Downtown Crossing/Financial District | Discussion

Not only will an additional hotel be good for the city and bring more money to the area, the story also mentioned that in addition to 59 temple, the purchase included an "adjacent building". If the adjacent building is the 6 story building along Washington St., that would help fill some prime/empty real estate.[/QUOTE]

The article in the Globe mentions it will have entrances on Temple Place and washington str.
http://www.boston.com/businessupdat...wn-crossing/X1SfBTESsozik7wAghESeI/story.html
 
Fantastic news but at what point does a "boutique" hotel stop becoming boutique. 250 rooms is a pretty decent size number of rooms for a Boston hotel. When I think boutique, I think around 50-75 rooms and certainly under 100. Perhaps the term is more or less referring to the fact that it won't be a brand name hotel. A Loews Hotel in Boston would nice....
 
Looking at the list of hotel chains they've worked with I'd hope for a Park Hyatt though 'boutique' is also being used more frequently to describe more down-market properties such as Courtyard and Doubletree, with whom Oxford has also worked.
 
Would that make sense for Hyatt with another property just around the corner? I feel like that would also invite a fight from unions.
 
A new coffee shop, Temple Place Cafe, will open at 26 Temple Place, probably in September. The cafe will be owned and operated by Ibrahim Ibrahim, who also owns Black Seed Cafe & Grill on Tremont St
 
TheRifleman said:
Walgreens, Target, CVS........Why not Walmart at this point. Great Vision and planning from city officials. It seems like a beautiful building to host a Walmart. We are becoming a society of Corporate chains. Why would you ever leave the suburbs to enjoy the city when all these chains are at every strip mall in America. The city of Boston is really going down a very corporate shitty path.
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Just visited the giant Walgreens in Chicago and I have to say, IT IS F*CKING AMAZING. It was incredibly large, had an incredible selection of alcoholic beverage on sale (they have a moving wine display behind the cashier). They have their own sushi and lunch on the go section. I didn't get to see the entire place but if this is what they are bringing to the location, then this is a major PLUS.

I didn't get many photos but here are some I pulled off google.

Walgreen_sushibar.jpg


20120114-187751-walgreensconveyor.jpg


67256069.jpg
 
According to Universal Hub, Walgreens has applied for a liquor license for their Boston location.
 
Ron Newman said:
According to Universal Hub, Walgreens has applied for a liquor license for their Boston location.
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Let's hope they get it. Not more than 1-2 places in the downtown crossing area to pick up beer, wine or liquor to drink at home. The liquor store 2-3 blocks down on Washington (towards Chinatown) is incredibly overpriced and has a pretty weak selection.

Any indication of when this Walgreens is opening? I was in the area a few weeks ago and didn't see any work going on at all.
 
Landlords can BID adieu to choice

Boston Business Journal by Thomas Grillo, tgrillo@bizjournals.com

John Rattigan, chairman of the Downtown Crossing BID’s board of directors and partner at DLA Piper, says providing an opt-out for landlords not to pay toward the BID was “flawed.”

the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District had a choice before whether to pay a voluntary tax based on their real estate assessment, the “no thanks” option has been removed, according to an article in Friday's Boston Business Journal.

Under the legislation, landlords who opted out of paying into the Boston’s BID established in 2010 will be required to contribute or face a lien on their property when the improvement district comes up for renewal in 2015. The BID includes a 34-block area in Downtown Crossing and portions of the Theatre and Financial districts.

“Landlords have to realize they’re part of a big picture and not just an island to themselves,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino.“A BID increases the economic opportunity for everyone in that area and it’s unfair for some to pay while others do not. It’s about everyone sharing the burden and working together to make Downtown Crossing a better place.”Of the 308 property owners in Downtown Crossing, 251 are participating while 57 opted out, an 81 percent membership rate. BIDs call for a fee to be assessed on commercial properties. In exchange, they get public spaces that are cleaned and maintained, visitors are welcomed and assisted, connections are made for those in need of social services, special events, upgraded streetscapes and capital improvements and “ambassadors” who help direct tourists and serve as extra security on the street.

For Boston’s BID, the new law, part of Gov. Deval Patrick’s economic development package, will add an extra $1 million to the $3.2 million they raise annually from landlords in the 34-block district in the downtown area.
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http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/real_estate/2012/08/landlords-can-bid-adieu-to-choice.html

This should go over-well with property owners.
Deval Patrick just made this into LAW........These people are SICK.

How can you justify taxing the downtown Towers TWICE between property taxes then BID.......Then give our taxes to certain developers and corporations like Liberty Mutual and Fan Pier Development? Isn't this called extortion?
 
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It would have been much better to force DTC propertyowners to rent at lower rates for at least short periods of time rather than sitting around waiting for an optimal tenant. The neighborhood needs this way more than new flowerpots or whatever a BID will bring.
 
czsz said:
It would have been much better to force DTC propertyowners to rent at lower rates for at least short periods of time rather than sitting around waiting for an optimal tenant. The neighborhood needs this way more than new flowerpots or whatever a BID will bring.
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Even if owners were "encouraged" rather than forced to rent, its' worth noting that commercial leases in DTX for those empty spaces must now factor in the cost of the BID fees.

Also worth noting is that DTX has been a recent destination for quite a few technology startups no longer able to afford Fort Point. These small companies are price-sensitive and the additional costs of the BID may have the reverse effect of delaying rather than ushering in a revitalization.

I'm not especially opposed to the idea of a BID, but it seems like a selective tax that hits smaller owners while quite a few (larger) property owners are enjoying tax exemptions.
 
Still no-body can answer my question. How can our politicans enact BID in the DTX district then give tax-breaks to Liberty Mutual and the Fan Pier Development?

How does this make sense for economic growth. Lets take money from the guy in Downtown because his area is already built and help my politically connected friend expand his business elsewhere on the backs of the successful hardworking business owners that are left after the complete fuck-up that our city officials have made the entire DTX area? Basically they are extorting money from successful businesses and are creating their own political agenda. This is very dangerous

How is this LEGAL?
 
I take it you support campaign finance laws to reduce the influence of big corporations that receive these kinds of kickbacks then?
 
Oh Really..... These two quotes are priceless from two of the biggest political hypocrites in the city.

“Landlords have to realize they’re part of a big picture and not just an island to themselves,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino.“A BID increases the economic opportunity for everyone in that area and it’s unfair for some to pay while others do not. It’s about everyone sharing the burden and working together to make Downtown Crossing a better place.”
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For Boston’s BID, the new law, part of Gov. Deval Patrick’s economic development package,
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Let me rephrase Part of Gov Deval Patrick's economic swindle development package to his personal campaign contributors.
 
It's legal because nothing about BIDs or TIFs is inherently illegal. If the City was actually raising money from one to pay for the other...of course that would be illegal, but conspiracy theories aside there is no evidence that is whats happening. I know I've already explained how the TIFs work, so I'll spare going into that, but I'll take a stab at explaining the BID a bit better.

The Boston BID is an extra assessment on the businesses in the area. All of the funds raised by the BID go to the non-profit the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District. The funds pay for the non-profit's operation as well as the services it provides to the area, including. In short, none of the funds raised through the BID are going to the City to be spent elsewhere.
 
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