Ink Block (Boston Herald) | 300 Harrison Avenue | South End

Whether they sell fast or not does not change the aggressive strategy.
 
Last edited:
That's the laws of supply and demand. The fastest remedy for aggressively high prices is to aggressively increase supply, which then causes prices to eventually decline. It's like a broken record: Boston needs tens of thousands of urban housing units ASAP to address the high cost of living.
 
I am surprised this one is wood frame. Everything else is steel and concrete, and I would've thought the proximity to the highway and trains that this would go for concrete to dampen the noise. Was it just a cost benefit, or does it make no difference to the 'livability'?
 
choo said:
I am surprised this one is wood frame. Everything else is steel and concrete, and I would've thought the proximity to the highway and trains that this would go for concrete to dampen the noise. Was it just a cost benefit, or does it make no difference to the 'livability'?
Click to expand...

I suspect that this is an artifact of the suburban developer, National Development. This is their first urban project, I believe.

They will probably regret the wood framing once occupied.
 
So many clients including institutional are looking at wood again. The shock of the recession has stuck with the folks funding projects and there is intense pressure to lower first costs ... especially when one does not have to deal with the maintenance costs in its later life.

cca
 
I've been surprised but not shocked. I thought maybe it just crept over from all the Southie wood frames being built.

I was surprised when out in LA at how much multi-family and "high rise" construction was wood framed. I'm assuming much of the country would be as surprised to see how much steel we use in projects they would see wood or concrete.

Edit - Also, wouldn't wood have better natural dampening characteristics over steel when it comes to noise?
 
Could it have something to do with the fact that it is being built on top of the Whole Foods. The apartment building is an L shape (South and West) to allow for the stores mechanical to be located on the NE corner of the stores roof. Just a thought.
 
choo said:
I am surprised this one is wood frame. Everything else is steel and concrete, and I would've thought the proximity to the highway and trains that this would go for concrete to dampen the noise. Was it just a cost benefit, or does it make no difference to the 'livability'?
Click to expand...

It's all about the benjamins, baby.
 
^ Ha! Somewhere in my heart it's always 1997 and Puffy is half-ass rapping on every song.

SeamusMcFly said:
I was surprised when out in LA at how much multi-family and "high rise" construction was wood framed. I'm assuming much of the country would be as surprised to see how much steel we use in projects they would see wood or concrete.
Click to expand...

These shots made me think I was looking at LA too. Out there you can build residential up to seven stories in wood before you must make the switchover to steel or concrete (at which point ~25 stories becomes the next profitable model) so the supermajority of projects are staying below that threshold.
 
All of these wood frame projects will be using poured gypsum concrete flooring to provide sound attenuation between floors. That's the way Maxwell Green was done in Somerville and it's fairly standard in construction of this type. If the developers are responsible/smart they will use vinyl encased lead on the walls or quiet rock or double stud construction to ensure sound doesn't permeate into adjoining units.
 
I am curious if the are going with wood framing on the tallest section over the Whole Foods (the section right along Herald Street, that is not going up yet)? This will rise to 9 stories, I believe.
 
JeffDowntown said:
I am curious if the are going with wood framing on the tallest section over the Whole Foods (the section right along Herald Street, that is not going up yet)? This will rise to 9 stories, I believe.
Click to expand...

The city issued permits for structural steel cutting/erecting for this site today, so I'm going to guess steel for that building, which is ironically named 1 INK, given that it will likely be the second building to go up.
 
BeeLine, really love the pics! I no longer live in Boston, so pictures like yours on this site are one of the few ways I can still see how my beloved city is evolving. Please keep taking them!!!

My only note about the Ink Block project is I think this would've been a good place for more height/density that would've helped tackle the housing shortage problem a bit better. Location is close to downtown, near transit (Silver Line, but still), and after they knocked down the herald bldg, they were basically starting with a clean slate. I guess I would've liked to see something closer to 275 Albany's height. And this isn't just because I'm a heightmonger, I really feel like some places in Boston are perfect for it and its needed if we have any realistic chance of addressing the housing shortage.
 
Deetroyt said:
Location is close to downtown, near transit (Silver Line, but still)
Click to expand...

The Ink Block is in an interesting location in terms of public transit access. It's less than a 10 min walk to both Broadway and Tufts Station's, but at the same time its almost more convenient to walk into town if you work in either DTX or Back Bay.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top