Fort Point Infill and Small Developments

Fort Point plan calls for tower
Building would be tallest in area and expand housing
By Casey Ross
Globe Staff / January 15, 2009

A Boston developer is proposing to build what would be the tallest building in the Fort Point Channel neighborhood, a 23-story residential and retail tower on A Street that would help satisfy demands for more housing in the historic waterfront district.
As part of the proposal, developers Archon Group and Goldman Properties are offering to donate an adjacent building to house artists being displaced by rapid redevelopment in the area, according to documents filed with city planners Tuesday.
"Up until now, the developer has not been willing to donate a building, so we believe this is a good start," said Kairos Shen, the city's chief planner, who added the proposal appears to be generally consistent with the city's plan for the neighborhood.
Redevelopment along the Fort Point Channel has been strained by tensions between local artists and property owners who want to turn the district's 19th-century warehouses into new offices, retail shops, and condominiums.
The latest proposal by Archon/Goldman would result in construction of 290 residential units at 319 A St., which is currently the site of a five-story office building filled with artist studios and other small businesses. Construction of the residential tower could not begin for at least two years, when the current lease on the building expires, city officials said.
The displaced tenants would then have the opportunity to move into 327 Summer St., an adjacent building Archon/Goldman agreed to donate to the city to satisfy a requirement that 15 percent of new units be designated as affordable housing. Shen said city planners still must review the proposal to determine whether it complies with those regulations.
But he said Archon/Goldman's proposal helps to satisfy demands from the city and neighbors for more residential development in the mostly commercial neighborhood. The developer's filing with the city does not indicate whether the new units would be for rental or ownership. An executive with Archon/Goldman did not respond to a request for comment yesterday.
The proposed height of the tower will likely receive sharp scrutiny during the city's review. At 269 feet, it would be the tallest building in the neighborhood, which is mostly filled with smaller flat-front warehouses.
However, 319 A St. is one of five parcels in the neighborhood where a master plan envisions significant height. The master plan allows developers of those properties to build higher than 180 feet in exchange for meeting certain obligations, such as development of more housing and civic space favored by neighbors.
One Fort Point resident involved in the planning process said the city has not been aggressive enough in getting developers to build parks and public plazas.
"We support new residential construction, but we also want to see development of the parks and other things, and it's not happening," resident Steve Hollinger said.
Shen said the city is requiring Archon/Goldman and other developers to contribute to a fund to pay for the development of those parks. He said construction has not moved forward because the parks are slated to go on property that has not yet been redeveloped

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/01/15/fort_point_plan_calls_for_tower/
 
There are umpteen acres of empty wasteland to the east in the Seaport, and this developer wants to disrupt the scale of Fort Point with a tower? I guess it makes sense from his perspective - I'd much rather buy in Fort Point than the Seaport proper - but it's crappy from the perspective of city planning.

One Fort Point resident involved in the planning process said the city has not been aggressive enough in getting developers to build parks and public plazas.
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...but then I thought people enjoyed living in Fort Point for the postindustrial chic of soot, grime and desolation. Let the rest of Boston have a superabundance of parks and public plazas...can't it have one neighborhood worth doing an edgy magazine shoot in?
 
The ongoing saga of whatever the hell's going on in Fort Point is a mystery to me. I mean, I understand the allure of the neighborhood to developers (it's right next to downtown), but it seems like one after another, they come in, buy up a bunch of land, come up with a huge plan to completely re-imagine the area, hit a bump in the road, and sell off. Remember when this was going to be a 24 hour entertainment district? So far I'm seeing two new restraraunts and that's it (and I believe the developer w/the 24 hour plan sold off too). So what's the problem down here? It doesn't seem to be the residents; they tried to cause a stink and promptly got thrown out of their lofts (pretty unfaily I'd add). Maybe the area was cursed after the Channel got closed down? A distraught metal head put a voodoo curse on FPC!
 
So are they planning to tear down the existing 319 A Street? I rather like that building as part of the streetscape, and I thought this was all protected historic district now? There is a huge wasteland of a parking lot next door that could better bridge the gap between Fort Point and Channel Center. Would be a shame to lose the existing building and do nothing to fill in the parking lot. On the plus side, the lot is small, and it could make for a nice slender mid-rise.
 
here's a chance to speak up

Here's a chance to speak up, I got this notice yesterday:

The Boston Redevelopment Authority will host a community meeting to give an update on the
100 Acres Master Plan Area and the South Boston Municipal Harbor Plan Amendment

Monday, January 26th, 2009
6:30 PM
Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
Room 101
415 Summer Street, South Boston

A community meeting will be held to discuss the current planning and development projects in the 100 Acres Master Plan Area. The meeting will include an updates on the 100 Acres Master Plan Area, the South Boston Municipal Harbor Plan Amendment (Gillette), design of the Melcher Street project, and proposed redevelopment of Rear 319 A Street.

If you have any questions regarding the meeting, please contact:

Richard McGuinness: 617.918.4323
Richard.McGuinness.BRA@cityofboston.gov
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Ah, the plight of the artist.

On one hand, everybody seems to be wanting to build you a new loft, and give it to you at a super cheap price, and just a 5 minute walk from downtown!

On the other hand, none of these proposals happen.
 
A 23-story tower here is asinine. Why are developers in such a rush to destroy the fabric that makes this district so unique? What a spectacularly myopic concept.

I'm all for new development and for the evolution of both the city and this neighborhood, but there are so many empty parcels and parking lots in the Seaport district and in the land running from the FPC towards southie along A St, why not develop one of those under-utilized lots?
 
el raval said:
I'm all for new development and for the evolution of both the city and this neighborhood, but there are so many empty parcels and parking lots in the Seaport district and in the land running from the FPC towards southie along A St, why not develop one of those under-utilized lots?
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Because the people who own the underutilized lots don't have the money/experience/desire to redevelop their lots while the owner of this lot does.

I'm not happy about it either, but unfortunately this ain't SimCity.
 
Really? The residents of this city seem to have the ability to rezone from high to medium density residential all the time.
 
check out this PR video: http://www.goldmanproperties.com/

i don't know goldman props, but it sounds like the type of firm we want doing work in our city. he praises walkability, preservation and community. how often do you hear that from a national developer?
 
Yeah, I've said before I really like Goldman. They do quality work everywhere they build.
 
^ You oughta see Miami Beach: the country's most walkable city of its size.

Goldman will put Fan Pier and the Seaport to shame. No ... I guess they're doing that for themselves.
 
He probably invests a lot more money into his far fewer properties, but I'm sure he has a higher ROI than almost any other developer/real estate investor in America. If the customer is happy, the proprietor is even happier.
 
ablarc said:
^ You oughta see Miami Beach: the country's most walkable city of its size.
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Santa Fe is a city of similar size to Miami Beach, and one of the few places in the US older than Boston. I'd be curious how it stacks up against Miami Beach.
 
From the BBJ:

the Boston Business Journal said:
Friday, February 6, 2009, 2:28pm EST
Fort Point designated as landmark

Boston Business Journal - by Michelle Hillman

The Boston Landmarks Commission announced Friday that the neighborhood known as the Fort Point Channel has been designate a Landmark District.
The designation will make it harder for developers to alter or tear down buildings in the district.

The designation will protect the 55-acre industrial area, which was built by the Boston Wharf Co. The company has since sold all of its holdings in the area and various developers have subsequently moved to redevelop the warehouse buildings into mixed-use sites.

The Boston City Council officially approved the designation Jan. 28th after both Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the Boston Landmarks Commission voted in favor of the district in December. The designation requires that the city consult with developers on future projects to ensure the character of the district is maintained. In addition to the standard project review guidelines, the Boston Landmarks Commission will now also review development in the district.

The Fort Point Channel, located in South Boston, was built from the ground up beginning in the 1830s. The area was later revived by artists who moved into the district when industrial uses waned. The first Open Studios were held in 1979.
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LINK
 
I have to say I support this. The Boston Wharf Co. buildings are some of my favorite in the entire city.
 
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