Downtown/Financial district infill and small developments

55 Summer 6/16.
 

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Yeah I noticed they stripped it down to the steel awhile ago but it's not clear what the goal is. I can't imagine it's coming down altogether given its role in tunnel ventilation, but maybe it's getting a facelift? It used to be a plan old ugly brick monolith.
 
Smuttynose said:
I believe this is a ventilation structure for the Tunnel (located just west of One Financial Center). Not sure what they’re doing exactly - replacing or refacing it?

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Justbuildit said:
Yeah I noticed they stripped it down to the steel awhile ago but it's not clear what the goal is. I can't imagine it's coming down altogether given its role in tunnel ventilation, but maybe it's getting a facelift? It used to be a plan old ugly brick monolith.
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Facelift, MassDOT project 606801. The Essex Street one is apparently more decrepit than the others so it's getting more extensive modifications, but overall they're all getting more detailed brickwork, quoins and art frames.

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Ahhh, MassDOT. I had searched BPDA and even looked for Greenway projects. Thanks, makes a lot more sense now.
 
Stlin said:
Facelift, MassDOT project 606801. The Essex Street one is apparently more decrepit than the others so it's getting more extensive modifications, but overall they're all getting more detailed brickwork, quoins and art frames.

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Thank you for all the info. That is a lot of brick. It looks like certain areas will be reserved for artwork so I question whether the brick background is necessary. Boston could use some more public art downtown and I’d be in favor of making the entire structure a canvas for that.
 
It would be cool if they hired some brick masons to really dress these things up so instead of being something to hide they could add to the neighborhood on their own. Kind of like how the water towers in chicago arent monuments theyre just water infrastructure but because they put in the effort to make them nice they add to the neighborhood and became iconic. Something like this but without the arch would be cool. It would be cool if we still put in the effort for stuff like that.

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stick n move said:
It would be cool if they hired some brick masons to really dress these things up so instead of being something to hide they could add to the neighborhood on their own. Kind of like how the water towers in chicago arent monuments theyre just water infrastructure but because they put in the effort to make them nice they add to the neighborhood and became iconic. Something like this but without the arch would be cool. It would be cool if we still put in the effort for stuff like that.

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Above, what the architects promised.

Below, after VE:
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Justbuildit said:
Aha! I had been trying to figure out what that was since going by it a few weeks ago. Thanks for the update and confirmation. Any idea if this is to support new/upcoming projects in the area, or just grid resilience/redundancy?

As for location, it's on the east side of Charles St, which puts it in the Theater District in my book, so Downtown makes sense.
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Charles St. South is part of Bay Village.
 
statler said:
We have long since transitioned from the City Beautiful Movement to the City Economically Efficient Movement*.

*Strictly in terms of aesthetics, not actual budgets
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Definitely true but I have faith that the “architectural uprising” happening in Scandinavia will make its way over here eventually. I think were already primed for it with the “new urbanist” trend, architects like robert stern reminding ppl what can be done with modern materials and location appropriate designs, plus yimby/density/zoning movements finally taking off country wide. I feel like ppl are getting sick of modernism, I mean its been around for like 50 years now, ppl want something else. I feel like it wont be long until these things all converge and we move into a new architectural age that focuses more on aesthetics, human scale…etc.
 
SlothofDespond said:
Charles St. South is part of Bay Village.
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The city shows Charles St South as the eastern boundary of Bay Village, with Downtown on the other side of the street. Surprisingly, the block north of Stuart and west of Charles St South up to the Public Garden is also considered Downtown, which doesn't feel right.

bostonopendata-boston.opendata.arcgis.com

BPDA Neighborhood Boundaries

BPDA's Boston Neighborhood Boundaries
bostonopendata-boston.opendata.arcgis.com

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Justbuildit said:
The city shows Charles St South as the eastern boundary of Bay Village, with Downtown on the other side of the street. Surprisingly, the block north of Stuart and west of Charles St South up to the Public Garden is also considered Downtown, which doesn't feel right.

bostonopendata-boston.opendata.arcgis.com

BPDA Neighborhood Boundaries

BPDA's Boston Neighborhood Boundaries
bostonopendata-boston.opendata.arcgis.com

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Yes, which includes buildings with street addresses on both sides. The apartments to the left are considered in Bay Village by the city. I'm assuming the substation is too unless the address/front is actually on Warrenton St. (it runs all the way through to the other side).
 

State to pump $15 million into office-to-housing conversion in Boston​


“Mayor Wu said today that Boston's office-to-residential pilot project - in which the city offers a long-term tax break for apartment conversions - will mean more than 400 new apartments in downtown Boston and nearby neighborhoods.

The city launched the program last year in an attempt to refill downtown as many offices remained empty as employees who once might have worked there continued to stay at home - a move that not only meant less foot traffic downtown but potentially lower property-tax revenue for the city. Under the pilot program, owners of downtown office buildings can get a 75% residential tax break over 29 years. In exchange for the tax break, they also have to rent at least 20% of the units as affordable….”

https://www.universalhub.com/2024/state-pump-15-million-office-housing-conversion
 
These types of deals are nothing more than bailouts for the developers/Corporations that overbuilt for commercial space in Boston.
Rents will continue to skyrocket in and around Boston.

"under the pilot program, owners of downtown office buildings can get a 75% residential tax break over 29 years. In exchange for the tax break, they also have to rent at least 20% of the units as affordable"

What is considered affordable?
Are the taxpayers subsidizing the 20% of the units at market rate along with 75% Tax Break for 29 Years?

Sounds like a sweet deal for the corporations sitting on empty commercial space.
 
You copied text that includes a link to a detailed table from BPDA that lays out precisely what affordable means. Since this program requires 60% AMI as the affordability threshold it means the following. Sounds like a sweet deal for teachers or single moms or whatever. Corporations selling old buildings at a loss. Brilliant business plan! Such a bail out!

2024 Income & Price Limits
HH Size30% AMI40% AMI50% AMI60% AMI65% AMI70% AMI75% AMI80% AMI90% AMI100% AMI110% AMI
1$34,290$45,720$57,150$68,580$74,300$80,010$85,730$91,440$102,870$114,300$125,730
2$39,180$52,240$65,300$78,360$84,890$91,420$97,950$104,480$117,540$130,600$143,660
3$44,070$58,760$73,450$88,140$95,490$102,830$110,180$117,520$132,210$146,900$161,590
4$48,960$65,280$81,600$97,920$106,080$114,240$122,400$130,560$146,880$163,200$179,520
5$52,890$70,520$88,150$105,780$114,600$123,410$132,230$141,040$158,670$176,300$193,930
6$56,820$75,760$94,700$113,640$123,110$132,580$142,050$151,520$170,460$189,400$208,340
 
Corporations aren't selling old buildings as loss.
The entire corporate/Trust tax structure is completely different vs average American Taxpayer.

Yes---This is a bailout on epic proportions for the corporations sitting on empty buildings. 75% tax break to convert the buildings into residential is insulting for 29 years. Great deal for those corporations.

Commercial Real Estate owners don't even pay taxes. The taxes actually are paid by the Tenants occupying square footage.
No Tenants No taxes-

Expect Inflation to continue to rise for the working peasants of Mass and start making them angry when they realize Rents, Taxes, Food, Gas will continue to rise.
 
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