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

Re: Boston Herald property

I am not sure who made the winning bid, and I'm not sure how much (if any) of this is public knowledge. I would imagine GTI Properties would be chomping at the bit to get its hands on the Herald site and I heard that National Development also submitted an offer. It's a big, sprawling site, in a suddenly hot area with Rocca, the new BSC, etc injecting new life. I imagine a P&S is signed with somebody but that the deed has not transfered yet because the sale has not been made.
 
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Re: Boston Herald property

The best thing that could happen to the Herald is to find a local shop with better color capacity to print the paper and move the headquarters somewhere cheap. Then sell the land and a developer can worry about contaminated soil and removing old presses. The new color capacity will allow the paper to compete for the big 4 color ads with the Globe. Imagine the Herald as a 80 page full color tabloid.
 
Re: Boston Herald property

The worst thing that could happen to the Herald is if they cannot find a new production facility, the Globe says no and the Herald continues to lose readers and stays right where it is. It may try some new equipment but it is too little too late. The development will take decades and will be built on the bones of the dead newspaper.
 
Re: Boston Herald property

We all weren't paying attention!

From an earlier ArchBoston thread (link at bottom):

Boston Herald property sold
By Christopher Rowland, Globe Staff | August 7, 2007

Boston Herald publisher Pat Purcell is teaming with a development firm to replace the newspaper's plant near the Southeast Expressway at the edge of Boston's South End, in a deal that could include residential, retail, and office space.

Purcell has sold the Herald building and the 6.6-acre parcel it sits on for an undisclosed price to a joint venture that includes himself and National Development, which is headquartered in Newton Lower Falls.

While it will potentially add a major new feature to Boston's southern skyline, the deal also marks another step in Purcell's efforts to transform Herald assets into cash and streamline the tabloid's operations. Purcell considers the Herald's antiquated printing presses obsolete in a time when newspapers can be electronically transmitted to be printed anywhere, said Purcell spokesman George Regan. The deal allows the current operation to remain in place for several years while the newspaper is relocated.

More: http://www.archboston.org/community/showthread.php?t=1772
 
Re: Boston Herald property

How close is this to the Postal Annex? I am curious since "it will potentially add a major new feature to Boston's southern skyline", could we see a continuation of the skyline from the Postal Annex to this?
That would be kinda neat!
 
Re: Boston Herald property

Not especially close. The I-90/93 interchange and a lot of railroad tracks are between these two pieces of property. You cannot reasonably walk between them in any direct way.
 
Re: Boston Herald property

You can walk up to Broadway and get on the bike trail but that isn't really close.

To answer your question, between the Postal Annex, the Herald and the South Bay development there should, one day, be a big difference in the skyline from the south.

Also whatever may go along the Greenway at the garage will be visible because the Harbor Towers stand alone from the south.
 
Re: Boston Herald property

There was a long profile in today's Washington Post on the Herald, concluding with this:

But the Herald, which has shuttered its Washington bureau, is hardly positioned to take advantage. Its aging presses frequently break down. The 125-person staff -- one-third the size of the Globe's -- makes little effort to cover the suburbs. Every out-of-town reporting trip has to be weighed against the meager budget.


And a depleted staff is more prone to slip-ups. The Herald recently picked up a rewrite of a Huffington Post blog by humorist Andy Borowitz, headlined "Cheney Challenges Hillary to Hunting Contest." The paper had to admit that its story was "based on a blogger's satire."


In a move freighted with symbolism, the Herald plans to abandon its headquarters, outsource its printing and move to rented quarters. For now, though, the underdog paper is still chasing the sickos and pervs.
"I don't think it's time to give up the ghost," Convey says.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/27/AR2008042702290.html
 
Re: Boston Herald property

The Globe also had a story. The Globe said the print plant site is six acres. The Globe also said they had been approached by the Herald to print the paper using the Globe's presses, but decided not to.

Herald publisher to discuss plans to print offsite
By Frank Quaratiello
Saturday, June 21, 2008

Boston Herald publisher Patrick J. Purcell said yesterday he?ll meet with representatives from the paper?s 11 unions on Tuesday to discuss plans to print the newspaper elsewhere.

Purcell said the paper has ?no definitive agreement? yet to print the Herald offsite. Published reports have pointed to the Wall Street Journal?s Chicopee printing facility, among others, as possibilities. The Journal is owned by Rupert Murdoch?s News Corp. [NWS] Purcell formerly worked for Murdoch.

Purcell would not comment on the impact of any move on staff.

?My primary goal is keep Boston a two-newspaper town,? he said. ?Our readers rely on us every day. Our message and our philosophy are a vital component to life in this community.?

While Purcell is planning to redevelop the current Herald site - a city block bounded by Harrison Avenue and Albany, Herald and Traveler streets - he cited the plant?s 50-year-old presses as a primary reason for the move.

?We may be the only metro paper in the country with the majority of our presses 50 years old and it shows,? said Purcell. ?The people working on them have done a phenomenal job, but there?s only so much you can do with equipment that is 50 years old, and they know it, too.?

Purcell said the Herald, which has remained profitable despite circulation and ad revenue declines, has begun looking at possible sites to relocate editorial, commercial and other staff. He said he would ?prefer to stay in Boston? and that the earliest any move would happen would be mid-2009.
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http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1102197
 
New York Streets

Does anyone know where I can find photos of the New York Streets before they were demolished? I haven't been successful searching the internet and I can't see the one that was posted on this thread. What were the buildings like on these streets?
 
Re: Boston Herald property sold

If you look at the few remaining townhouses on Hudson Street in Chinatown, along with Milford and Dwight Streets in the South End you'll get a rough idea of what the buildings were like. It was a denser poorer version of the South End with a similar neighborhood feel to Chinatown and the old West End. If you carefully search through www.bostonhistory.org 's online photo catalogs you'll get an idea.
 
Re: Boston Herald property sold

Herald property slated for redevelopment
March 31, 2011 02:28
By Casey Ross and Jenn Abelson, Globe Staff

National Development is shopping a new plan to redevelop the Boston Herald property in the South End, soliciting major retailers to anchor a complex that would also include dozens of residences, the company confirmed today.

The Newton real estate company struck a deal with Herald owner Patrick Purcell in 2007 to jointly redevelop the property, but because of the credit crisis and recession they are only now preparing to move forward.

TJX Cos., the Framingham discounter that runs HomeGoods, Marshalls, and T.J. Maxx is among the merchants interested in the planned project, according to people briefed on the discussions. The Whole Foods grocery chain had considered opening a store in the new complex, but is no longer interested and has since announced plans for a supermarket in Jamaica Plain.

Ted Tye, a managing principal with National Development, declined to discuss specific tenants, but said, "I can tell you its a mixed-use development with residential and retail. But we're working through the plans."

Tye added he expects the firm will file a proposal with the Boston Redevelopment Authority later this year.

The Herald's real estate plans are not yet certain, although Tye said the newspaper plans to move its newsroom operations elsewhere. After the 2007 joint venture, Purcell outsourced the Herald's printing operations to plants in Chicopee and Norwood.

Purcell has not returned requests for comment. TJX declined to comment.

The project would be a major step foward in the city's efforts to revitalize an industrial section of the South End between Harrison Avenue and Albany Street. Boston officials are already working with property owners in the neighborhood over possible zoning changes and other measures that would encourage new development there. Another developer has proposed building a hotel and parking garage nearby on Albany Street, and an office tower at 1000 Washington Street is under renovation.

The project would need to get approvals from the BRA and other agencies before construction could begin.

http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2011/03/herald_property.html
 
Re: Boston Herald property sold

Hmmm, I'll reserve judgment, but big box retail doesn't strike me as a good use for this area. Large retail should stay up the street in Downtown Crossing. This could end up being a baby South Bay Shopping Center. Id rather see something in scale which is in keeping with the type of development that has been occurring throughout the S. End.
 
Re: Boston Herald property sold

I'd like to see a supermarket. Other than that, reconstituting the New York City Streets' grid and allowing development to infill that grid, probably would result in the best final product.
 
Re: Boston Herald property sold

There used to be an A&P nearby, at Tremont and Herald streets. That closed and was replaced by a Wollaston's Market, but that also closed after a few years. I'm not sure what's there now but it isn't a supermarket anymore.
 
Re: Boston Herald property sold

Ron Newman said:
There used to be an A&P nearby, at Tremont and Herald streets. That closed and was replaced by a Wollaston's Market, but that also closed after a few years. I'm not sure what's there now but it isn't a supermarket anymore.
Click to expand...

I think that building now is a CVS and a dog day care place.
 
Re: Boston Herald property sold

This area of the city is like a Bermuda Triangle for me. I've only been there when I've gotten lost.
 
Re: Boston Herald property sold

A supermarket seems to be a logical fit (except for traffic/parking issues, which they might be able to work out ... but of course they'd have to allow Washington Street traffic in both directions to keep the grid moving ...). Probably limited negative reaction to it, too. Especially if it's a Whole Foods. Bigger than the Fenway one, most-likely, but I would assume smaller than the South Bay Stop & Shop?

The A&P that was there was just horrid. It was terribly dark and the meat selection looked moldy and old. It creeped me out, I only went in once or twice. The Wollaston's should have worked. The CVS has a large selection of food in addition to the pharmacy and regular beauty goods.

Someone (here or elsewhere) says that the building always has to be a "market" of some sort, as part of a pre-existing agreement. Don't know about that.

I think South Enders would love it, esp. if it had parking; as of now, some walk to Prudential while others probably car it to South Bay.

Wait, this is down the street from me. A supermarket??

I'M AGAINST ITTTT.
 
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