Harrison-Albany Corridor Strategic Plan

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There's room on advisory group plotting new business district

by Justin A. Rice
December 28, 2008

While it might never have a snappy nickname like "SoWa," the Harrison-Albany Corridor farther along Washington Street in the South End has potential for transformation just the same. Before anyone can think about a nickname, the Boston Redevelopment Authority is seeking nominations from business and property owners, institutions, residents, and the community for an advisory group to help develop a strategic plan for the area.

"A lot of it came out of the success of Washington Street and all the planning and redevelopment there," said Sue Kim, a senior planner at the BRA. "Because it's been moving along so quickly, the mayor in the spring started asking us to look into everything south of Washington Street and down Harrison toward Albany Street."

But while artists' lofts, galleries, restaurants, and condo complexes have recently sprung up in SoWa, or "south of Washington," Kim said, the Harrison Avenue-Albany Street corridor in question, which includes the Boston Herald plant and the Paradigm Building, will probably focus on becoming a more vibrant business district.

"It's a very diverse area," she said. "On one end you have Boston Medical Center, and on the other end you have a bunch of back-street businesses and new condo conversions that do not always complement each other."

The BRA has received proposals from five firms - Crosby Schlessinger and Smallridge, Icon Architecture, Utile Inc., Stull & Lee Inc., and Domenech Hicks & Krockmalnic Architects - hoping to consult on the project, and is aiming to choose one before February.

The deadline to submit nominations for the advisory panel, to be appointed by the mayor, is Jan. 9.

Link
 
Developing a Frontier | South End News, November 25th

I'm surprised that this hasn't been posted yet.

"While previous meetings have discussed the vision, goals, objectives and concerns of the area, the Wednesday meeting was the first time the BRA presented ideas. The BRA?s Michael Cannizzo, senior architect in urban design, described the current plan, which includes restructuring and redesigning roads and pedestrian walkways, capping building heights, and increasing floor to area ratios (FAR). (The PowerPoint presentation is now up on the BRA?s website.)

A hot-ticket item was building height.With the area divided into four subareas (BU Medical, BackStreets, SoWa and New York Streets), Cannizzo used two- and three- dimensional maps to show existing required building heights, which ranged from a maximums of 70 feet to over 175 feet, depending on the area. The BU Medical Area currently has the tallest buildings."


"GTI Properties John Kiger, the leasing director for commercial properties, expressed concern over the building heights, which he said would limit foot traffic and further hurt retail businesses in the SoWa district, which were already struggling.

"I think what you don?t want to do is put handcuffs on the development of this area," Kiger said. He added, "Our retailers are choking. Up and down the street, there are open stores that haven?t been filled in three, four years. If we?re going to have life on the streets, stores with lights on after 5 o? clock, so that it is safe, vibrant, attractive ... then we have got to have density. And what I see here is an invitation for failure if we limit the possibilities."


Connizzo also noted the importance of streamlining requirements with the South End Landmarks District Commission (SELDC). Currently, the Harrison-Albany corridor is part of the SELDC?s Protection Area, which has purview over the demolition, land coverage, height, landscape and topography of structures. The goal of the Protection Area, is to protect the views of the Landmark District, ensuring new development is compatible in "massing, setback and height," explains a document on the SELDC?s website.


So capping height is about protecting the views of landmarked areas? Nothing wil ever get built in this city.
 
From South End Patch:

The Boston Redevelopment Authority will push for higher building height allowances and other zoning changes in portions of the South End as part of a strategic plan aimed at revitalizing Harrison and Albany streets.

Buildings bordering the highway in the eastern-most portion of the South End near the Boston Herald offices could be built to heights of 175 feet, and a "focal point" building at the corner of Herald and Albany streets could soar to 225 feet, according to suggested changes presented by the BRA at an advisory group meeting on Wednesday.

Similar changes in maximum height allowances were suggested in the Boston Medical Center area, which is already home to some of the South End's tallest buildings. Senior Architect Michael Cannizzo suggested allowing heights of up to 175 feet near the intersection of Mass Ave. and Interstate 93.

Increasing the maximum heights for developers would hopefully spur interest in building projects and retail venues in an area checkered with vacant lots and empty storefronts, Cannizzo said. Currently, heights are capped at 70 feet along the majority of the Harrison/Albany corridor. Increasing that number, particularly along the highway, would "acknowledge the difficulty of developing that area," he said.

Although none of the changes presented on Wednesday are set in stone, several advisory group members voiced concerns over the needs of specific areas. In many cases, stakeholders advocated for more change rather than less.

John Kiger, leasing director at GTI Properties on Harrison Avenue, questioned the decision to keep the entire SoWa district at 70 feet when development is so badly needed.

"What I see here is an invitation to failure," he said. "If you restrict it to 70 feet you're never going to get a hotel."

According to Kiger, many businesses in the SoWa area are struggling for survival due to the lack of density in the area. Vast open spaces add nothing to the consumer base of the neighborhood, he added.

"I think what you want to do is not put handcuffs on the development of this area," he said. "What we're dealing with next to the highway is vast stretches of open lots."

In addition to higher height allowances in certain areas, six specific lots labeled as "focal points" by the BRA would be given higher maximum heights to invite creative development under the proposed changes. The focal points were chosen by their location, Cannizzo said, and their ability to act as "gateways" to specific areas of the South End.

"Something can happen here at this corner, architecturally," he said, pointing to the corner of Washington and Herald streets. "It could be the design of the building, it could be some additional height, something special could happen."

Wednesday's presentation also included preliminary streetscape guidelines, meant to enhance and maintain continuity within designated use areas. Along Type A streets, which would include Traveler, Perry and Albany streets, wide sidewalks and a double row of trees could transform the area into a "linear park," similar to Stuart Street and portions of Huntington Avenue in Back Bay, Cannizzo said. At the other end of the spectrum, Type C streets such as East Canton would have narrower sidewalks with fewer plantings in order to facilitate light industrial uses.

A full version of Wednesday's presentation can be viewed on the BRA website. Comments on the proposed changes will be accepted through Friday, Nov. 26 and can be sent via email to carlos.montanez.bra@cityofboston.gov or sue.kim.bra@cityofboston.gov or by calling (617) 918-4442.

The next advisory group meeting will be scheduled in January, with hopes of finalizing zoning changes by spring.
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http://southend.patch.com/articles/zoning-changes-proposed-for-albanyharrison-corridor
 
Great idea, glad locals seem to be on board. This would also be a good place for housing for Chinatown to spill over to (since Harrison was the old backbone of Chinatown before they built the Pike).
 
Lets not put the word "soar" anywhere near "225 feet" please
 
^ I dunno...the spire of the Empire State Building looks to be about 225 feet tall. I'd say it "soars" pretty high. ;)
 
vanshnookenraggen said:
Great idea, glad locals seem to be on board. This would also be a good place for housing for Chinatown to spill over to (since Harrison was the old backbone of Chinatown before they built the Pike).
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Mayor Flynn officially made the Castles Sq section of the South End part of Chinatown. Ive atteneded every one of these meeting and I can't say there is much to report.
 
Is there some sort of map that shows 'official' neighborhood borders?
 
Haggling over building heights and streetscape guidelines--this is what passes for planning from the feckless BRA. Skimming over the materials coming out of this Harrison/Albany Corridor planning process, I didn't see slightest hint of a real cohesive vision for this area.

Along Type A streets, which would include Traveler, Perry and Albany streets, wide sidewalks and a double row of trees could transform the area into a "linear park," similar to Stuart Street and portions of Huntington Avenue in Back Bay, Cannizzo said.
Click to expand...

The Stuart St./Huntington Ave area of the Back Bay is a disaster, certainly not a model worthy of emulation. This guy needs to get a clue.
 
Stuart St. is a linear park? WTF?

And is he thinking of the Christian Science Plaza with regard to Huntington Ave.?
 
The only thing I can come up with to explain that Stuart St. comment is that he's thinking of park square. But aside from that, Stuart is pretty drab and boring, and definitely not tree-lined.

[edit]
I see that, according to google, I have the wrong name for the place. It's labeled Statler Park on google maps. I always thought that was Park Square.
[/edit]
 
PaulC said:
Mayor Flynn officially made the Castles Sq section of the South End part of Chinatown. Ive atteneded every one of these meeting and I can't say there is much to report.
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There is not much to report because most of the major decisions were already made behind close doors. By the time the public meetings are held, it's a rehash of what most of the advisory members have already seen or heard.
 
Final approval of the Harrison-Albany Corridor Strategic Plan passed at the BRA meeting on November 17.

The proposed changes to the neighborhood's zoning can now proceed, something called Article 64 or something similar, which should hopefully be a formality given that many in the neighborhood were a part of the planning process and gave approval.
 
Oh, my apologies. I missed a word. When I said "no one" was against this, I meant "every one".

According to the Boston Courant issue I have in hand dated November 18, the Eight Streets Neighborhood Association, Old Dover Neighborhood Association, and Castle Square Tenants Organization are all against it. (Old Dover wrote a letter in support but don't want buildings 100-feet and higher included.)

The executive director of Castle Square states, "I'm stunned we weren't notified."

I'm stunned you had no clue what was going on for the past three years. Read a goddman (sic) newspaper once in awhile.
 
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The chinese community had a representative at these meetings from day one and castle sq is part of Chinatown.
 
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