Mandarin Oriental | 776 Boylston St | Back Bay

Re: Mandarin Oriental

Lrfox said:
What's the situation with Air Rights over the pike at the corners of Mass Ave and Boylston? Is there potential to expand there?

In anycase, if anyone's ever been to an "El Corte Ingles" in Spain, that's a destination store. The chain has started international expansion (though not to the U.S. yet) and would be great for this spot. It's unique, and unlike your typical department store it larger stores typically sell music and electronics as well. It would do really well in this location I think.

*I could also picture the T stop there being renamed "El Corte Ingles." perfect for the growing Spanish speaking population in the U.S.
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Real quick, before I head to a taskforce meeting on the subject of Berklee and the Mass Ave/Boylston intersection in general:

Northwest corner. Development here will probably be never, EVAR. TEH SHADOWZZZZZZZZZ!

Southwest corner (land, not air rights). Developed to the max height, I believe (w/out checking, I'm late already ...).

Southeast corner. Berklee. Taj has outed themselves (by buying the St. Cecilia Parcel) as the primary interested group. Berklee and Taj join forces to develop the south side of Boylston from Mass Ave east to Dalton? Who knows. The most likely of the four to see any movement in the next 10 years.

Northeast corner. A clusterflock of MBTA, MassPike, city services, and private property. Also, the shadows again, and this one is in the crazy-people zone. Never gonna happen.
 
Re: Mandarin Oriental

^Thanks for taking the time to clear that up. I was referring specifically to the Northeast corner (the wedge shaped parcel over the pike), but it's a shame the others (aside from the already developled Southwest and Southeast corners) likely won't see development; Especially the surface parking lot on the Northeast corner. I assumed there would be some serious opposition to any proposal.
 
Re: Mandarin Oriental

Getting back to the Mandarin... we know that L'Espalier is moving into the Mandarin along with a branch of its sister restaurant Sel de la Terre, so the out-of-town chains are not completely taking over. I hope at least one of them will be at the ground floor rather than hidden away up in the hotel.
 
Re: Mandarin Oriental

L'Espalier is hidden now. My brother in law and I walked right by the place twice and we knew the street it was on the cross streets on either side. I think thats how they like it
 
Re: Mandarin Oriental

I have a question for anyone who can answer it. Have retailers such as Prada or Gucci or whoever is rumored to occupy the building been actually confirmed or is that just speculation? If it has been confirmed, could someone share a link?
 
Re: Mandarin Oriental

I've heard Gucci from a few reliable sources, including a friend who will own in the Mandarin and a local residential broker who has been involved in high end sales since the early 1970's. I don't know it it's definitive but if these people have been saying the same thing I'm not going to question them besides, as much as I like the nicer things, I couldn't really give two schlitzes whether it's a Gucci or a Prada. I would much rather have a large high end men's store which aside from the Newbury Brooks Brothers is something that is sorely lacking in Boston.
 
Re: Mandarin Oriental

Some more drive by action, this time Saks. It appears as though construction is under way, at least I hope, that truck is kind of in the way but I'm going to assume it is. For a relatively minor project I'm quite surprised at how long this has taken.

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Re: Mandarin Oriental

I love this building but...does it look as good in person as I think it does from the pics. Thanks again Kz...for these and all your others. Greenway is looking good from your pics as well.
 
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Personally, I don't think the pictures do it justice. I think it looks far better in person, and it certainly feels like it belongs. I'm not "awe inspired" by it, but I think it looks much better up close and personal.
 
Re: Mandarin Oriental

Mixed emotions, atlantaden... from far away (a mile or more, say from Memorial Drive) it looks nice.. it blends in well with the BB skyline. Up close certain things look great (such as the base), while others really suck, namely the higher up areas (the brick, the windows that are too big in proportion to the brick walls, the value-engineered stone lintels).

But I find from mid-distances is where the the awkward brick colors really make themselves the most apparent, and it's from there where I find myself liking it the least. Plus, the setbacks just aren't satisfying to look at; they're really clunky.

Edit: it must be said that the renderings got my expectations for this one up VERY high, even though I know I should know better than to fall for those things. Still, it's turned out to be much less graceful than what we were shown, and for that my opinion of it has tanked. So while I agree with Lrfox's above comments that it really isn't a bad development and is actually a quite good one, it's dug itself a big hole of disappointment that's gonna take some time to get out of. I'm guessing I'll start to forget about the initial surprise once everything is occupied and the sidewalk is opened up.
 
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Re: Mandarin Oriental

Article belongs in a different thread, as this is not near the Mandarin.
 
Re: Mandarin Oriental

Ya, that's a little weak. I think the Globe tried to explain it last week. My brain is bruised from thinking about it too much.

Where's that pic, the old Legal entrance (the new arcade entrance)?
 
Re: Mandarin Oriental

bbfen said:
Ya, that's a little weak. I think the Globe tried to explain it last week. My brain is bruised from thinking about it too much.

Where's that pic, the old Legal entrance (the new arcade entrance)?
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Its the entrance to the right of the mandarin, a bit down from the food court
 
Re: Mandarin Oriental

Two years later, and it looks like work on Saks is finally gathering steam:

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Re: Mandarin Oriental

From the May 30 Boston Globe:

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group said its hotel-condo complex in the Back Bay will open in October. A July opening had been scheduled, but a fire in April forced contractors to repair some of the 148 hotel rooms and the 16,000-square-foot spa and fitness center. Custom stonework, cabinets, and carpets had to be reordered for the Mandarin, expected to be the city's most luxurious hotel. (Kimberly Blanton)
 
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