public park.

In addition to covering the transportation corridor and the creation of the three new public parks described above, other public benefits of the Columbus Center project include:

*44 affordable housing units on-site and 22 off-site affordable units

*Signature architectural design by CBT/Childs Bertman Tseckares Inc. The buildings have been designed to respond to the principles and guidelines for development of Turnpike air rights set forth in the "Civic Vision for Turnpike Air Rights in Boston" prepared by the Boston Redevelopment Authority in June, 2000.

*350 new permanent jobs

*2000 construction jobs

*Significant new real estate, hotel, and sales taxes for the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

*Improvements to Back Bay Station

Deck General Contractor: J.F. White Company, Framingham, MA

Building General Contractor: Suffolk Construction Company, Boston, MA

 

[tocoto]

and the project could be completed by 2010 .

That's a long time, I'd love to see this project start.

 

[justin]

Given the size and the complexity, 2010 actually sounds pretty optimistic to me.

justin

 

[Lurker]

Trilogy has taken 3 years, this is a larger and more complex project partially being built at night over a highway, 4 years sounds right if nothing goes awry during construction.

 

[quadratdackel]

These signs that Columbus Center might actually be moving forward are very relieving. For a while I wondered if it might never be built. This is a great project and will make that part of town a whole lot nicer, even though it got shrunk so much. (Originally, there were supposed to be two 35-40 story towers instead of one. Someone here on the old forum had the interesting suggestion that the second tower may have been a bargaining scheme- the developer proposed two, hoping for one.)

However, my much, much bigger concern is what this project means for other projects, especially air rights projects along the "high spine"- the stretch above 90 from around South Station to at least Mass Ave. This stretch of highway was long ago intended to be covered with skyscrapers; thus far, only the Prudential Center and Copley Place have been built. Given the endless agony Columbus Center has gone through, it seems less likely we'll see the spine filled out any time soon. Granted, some of this agony was the developer's own making, i.e. the asking for public funds for construction which are supposed to be going to "blighted" areas. However, fierce community insistence that skyscrapers are inappropriate for the area (an area mere blocks from the tallest building in New England) might give pause to other would-be high spine developers. This is a real shame, because few other projects (North Point comes to mind as one) so dramatically improve the street-level quality of the city. (Sure, the Pru & Copley projects are shoddy from the street level, but we know better than that by now.)

 

[castevens]

Someone here on the old forum had the interesting suggestion that the second tower may have been a bargaining scheme- the developer proposed two, hoping for one

I wouldn't put it past them at all. Anything and everything will be shrunken down, so go for more than you actually want

 

[statler]

Columbus Center wins tax credits worth millions

By Chris Reidy, Globe Staff | June 30, 2006

Developers of the massive Columbus Center project over the Massachusetts Turnpike won state and Boston city tax credits yesterday that could be worth $21.5 million, after failing in several previous attempts to get public assistance.

The Economic Assistance Coordinating Council , a public-private body that oversees government incentives for development, approved the credits, despite a warning from Massachusetts Inspector General Gregory W. Sullivan that Columbus Center did not appear to qualify.

That incentive program is ``exclusively for projects that cannot be developed through the `ordinary operations of private enterprise,' " Sullivan wrote to the council Wednesday, citing the program's guidelines. ``Clearly this project was designed to be developed through the ordinary operations of private enterprise."

Winn Development plans an urban village of 1.3 million square feet over the turnpike and surrounding area, bridging the Back Bay and South End neighborhoods. The project includes a 35-story tower with hotel rooms, condominiums and stores, as well as several additional condo buildings and four parks.

Costs for Columbus Center, a decade in the making, have recently ballooned to $624 million, partly because of sharply higher costs for building materials.

One dispute is whether Winn promised to build the project entirely without public funding. His critics say Winn made such a promise, something Winn denies.

During the lengthy permitting process, the issue of public aid, including tax credits, and the project's size became intertwined.

When neighborhood residents complained Columbus Center was too big, they said Winn responded that the project needed to be that big to be profitable enough to attract private investors and not need public assistance.

In these critics' view, the developer used that argument to win key permits for a large project, and then later asked for public aid without reducing the size of the project.

Winn vehemently disputes that account.

``From the get-go, public support was always built into this project," said Alan Eisner , a Winn spokesman.

Addressing some of the newly approved tax credits, Eisner said that government officials ``really stepped up to the plate and provided a meaningful and appreciated portion of the economic resources required to move this project forward."

``It's not appropriate to use taxpayer dollars to enhance a developer's profits," said state Representative Martha M. Walz , a Boston Democrat.

But Deb Shufrin , an economic assistance council member, said the incentive program's goal is to promote job creation, and Columbus Center is expected to generate many jobs.

``We disagree with the inspector general's interpretation" of the guidelines, Shufrin said.

Senior assistant inspector general Jack McCarthy said his office is limited to making recommendations. ``We can't force the council to do anything," he said.

The Globe reported in December that Winn was seeking more than $50 million total in public aid.

But the Legislature recently rejected a $4.3 million grant, and Eisner said Winn learned last month that its request for federal tax credits with a present-day value of $15 million was rejected.

Eisner noted that Columbus Center would include more than $40 million in public benefits such as parks, affordable housing, and a groundwater recovery system.

Construction is expected to begin in about 60 days, Eisner said.

Chris Reidy can be reached at reidy@globe.com.

Link

 

[ChunkyMonkey]

Construction begins in 60 days? Unbelievable, I never thought this was going to go through. I probably won't believe until groundbreaking.

 

[atlantaden]

This project was a decade in the making; as shameful for the city as Fan Pier currently is. All the lost revenue (probably in the millions) to the city and state along with the increased cost of the on-site housing due to the attempt to please every single person possibly affected by the projects. There has got to be a happy medium for both the city/community and developers to avoid such a complex and time consuming process in order to get something built. It took probably 4 years for the 300+ housing units to be built at Charles River Park on property that is already in existence. That project alone should have had at least an additional 400 units but for residents (mostly renters) who put up such a huge fuss.

 

[Mike]

I probably won't believe until groundbreaking.

Good idea. This project seems to be on perma-delay. I'm sure sometime around 60 days from now we'll be reading how construction could begin by the end of the year. What happened to the 30 days reported last month? Why is it 60 now? :evil: