GrandMarc Residence Hall (YMCA) @ Northeastern U | 291 St. Botolph Street | Fenway

Re: NGCBY

No, NU doesn't "need...to support the high demand". Businesses take risks and pay taxes. Businesses seek and create markets for profit. NU does neither.

Seeing as how the 2006 IMP does not mention the YMCA NU should build on properties it already owns.

If 2 10 story dorms were built on the site of Gainsborough Garage and Cullinane Hall MORE students could be housed not less.

Joe -- Capitalism is sometimes messy

About 2 months ago I drove by a corner in Lexington and in front of the house was a sign from a company that renovates kitchens -- they had just completed or were completing a really nice re-do for a ranch house (circa 1960)

2 weeks later the house was for sale, sale pending then sold in very short order

Last week -- there was a new sign in front of the house "New Construction" -- today there's a hole in the ground where the fancy granite countertop had just bee installed -- though I'm sure the new house will have a nice kitchen as well
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Doesn't matter. Don't feed the trolls.

I am not joking.

"Proponents" cannot alter MA Historical Commission status. The Y, NU and Phoenix/Lincoln are all proponents. The fact that the gym's HVAC, electrical and water systems will have to be separated per 2/6 Wendy Zinn comments at the Y, is evidence that the entire 316 structure is 1 building. You will also note that the gym and the main structure share a common basement.

Go to savethebostony.com and you will see that NUs 2006 IMP makes no mention of the Y.
 
Re: NGCBY

Joe -- Capitalism is sometimes messy

About 2 months ago I drove by a corner in Lexington and in front of the house was a sign from a company that renovates kitchens -- they had just completed or were completing a really nice re-do for a ranch house (circa 1960)

2 weeks later the house was for sale, sale pending then sold in very short order

Last week -- there was a new sign in front of the house "New Construction" -- today there's a hole in the ground where the fancy granite countertop had just bee installed -- though I'm sure the new house will have a nice kitchen as well

Was the building designated a MA Historical Commission Site? Was the developer someone who won the property via competitive bidding?

Capitalism is messy but far more good than bad. NU wants the protection of not paying taxes while having the advantages of venture capitalism.
 
Re: NGCBY

Oh, if that's the case then you would rather that NU flood the housing market in the area with off-campus students, seeing how none of the newer dorms would be constructed.

As a posted earlier, Phoenix are constructing the dorm. Phoenix also owns the property until NU repays the cost. Until then, it is rented and thus your 2006 IMP argument is moot. Once NU and Phoenix purchases the two component, that property will no longer belong to the Y but instead to the two entities mentioned beforehand.

In addition, the IMP is slated to be submitted at the end of this year. At the very least you should wait considering the delay your advocated have imposed on NU/

There is nothing stopping NU from developing property it already owns. Indeed VP for Community Relations stated that the "recession...makes it economic to develop the Y".

NU, Berklee and other students go to the East Fenway because it is cheaper than a dorm and always has been. do you think that the dorms will be priced lower than the East Fenway?
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

This section of the article is completely hilarious.

First, the fear of Northeastern buying the whole building when NU first started its programs within the confines of this building.

Second, the YMCA is obviously selling it for greed. That's why the YMCA has no money to pay for the property.

Hey kids, I'm selling my car because I'm greedy, not because I am using the money to pay off my mortgages.

The YMCA is selling out of ineptitude. The Hyde Park Y has been renovated and the Wand Center y was built with corporate donations and naming rights. I must say that I have been disappointed by the Y as of late.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

The previous project was an independent dorm that accepted any college students and not a project under Northeastern.

Correct that was a "mega-dorm" that would operate as a residential hotel for students of any school.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

I am not joking.

"Proponents" cannot alter MA Historical Commission status. The Y, NU and Phoenix/Lincoln are all proponents. The fact that the gym's HVAC, electrical and water systems will have to be separated per 2/6 Wendy Zinn comments at the Y, is evidence that the entire 316 structure is 1 building. You will also note that the gym and the main structure share a common basement.

Go to savethebostony.com and you will see that NUs 2006 IMP makes no mention of the Y.

JoeG -- buildings are added to and subtracted from all the time -- sometimes its really messy

I call your attenion to 185 Franklin St -- the Art Deco tower that formerly was owed by Verizon and originally it was built to house the business HQ and much of the technical operations for Boston of New England Telephone and Telegraph Co -- today a small piece of Verizon

The new owners faced a number of challenges including the historic nature of the building and the fact that Verizon wanted to retain a small piece of the building for the local exchanges in the Financial District

So this is what was done or in some cases is still being done:

Came across an amazingly detailed project document for the redevelopment of 185 Franklin St.*

If anyone wants to know anything about what was proposed and I presume mostly already implemented -- check out the following:
185 Franklin Street
Project Address 185 Franklin Street
Links (big files) Project Notification Form*
Neighborhood Downtown
Uses Retail
Office

Land Sq. Ft. 76,692 sq ft
Building Size 883,700 sq ft
Applicant 185 Franklin Street Investment LLC
Project Description The proposed project includes expanding and renovating the lobby, converting office space to retail space, converting the existing basement into a parking garage, façade and roof structure work, related utility work, and sidewalk improvements.

Tishman apparently did all the serious interior work which essentially created two buildings within one skin:

Verizon*retains a substantial telecom presence at 185 Franklin including adding additional back-up generation and cooling on the roof top -- they needed to strengthen the roof to support the new loads

"Boston, MA, February, 2011 – Tishman Construction Corporation of Massachusetts (TCC-MA) is nearing the completion of a project that will provide*Verizon*Communications, Inc. with its own dedicated systems infrastructure for network communications equipment within the historic, 18-story New England Telephone & Telegraph Building at 185 Franklin Street in Boston’s financial district......Tishman Construction personnel are separating*Verizon*Communications’ mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems from those that serve the overall building, in order to give*Verizon*its own dedicated systems on floors that house its office spaces and its network communication equipment.......Another challenge is working over live telecom space. This meant that Tishman project managers had to coordinate the protection of*Verizon*switchgear and large telephone switchgear batteries. To accommodate these procedures, Tishman built scaffolding out of wood (instead of metal scaffolding, which could arc with the batteries) over the entire work area.....The project’s scope of work also includes the installation of two 1-megawatt generators on the roof, a 350-ton cooling tower, seven new air-handling units, and vast amounts of infrastructure to support the new systems. The roof had to be reinforced in order to support the additional weight.

Other work in the building includes:
• Interior building alterations on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors, and the 14th floor roof to build out HVAC and electrical infrastructure to provide ownership separation to isolate*Verizon*space from the rest of the building.
• New air-handling units on floors 1, 2, 3 and 4 and an associated ductwork distribution system, and DDC controls to serve existing and future*Verizon*equipment, with ventilation for battery areas.
• New fuel pumps in the basement with supply and return piping to the 14th floor generator modules.

Simultaneously, Tishman renovated more than 200,000 square feet of office and administrative space on four floors of the building, where*Verizon*maintains its base of operations in the Boston area."
http://www.tishmanconstruction.com/?q=print/1128


The rest of the building being renovated inside and out by Suffolk -- will become generic office -- although I wouldn't doubt that many likely client for the space might want to take advantage of the incredibly dense fiber net (and underground channels for more fiber conduits) already in place in the building
 
Re: NGCBY

NU, Berklee and other students go to the East Fenway because it is cheaper than a dorm and always has been. do you think that the dorms will be priced lower than the East Fenway?

I already stated in previous post that the prices are comparable, even to apartments in East Fenway when taking into accounts of endogenous factors such as electricity, cable, internet, water, heat, furnishing, and the fact that many apartment required students to live year round if they are unable find someone to sublet the apartments to during the summer months.

One of the determining factor is the last reason. Many students go home during the summer. However, if they rent out the apartment, they are required to pay for the full extra 4 unused months that they do not have to pay if they decided on on-campus dorms.

I'll make a generous comparison. The worst condition with the cheapest apartment in the Fens, a 4-man apartment, electricity not included, water and heat is included, for $2800 a month vs. 2nd most expensive choice, an Enhanced Single Studio (which I, for some reason, lost my mind and chose for next year).

Enhanced Single Studio - $6,090 per semester* (includes internet, electricity, water, washing machines [$45 per semester], cable, furnishing).
Full school year cost: $12,180* (I know. What the heck was I thinking?)
*Adjusted for increase in price for the 2012-2013 school year

4-Man Apartment in the Fens (includes only water and heat)
Cost per month for 12 months: $700
Broker Fee: $700
Electricity/mo: $50
Cable & Internet/mo: $24.60
Washing Machine/per 4 mo: $45 (based on the fact I use it all up in a dorm)
Furnishing (1 time payment): $1000 (based off of my friend who is from Cali)
Total Cost: 10978.40

Difference of $1201.60.

*Note that it is incredibly rare to find a place for $700/mo, even in places like Mission Hill and East Fenway. To tell you the truth, only a few in the listings I found even touched below $950 and most of the time this is only because the owners are allowing you to do economic style (i.e. put two people in a room for a single).

At the going price for most apartments, the cost to live off-campus exceeds the cost of living in any level of on-campus dorms.


TL;DR
Answer: Yes

I do not know why you are including Berklee and other schools. The dorm is specifically for NU students only.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Oh, and many students receives financial aid that can be applied to their on-campus housing, which gives them a financial advantage over living off-campus.
 
Re: NGCBY

Students double up in studios quite often. I have personal knowledge of a 1-Bdroom renting for $2000 with 3 students.

Smoking and alcohol use are banned in NU dorms and that alone is enough to make off-campus living more affordable. It has ALWAYS been that way and always will be. The proposed structure will lessen the number of students for 2-3 years tops. Please keep in mind that the 1200 bed International Village dorm on Columbus Ave has not lessened pressure on adjoining neighborhoods.

NU could put a cap on enrollment; after all the Boston campus has fewer students than in 1982 or it could raise admission standards both of which would tend to lessen enrollment.

20 years ago NU was telling us in the East Fens how a smaller school would be better for the neighborhood.

I attended NU, I am a member of the Y, the Fenway CDC, the Fenway Civic Association and I have been a resident of the East Fenway for 31 of the last 34 years.
 
Re: NGCBY

I might also add that International students are far more likely to live off campus.
 
Re: NGCBY

The MA Historical Commission does not think it is moot. "Proponents" the Y, NU AND Phoenix/Lincoln cannot alter that status through advocacy alone.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

The teens who use the gym will suffer the most. If you have ever been in the gym you will realize that there are very few "old school" gyms like it.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

Those are housing for the elderly and special needs. A reclad would be welcome, seeing how they make an awful gateway to the South End.

Symphony Towers were a very stark white well into the 90s. They are now offish-white so it is a slight improvement.
 
Re: YMCA/ Northeastern Dorm (formerly GrandMarc at St. Botolph)

A real genius doesn't need to make 5 straight posts to make his (or her) point. You have already done this twice on the same page. I'm on to you. Keep shouting, but no one is listening.
 
Re: NGCBY

Students double up in studios quite often. I have personal knowledge of a 1-Bdroom renting for $2000 with 3 students.

Smoking and alcohol use are banned in NU dorms and that alone is enough to make off-campus living more affordable. It has ALWAYS been that way and always will be. The proposed structure will lessen the number of students for 2-3 years tops. Please keep in mind that the 1200 bed International Village dorm on Columbus Ave has not lessened pressure on adjoining neighborhoods.

NU could put a cap on enrollment; after all the Boston campus has fewer students than in 1982 or it could raise admission standards both of which would tend to lessen enrollment.

20 years ago NU was telling us in the East Fens how a smaller school would be better for the neighborhood.

I attended NU, I am a member of the Y, the Fenway CDC, the Fenway Civic Association and I have been a resident of the East Fenway for 31 of the last 34 years.

1. Alcohol is not banned in all dorms. You are allowed to have it in WVH. I think that is technically the only one though.

2. International did bring kids on campus. It did not increase the number of student in university housing because part of the compromise between the community and the university was for NU to give up its leased properties.

3. NU already has a cap on enrollment. It was planned with community groups about a decade ago. The SAT points have been rising about 30 points a year. Manipulating enrollment to raise it even more would be reckless from a planning point of view.
 
Re: NGCBY

Students double up in studios quite often. I have personal knowledge of a 1-Bdroom renting for $2000 with 3 students.

Northeastern has a similar dorm option. It's called economic housing. Sure the new one will not be including these but last time I checked, economic housing is rarely in demand. Besides an economics triple at Northeastern is a better bargain because you get two bedrooms with three people at a cost of $2860 per semester, about $200 more than a 1 bedroom for 3 students who also has to pay for electricity, water, cable & internet (which actually makes it more expensive).

Check the rates again:
http://www.northeastern.edu/reslife/info_pages/rates.html

Smoking and alcohol use are banned in NU dorms and that alone is enough to make off-campus living more affordable. It has ALWAYS been that way and always will be. The proposed structure will lessen the number of students for 2-3 years tops. Please keep in mind that the 1200 bed International Village dorm on Columbus Ave has not lessened pressure on adjoining neighborhoods.

Maybe when you went to school in the 1980s but you are only half correct in today's world.
Smoking is prohibited in any university-owned building, but alcohol is not. Check the policies.

http://www.northeastern.edu/publicsafety/drugpol.html

I used to live in Burnstein Hall and every week the seniors bring back 3 packs of beer. I've entered my dorm in Rubenstein with a sealed bottle of vodka in front of the RO who's office is down the hall from my room. Smoking is allowed on-campus as long as it isn't to close to marked academic buildings. I doubt this is a instant deal-breakers for many students.

Here's a direct quote from the student handbook.

"An individual twenty-one years of age or older may possess and/or consume alcohol only in his or her residence hall room or in the residence hall room of another resident who is twenty-one years of age or older, provided alcohol is permitted in that residence hall for students of legal age."

Page 17
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...gYEXkd&sig=AHIEtbSP86wwOxZTv7QpeUIo-0ixSwuBxw

I have not found a list posted by NEU that defines a dry dorm and an alcohol-allowed dorm.

As for IV, 1200 bed may not be enough to put a dent, especially if it's just Northeastern building dorms. However in conjunction with the new dorm tower going up at Mass Art, it might just put downward pressure on prices. You have to realize that Northeastern students are not the only ones in the area. You can blame MCPHS for only having dorms for freshmans.

NU could put a cap on enrollment; after all the Boston campus has fewer students than in 1982 or it could raise admission standards both of which would tend to lessen enrollment.

20 years ago NU was telling us in the East Fens how a smaller school would be better for the neighborhood.

I attended NU, I am a member of the Y, the Fenway CDC, the Fenway Civic Association and I have been a resident of the East Fenway for 31 of the last 34 years.
Northeastern has put a freshman cap at 2800 down from 4500, student population has decreased from a high of 60,000 in the 1980s to 20,000, a decrease of 66% or 1/3 of what it used to be. Admission standards has been raised. In a recent article at Northeastern University news:

"The quality of the applicant pool is also stronger than ever. The number of applicants with SAT scores above 1400 has doubled since five years ago. More than one-quarter of the applicant pool has a high school GPA of 4.0 or higher."

Acceptance rate dropped to a record low of 34.3%. The year I entered, (2008) acceptance rate was 39%. So basically, Northeastern has done everything you asked for in 1982. Why are you complaining?
 
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Re: NGCBY

I might also add that International students are far more likely to live off campus.

They are also far more likely to live away from the Fens than domestic students. International Students tend to live in the surrounding area like Cambridge, Brighton, East Boston, Roxbury, West Roxbury etc. They are hardly restricted to the surrounding neighborhoods. Their impact on prices are probably less than domestic students.
 

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