Development over JFK station

[KentXie]

T eyes air-rights lease
Bids sought for UMass station

By Scott Van Voorhis | Friday, December 28, 2007 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Business & Markets
Another project may soon be in the pipeline near Dorchester?s long-neglected waterfront.

The MBTA is seeking developers interested in building a major complex at the JFK/UMass T station.

The deal would include air rights over the tracks, the parking lot and the station itself.

As it seeks ways to bolster its budget, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is putting out to bid the development rights to 4.7 acres at the Red Line station.

The MBTA, which is marketing the property through a private firm, is hoping to reap nearly $400,000 in annual rent under an 85-year lease agreement, bid documents show.

The move comes as planning begins on two other significant projects along the harbor in Dorchester, at the Bayside Expo & Conference Center and the University of Massachusetts at Boston.

?I think it?s timely,? said Vivien Li, head of the Boston Harbor Association. ?There is a lot of stuff happening in the neighborhood. This is waterfront property. There is not that much waterfront property left.?

The winning bidder will have the chance to build more than 300,000 square feet of new development, according to bid documents issued by Transit Realty.

The project could include residential, commercial and some retail uses, according to an MBTA spokesman.

The MBTA?s development push would join two other projects in reshaping Dorchester?s waterfront. The owner of the Bayside Expo & Conference Center is planning a $1 billion residential, office and retail complex on the 30-acre site. Meanwhile, UMass Boston recently unveiled a $750 million plan to remake its own campus.

?The JFK/UMass air rights parcel lies in the heart of what will likely become a significant transit-orientated development (TOD) district,? MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said in an e-mail.

 

[Lrfox]

?I think it?s timely,? said Vivien Li, head of the Boston Harbor Association. ?There is a lot of stuff happening in the neighborhood. This is waterfront property. There is not that much waterfront property left.?

Thank God she clarified that for us.

 

[Chris]

About time. The MTBA should be much more proactive in looking to develop air-rights and land it owns. They should look into developing those empty lots that serve as glorified bus stations or parking (BHCC, Wellington, e.g.).

As for this one in particular. If Umass was to design its master plan in conjuction with this, particularly for more density, urbanization, this could really work well. For example, this air rights offer should encourage the developer building another overpass road or redesigning the rotary to allow for more development.

 

[ablarc]

Small potatoes.

Really small.

 

[Roxxma]

About time. The MTBA should be much more proactive in looking to develop air-rights and land it owns. They should look into developing those empty lots that serve as glorified bus stations or parking (BHCC, Wellington, e.g.).

I came across a plan from the 80s or early 90s while rummaging through the Transportation Library once which showed a master plan of a mixed use (housing, offices, shopping mall) to be built above the tracks and parking lots at Wellington. That area is ripe for a redevelopment. Anyone else ever hear of this? If the T needs more $$, this is the type of thing that they need to focus more on.

 

[PaulC]

http://www.transitrealty.com/pipeline.asp#jfk

JFK / UMass Station
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, (?MBTA?) will invite interested parties to bid on the lease of development rights over approximately 4.5 acres of land located at the JFK / UMass Station at the intersection of Morrissey Boulevard and Columbia Road in Boston, Massachusetts

The Boston Redevelopment Authority is about to begin a planning effort encompassing this site, the adjacent properties formerly owned by the Pappas family, and most of Columbia Point. The MBTA wishes to designate a Developer for this site before the BRA study begins in order to allow the designee the opportunity to participate in the planning process and reasonably represent its interests.

Development on the parcel is expected to be primarily over about 1.9 acres covering most of the area between the tracks and Morrissey Boulevard. Development above the tracks and station will also be allowed provided it meets with the requirements of the MBTA operating departments. Within the development area, the ADA access provisions to the station, the current access, egress and capacity for accommodating buses and automobiles and the existing MBTA parking must be accommodated. Qualitative improvements to the station entry from Sydney Street, which is owned by the Massachusetts Highway Department, will be required.

 

[Scott]

One building on one train station is not really significant but viewed in the context of all the housing units built or planned along the Ashmont and Braintree branches of the Red Line, it is a very positive trend.

 

[whighlander]

Great opportunity for a major redevelopment {again} of the area

The T, U-Mass, {soon to be former Bayside} and former Columbia Point should investigate not just dense development -- but an Ashmont-type Streetcar loop that would connect the 3 major points with the Station itself -- then more of the parking lots in the area could be developed

Westy

 

[Suffolk 83]

Agreed this isnt much. I'm curious to see if this includes the small parcel in between JFK and Shaws. Does this mean a new station? You can't really have 'dense urbanization' connected here to Umass because of Morrissey Blvd. goes right through it. Just go to the other side of the highway for dense urbanization. Umass used to be a dump so it's not like that area was bulldozed for Umass and it needs to be rebuilt. An overpass/streetcar is laughable.

 

[whighlander]

BRA site has pdf of new planning document for the Columbia Point area including proposed TOD at JFK/UMass T