Copley Place Expansion and Tower | Back Bay

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Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

^ The pic's not showing up. Also, infinite demand for housing would mean that there's an infinite number of people. Unless we've got people following MacGuyver back through the Stargate, I doubt that's the case.
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

There's never an infinite demand but if we don't build more residential units, prices will continue to rise. The reason is although demand is not inifinite in amount, there are enough amenities in Boston that attracted a steady growth of people desiring to live in Boston. The growth of demand per year, of course, is not significant enough that in a matter of years, it will hit a peak where no more people would want to live in Boston. It increases a small amount each year if there are no residential units or not enough are built. Thus prices will continue to rise. The NIMBYs that opposes residential towers cannot understand this. The city is not theirs. It's not private property that they can limit the amount of people immigrating to Boston. They need to share space. If they don't want to, they should go live in the rural areas, where nobody wants to live.
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

^ Agree. I was commenting on the "we shouldn't build housing because we're chasing infinite growth" argument.
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

obviously I dont mean endless Im just saying there is alot of space.
so much so that even 10 new residential high rises wont even even out demand.
considering we build 1 new highrise per 15 years.
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

Which is why I hope Gateway Center will be revision to not just include one 800ft tower, but at least one more, followed by maybe two 600ft towers and the rest being midrises. Even with that, Boston will have a lot of catching up to do.
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

alot of space not meaning that there is plenty of land. but meaning theres is room for density. and yes. the problem with NIMBYs i snot that they exist its that. you need to restrict developers... the thing with NIMBYs is just that they think boston is private property. boston is not stuck or frozen in time or inside some snow globe. you cant say no to every project proposed.
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

almost as if they NIMBYs have too much leverage.
even if gateway has two towers and a few mid rises even if
heymarket garage gets two 800's and two 600's even after
the boston garden development 3 600's ?? after the aquarium.
after fan pier. the demand wont be satiated. wont be evened out.
not endless just not even. seems like demand would be satiated. but it
wont not even close.
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

More mush.

I have to say two things: first, whether or not this would cast shadows on Holyoke Street has yet to be proven; and, second, the headline should read: Back Bay skyscraper concerns SOME South End neighbors.

Back Bay skyscraper concerns South End neighbors

By Linda Rodriguez
Managing Editor

Thursday Apr 3, 2008

When the owners of the Copley Place mall announced their intention to build 47 stories of residential apartments on top of the Neiman Marcus two weeks ago, attention immediately turned to the impact the structure might have on the residents of the Back Bay.

Residents on the other side of the Southwest Corridor Park, here in the South End, however, are also concerned.

"The building is technically in the Back Bay, but it?s the South End it directly affects," said Carla Nelson, a resident of Holyoke Street. Holyoke Street, like others in the Cosmopolitan Neighborhood Association area, would be directly in the shadow of the proposed tower, which would be one of the largest in the city of Boston.

The Simon Property Group, which owns Copley Place, is the country?s largest public real estate company and has built hundreds of malls and retail venues across the world. They signaled their intention to construct the building in a Letter of Intent addressed to the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) on March 19, outlining the tower?s features and amenities: 300 residential units in 47 stories atop the resident Neiman Marcus, a day spa, a health club, a resident?s library. The building would also feature the expansion of Neiman Marcus by 54,000 square feet, an additional 60,000 square feet of other retail space, and a four season Winter Garden. In a press release issued the day after the Letter, Simon said that it will work with the city as well as the Tent City Corporation, the development company with its roots in the Tent City apartments, to satisfy the Boston?s affordable housing requirement.

But it?s the sheer size of the tower that has local residents worried. "We have the townhouses here, the Victorian townhouses, and it just towers over them," said Nelson, later adding, "I?m on the ground floor, I would be able to see it from here."

Nelson said that she and her neighbors are also anxious about a host of other issues, from the density of the new residents and increased traffic in Back Bay station and the Southwest Corridor Park, to the shade created by the building, to the potential wind. But perhaps more than that, she said she?s worried about what the proposed building could do to the character of the neighborhood and even the city.

"Boston is a city of great neighborhoods and that?s not a neighborhood; a skyscraper is not a neighborhood," she said. "It takes away the feeling of the neighborhood to look up and see skyscrapers."

Moreover, she said, she?s concerned about the fact that this building is only one of several large-scale projects going up in the neighborhood: In the few blocks around this project, two buildings, one a 19-story and the other a 30-story, are under construction at the Prudential, as is a nine-story building with 350 units of housing at the corner of Clarendon and Stuart streets. And the embattled Columbus Center, should construction continue, would bring a 35-story building just on the other side of Back Bay station.

"They?re overbuilding," said Nelson. "I don?t understand. The buildings aren?t even up yet, and they?re already planning more."

At this point, the building is still in the very formative stages. A representative of the developers said that the cost of the building hasn?t been determined yet and the public review process hasn?t begun.

Others who live near the proposed building are reserving judgment on the project until more is known about it.

"There?s not a lot of information out about the building," said Duane Lefevre, a resident of the nearby St. Botolph neighborhood area, who said that his neighborhood association would be discussing the development at their meeting this month. However, Lefevre added, "It?s in an appropriate area. In general the neighborhood has been pretty supportive of projects as long as our opinions and input is taken into account."

Lefevre and other local residents will hopefully get the chance to give their opinions on the project in the near future; the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) is currently seeking nominations from local residents, business owners, abutters, and community organizations for a Citizens Advisory Committee on the proposed project. The express purpose of the committee is to advise the BRA and the city during the public review process.

"I hope that they would pick someone at least from this neighborhood, who speaks for us," said Nelson of the committee. "I hope my neighborhood doesn?t get left out."

Nominations to the Citizens Advisory Committee can be sent to Lauren Shurtleff via email to Lauren.Shurtleff.BRA@cityofboston.gov by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 21.
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

I'd love to nominate any board members who live in the South End of Back Bay for this advisory committee.
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

St Botolph Street? Doesn't St. Botolph end at Harcourt and Huntington? Isn't this project proposed for the Stewart St side of Copley? Will those who live on St. Botolph even see the tower?
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

According to Linda Rodriguez:

"The few blocks around this project, two buildings, one a 19-story and the other a 30-story, are under construction at the Prudential, as is a nine-story building with 350 units of housing at the corner of Clarendon and Stuart streets."

Glad to see the Prudential Buildings going up, but I'm concerned about the size of those units in the now 9 story Clarendon Building. :)
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

Underground: That's a great idea. I have to say, personally, I don't think I have the patience for that sort of thing.
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

Underground: That's a great idea. I have to say, personally, I don't think I have the patience for that sort of thing.
DO IT! DO IT! Of all the people on the board, you have the most name brand recognition, and papers already seem to know how to get in contact with you.
 
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Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

"They?re overbuilding," said Nelson. "I don?t understand. The buildings aren?t even up yet, and they?re already planning more."

Hahaha she doesnt understand. !!!
yes boston is a city of neighborhoods but people also forget that boston is a metro city.. we have a subway its supposed to be dense! why complain about
more subway users at the back bay stop thats what its there for. right!! so people use less cars.???

I cant stand these people. they say no to everything.

"already planning more" boston is building alot more "than it usually does"
But other cities are building twice as much.. stop complaining..
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

Cosmopolitan Neighborhood Association

Um.. what?

Hey I've got an idea, lets create our own association with a ridiculous name and see how loud we can scream about things we don't like.
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

This lady really has some nerve. She lives in one of the densest neighborhoods in all of New England and she's complaining that somehow the number and height of buildings now is just perfect and anything new would be overwhelming. Cities grow lady, get over it!
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

" a skyscraper is not a neighborhood," she said. "It takes away the feeling of the neighborhood to look up and see skyscrapers."

Does this woman not realize she lives in a city? I am willing to bet you can already see a skyscraper from her neighborhood.... this lady seems like she wants to live in a suburb
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

"They?re overbuilding," said Nelson. "I don?t understand. The buildings aren?t even up yet, and they?re already planning more."

OMGz more than one building going up at a time! It boggles the mind!
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

No need to worry about this tower ever being built, the world will end first. For Holyoke St to be "in the shadow" of this tower means the earth's inclination is going to change dramatically, and bad things will happen when it does.
 
Re: Copley Place plan calls for condo tower

I guess SE residents think the neighborhood should remain as it is, frozen in time. I was appalled by the ignorance and selfishness of that editorial. I'm sure their only concern is that there's some remote possibility that this could effect property values (if anything it would bring more wealth into the area and increase their values). I live in the SE (rent, unfortunately), was once a historic commissioner in another city, and think this is a positive development. I've considered trying to get on this board but I don't have a lot of free time at the moment.
 
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