MassDOT Pike Parcels 12 - 15 | Boylston St. and Mass. Ave | Back Bay

Beacon Properties owns 360 Newbury, next door, so I assume they want this site badly. All sorts of ways that a new development could work either well or poorly with 360, and they'll want to control that.
 
I like this proposal, except for the top of the tower - reminds me of scaffolding-like thingy on top of Genzyme building. Looks messy and unfinished to me.
 
I don't love the atrium. It seems a little mall-like, but maybe it will grow on me.

I do love the big awning.

I agree the student housing is great. It pushes down the average income of the area and will help support some of the dodgy/divey places still eeking by in the Back Bay.
 
I don't get it. Is the atrium just a big staircase? I don't see how you can fit any retail around that. And even if you could, you've basically just got a mall.
 
FINALLY you can see that unused passage under Mass Ave. Anyway, I think given the very constrained layout of the site the new headhouses are the only way to get elevators in there. I do like the just released plan but lets get into the details of all three before we make any final judgements. This isn't the first, second, or even third time someone has proposed a redevelopment of this site for it only to be relegated to a trash can.
 
This has the chance to become a really exciting area of the city. Parcel 12 and 15 will fill in the holes of the highway below, plus the 185 Boylston proposal next to Parcel 12 continuing the infill, not to mention if the Berklee Crossroads tower ever gets built (not holding my breath on that one). If Parcel 13 here also gets built, you'd have a T stop and the Newbury shopping district right next store. Very interesting indeed.
 
I don't think it's a mall atrium. Notice the "Modern Interiors" fake retail branding. It think it's one giant Crate & Barrel-like store on the corner.
 
If there ever was a place for a 21+ drinking arcade (Dave and Busters?) that building is it.

Also needs more neon.
 
Dave and Busters is tacky and there are plenty of bars along this stretch already. I think that something like Dave and Busters would also be a poor fit for this last rendering in particular as their aesthetics would clash.
 
is the building on the right of the image the rendering for Berklee crossroads?
 
It is indeed. The massing is consistent with the massing included with Berklee's master plan.
 
They could have bars that face the street and shops inside. Either way, I like post proposals and I hope one gets built within the next few years.
 
meddlepal said:
If there ever was a place for a 21+ drinking arcade (Dave and Busters?) that building is it.

Also needs more neon.
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I kind of think you're joking? Maybe not. If not, then please remember this is a block away from Kings...which I believe has some arcade games. Please keep D&Bs out of the city.

Regarding the building, while I'm not thrilled about the atrium, this is much better than the other proposal.
 
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West said:
Beacon Properties owns 360 Newbury, next door, so I assume they want this site badly. All sorts of ways that a new development could work either well or poorly with 360, and they'll want to control that.
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Self-correction of above comment. Boston Residential Group, not Beacon Properties is the owner of 360 Newbury and the third bidder.

Boston Residential converted the upper floors from office to condo some time ago, left at least the first floor as retail. I haven't been by there in ages, I don't know if the current retail goes up beyond the first floor or even who's in there.

Does anyone have a sense of what sort of set-backs / easements the builders of 360 Newbury Street would have been able to get from DOT regarding future development of air rights over Parcel 13? The parcel abuts right up to 360 from one side, and 360 right to the property line from their side. I'd think a new building would at the very least have to leave a light well, but imagine the drop in value at 360 if those windows found themselves in a light well, regardless of whether those were offices, retail, or condos. I grant you that those windows now certainly get some Pike noise pollution and air pollution if they open, but they also get south facing sun exposure.

The DOT engineering study called out for a lower level building at this end of the parcel due to the Pike-spanning challenges there. So engineering and financial constraints might be the real protector of those windows' access to sunlight. But did they win anything more than that?
 
I kind of think you're joking? Maybe not. If not, then please remember this is a block away from Kings...which I believe has some arcade games. Please keep D&Bs out of the city.

Regarding the building, while I'm not thrilled about the atrium, this is much better than the other proposal.
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I'm not. I think it would be a great business opportunity for the area with the huge amount of kids with disposable income.
 
Wow never thought there'd be so much anti-Dave & Busters sentiment. I agree this isn't the place for it, since Kings is right next door, but there should more venues for the 21+ college kids/post grads in the city.
 
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