Re: Christian Science Church Center Renovation/ New Towers
This day is full of good news...
Christian Science Plaza redevelopment gets city OK
08/17/2011 3:00 PM
By Casey Ross, Globe Staff
Boston officials have approved plans for a sweeping redevelopment of the Christian Science Plaza that will eventually result in construction of three new towers on the property and reconstruction of the reflecting pool and surrounding gathering places.
The approval by the Boston Redevelopment Authority is the first step in reinventing the roughly 15-acre plaza, which is a wide open expanse at the intersection of the city’s South End and Back Bay neighborhoods.
The plans by The First Church of Christ, Scientist call for two new buildings on a triangular plot across from the Sheraton and Hilton hotels along Belvidere Street. One building would be 251 feet tall and the other 512 feet, or nearly the same size of the crown-shaped tower at nearby 111 Huntington Ave.
A third building, of 291 feet in height, would be built near the corner of Huntington and Massachusetts avenues. The exact use and design of the buildings will not be determined until the church hires developers for each parcel, according to a press release posted on the church’s web site today. Allowed uses include offices, residences, hotels and retail stores.
Church officials said in their press release that the redevelopment will improve the appearance and and usefulness of the plaza, as well as helping the church financially.
“The carefully-situated new development will preserve the Plaza’s open space, respect the historic setting of the Plaza, and fit well with near-by commercial and residential neighborhoods,” officials said in the release. “It will also generate additional real estate revenue to help cover the Church’s property expenses, thereby contributing to the Church’s goal of a self-sustaining real estate model.”
In addition to the new buildings, the church is planning to reconstruct the reflecting pool, which is in need of leak repairs, and add a public pavilion near the intersection of Huntington Avenue and Belvidere Street. Other upgrades would include the addition of green space, seating and other landscaping to make the property more welcoming.
The proposals for each new building on the plaza would also need final approval from the BRA, although last night’s vote granted zoning changes that will make it much easier to obtain each approval. The BRA’s decision last night must also be confirmed by the zoning commission, which will take up the matter in next month.
