Fan Pier Developments | Seaport

[Mike]

Seriously, for every other building the public process involves scrutinizing absolutely everything, from mass to colors to height to parking to trees etc.

Do we even know how many parking spots?

Do we even know the real colors?

Have wind tests been done?

What will the shadows be like a 4pm on February 12th on a partially cloudy day?

How the hell is there a crane working on this thing and yet the neighborhood doesn't know shit?

For crying out loud, the best rendering we had on groundbreaking day was a cake!


What blows my mind is that other developers don't press charges against the rampant corruption in the mayors office and BRA.


shmessy, I pointed out the very first instance of the claim.

But the public process for Fan Pier happened years ago. Fallon just had to work within the master plan and whatever he came up with was going to go up fast once he had the money and a tenant.

 

[datadyne007]

This project (like very other proposed) would NEVER happen if the process went public.

I'm actually glad they shoved this through because it means at least SOMETHING is getting built.

 

[whighlander]

Once again think Pru

If you remember what was there circa 1970 and what is there today -- you would think that they brought in the tower and planted it in the midst of something totally unrelated

The old Pru plaza was windy and snowy in the winter -- eventually the planners realized that in Boston there are a lot of days when being indoors is a major benefit

They reworked everything except for the exterior of the Pru Tower

Today there is a real 365 days / year viable shopping environment for visitors and locals

I would expect that over the next few decades people will find what works and what doesn't in the Innovation District

the biggest needs are eventually something else T-wise to complement the Silver Line

 

[jass]

But the public process for Fan Pier happened years ago. Fallon just had to work within the master plan and whatever he came up with was going to go up fast once he had the money and a tenant.

A massing model with pretty colors to show zoning type isnt a public process.

Why does a 4 story project get delayed for years while people debate over the horrors of having a 4th floor in a residential neighborhood, but this stuff sails by?

Again, what kind of parking garage are we talking about here?

Last I heard, seaport square was talking about 6,000 spots.

6,000.

Go to the neiman marcus tower thread and see someone write a novel about the horrors that 300 residents will bring to the city.

And yet over in innovation land, we dont even get to know how many spots theyre building....?

 

[TheRifleman]

I would expect that over the next few decades people will find what works and what doesn't in the Innovation District

the biggest needs are eventually something else T-wise to complement the Silver Line

A monorail from the Aquarium Area to the Seaport might work right across the harbor......... could work............

The first step of developing Seaport should have mapped out an entire underground transit. Expansion with the Blue, Orange and Red whatever would make the most sense for the T.

 

[stellarfun]

For Fan Pier and 3 million sq ft:

What is the current review status?

Board Approved
BRA Board Approval Date: 11/14/2001

 

[whighlander]

A monorail from the Aquarium Area to the Seaport might work right across the harbor......... could work............

The first step of developing Seaport should have mapped out an entire underground transit. Expansion with the Blue, Orange and Red whatever would make the most sense for the T.

I agree that the thinking about access (except for I-90/I-93) seemed to be very shallow:

At the very least the Silverline should go under D Street with Air Rights over SilverLine Way -- so that the entire electrically powered portion of the Line would be underground -- this would enable short routes looping between SilverLine Way and South Station with possibly another loop going from South Station to BCEC and the future development across Summer St.

There should be a private ramp for SilverLine vehicles to enter and exit from the Ted without going out on city streets

As I've posted elsewhere ultimately there should be a Red Line spur from South Station really to UMass and JFk Library with stops in the Innovation district, Southy and within the Columbia Point development area

 

[SeamusMcFly]

I have no issue with cranes being onsite already. They need to dig out the 3 levels of below grade parking prior to doing anything. They have permits in hand obviously for certain things including site/civil work.

If I remember correctly, all the parking numbers between fan pier and seaport square have been approved by the city, and do not (or if they do, very little) add to the existing stock of parking in Southie. They are just relocating all the surface parking below ground.

I doubt there are any approved plans that involve Vertex's fit-out at this point, but the overall infrastructure would not be affected very much.

Someone mentioned Black Fan Circle (Center for Life Sciences) which was a 100% spec. life sciences building. Because it was spec. I think they actually got a better lab building than we see a lot these days. Dedicated service closets everywhere. When a tenant is involved, too often aesthetics take over, which is the wrong approach with lab infrastructure.

If they start building this shell and core, and then fit it out, it might help. But, I'm more than certain that by the time they are ready to go vertical, they will have a permitted design that includes Vertex.

Also, whomever mentioned the residential portion being a request of Vertex. Maybe. But just have revenue on site, and a ton of new employees in the area who may be wiling to relocate or locate to an actually growing area more than justifies moving forward. Also, residential can be built much faster than lab space, so yes it could very well be ready by the time Vertex is ready to occupy the new buildings.

 

[stellarfun]

Seamus, my opinion was/is that Vertex would push for construction of the residential before they moved in, basically not wanting their labs being affected by the vibration, dirt, dust, etc. that would occur with construction. If it were straight commercial space, I suspect such concerns would be substantially less.

 

[Ron Newman]

From this Thursday through July 4, Fan Pier will be home base for the Extreme Sailing Series, which sounds a bit like a reprise of the Volvo Ocean Race event there two years ago.

 

[Arborway]

There should be a private ramp for SilverLine vehicles to enter and exit from the Ted without going out on city streets.

There is one, but the police won't let the T use it.

 

[SeamusMcFly]

From this Thursday through July 4, Fan Pier will be home base for the Extreme Sailing Series, which sounds a bit like a reprise of the Volvo Ocean Race event there two years ago.

Just took a walk by at lunch. It looks like they are gearing up for a pretty decent showing.

They have bleachers for 600 people set up. A ton of light rigging and other AV stuff. A small stage. The Red Bull recharge zone or something. A temporary food/drink place by the looks of it.

Left my camera behind, so no pics of this or the steel they are driving into the ground for (I assume) retention to start excavating.

 

[jass]

There is one, but the police won't let the T use it.

This idiocy is enough to make me want to vote for Sarah Palin. Thas how angry it makes me.

 

[TheRifleman]

Quote from Benjamin Franklin
"When the people find they can vote themselves money,
that will herald the end of the republic."

Please lets give our hacks another 200 Million in taxpayers dollars to start the BCEC project.

 

[albertmw]

 

[found5dollar]

^ wow. almost ready for digging.....this is breakneck speed for boston development.

 

[BostonUrbEx]

The goal is to build it before we even know exactly what's going up?

We won't even know how much parking there is until the building is opened to the public and we count the spaces ourselves.

 

[jass]

The goal is to build it before we even know exactly what's going up?

We won't even know how much parking there is until the building is opened to the public and we count the spaces ourselves.

Its a great new innovation.

No need to understand complicated shadow drawings, just go see for yourself when its done!

No need to spend money on massing and wind machines, just test the real world conditions?

Facade? They come in every color, as long as you pick the one that the building is constructed with.

 

[briv]

When there are no views to be obstructed and no parking spots to be threatened, (crappy) things happen fast in this city.

 

[JohnAKeith]

It was an awesome day of 'Extreme Sailing'.

And, Liberty Wharf was packed - every restaurant, every seat was filled, except one, Salvadores, which is in the building as LTK - the Park Lane Seaport building.