BostonUrbEx
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Millennium (Hayward) Place | 580 Washington Street | Downtown
- Thread starter Mike
- Start date
whighlander
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Re: Hayward Place
i think there are two clear paths to development in Boston:
1) you are the developer and the end user
a) you hire the architect,
b) arrange the financing
c) / d) get the permits / meet with the neighborhood
e) and then you build
Examples: MFA, various universities, Liberty Mutual, the Commonpoor, City or the Feds -- these are straightforward unless you don't own the land
2) you are a spec developer who owns some land
a0) you create a marketing plan to find a customer giving you a positive ROI
a) you hire the architect,
b) arrange the tentative financing -- contingent on finding the tenant(s) generating the positive ROI
c) / d) get the permits / meet with the neighborhood
e) you keep looking until you find the tenant -- or if it wont pan out -- you sell to another developer who restarts the process
f) if you get past e) then you can build
All of the stuff being built today in Boston / Cambridge is either:
a type 1) e.g. BU, Northeastern, Mass Art, Liberty Mutual, etc.
or a type 2) with a customer already in place such as a 610 Main in Cambridge being built by MIT's real estate division for Pfizer or Fan Pier being built for Vertex
All the rest are type 2)s in search of the tenant9s0 generating the positive ROI or if not feasible in search of bailout or a buyer -- e.g. the various housing proposals
Since condos are not selling the only housing likely to be built near-term are either apartments or some kind of subsidy / tax deal
i think there are two clear paths to development in Boston:
1) you are the developer and the end user
a) you hire the architect,
b) arrange the financing
c) / d) get the permits / meet with the neighborhood
e) and then you build
Examples: MFA, various universities, Liberty Mutual, the Commonpoor, City or the Feds -- these are straightforward unless you don't own the land
2) you are a spec developer who owns some land
a0) you create a marketing plan to find a customer giving you a positive ROI
a) you hire the architect,
b) arrange the tentative financing -- contingent on finding the tenant(s) generating the positive ROI
c) / d) get the permits / meet with the neighborhood
e) you keep looking until you find the tenant -- or if it wont pan out -- you sell to another developer who restarts the process
f) if you get past e) then you can build
All of the stuff being built today in Boston / Cambridge is either:
a type 1) e.g. BU, Northeastern, Mass Art, Liberty Mutual, etc.
or a type 2) with a customer already in place such as a 610 Main in Cambridge being built by MIT's real estate division for Pfizer or Fan Pier being built for Vertex
All the rest are type 2)s in search of the tenant9s0 generating the positive ROI or if not feasible in search of bailout or a buyer -- e.g. the various housing proposals
Since condos are not selling the only housing likely to be built near-term are either apartments or some kind of subsidy / tax deal
Re: Hayward Place
Why is it the BRA's fault?
Because, with respect to vacant parcels, the candy store at the BRA is the gift that keeps on giving. If density is maxed out through upzoning, a host of other goodies are possible including property tax breaks, public investment in infrastructure, upzoning of abutting parcels, etc. All the while, the vacant lots are often permitted for surface parking. It's a veritable gold mine to sit on a property and just upzone year after year -- then sell for profit until someone builds.
The game works unless you have some political problem and you hit a dead end and the door slams (e.g. Chiofaro). Then you have to build, sell or cajole.
The same games are played with architecture.
I once stated at a public meeting to a large project's architect, "I feel very sorry for you having this client. They clearly aren't paying you enough to do a decent job because the client is maximizing profit at the expense of the design. And the BRA is letting them get away with it." The BRA rep said nothing -- they fully supported the mediocre design.
After the meeting, the architect came over to me and said, "You were 100% correct. Thank you for saying that."
AND WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?
The solution is quite simple. It's proven to work in great cities worldwide.
You let the decent economic development and planning folks at the BRA/EDIC drive the car and take all other thumbs off the wheel. You let planners rezone entire districts to establish certainty on broad swaths of land -- not keeping zoning at restrictive levels and approving significant zoning changes one project at a time.
But this isn't going to happen anytime soon.
Why is it the BRA's fault?
Because, with respect to vacant parcels, the candy store at the BRA is the gift that keeps on giving. If density is maxed out through upzoning, a host of other goodies are possible including property tax breaks, public investment in infrastructure, upzoning of abutting parcels, etc. All the while, the vacant lots are often permitted for surface parking. It's a veritable gold mine to sit on a property and just upzone year after year -- then sell for profit until someone builds.
The game works unless you have some political problem and you hit a dead end and the door slams (e.g. Chiofaro). Then you have to build, sell or cajole.
The same games are played with architecture.
I once stated at a public meeting to a large project's architect, "I feel very sorry for you having this client. They clearly aren't paying you enough to do a decent job because the client is maximizing profit at the expense of the design. And the BRA is letting them get away with it." The BRA rep said nothing -- they fully supported the mediocre design.
After the meeting, the architect came over to me and said, "You were 100% correct. Thank you for saying that."
AND WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?
The solution is quite simple. It's proven to work in great cities worldwide.
You let the decent economic development and planning folks at the BRA/EDIC drive the car and take all other thumbs off the wheel. You let planners rezone entire districts to establish certainty on broad swaths of land -- not keeping zoning at restrictive levels and approving significant zoning changes one project at a time.
But this isn't going to happen anytime soon.
whighlander
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Re: Hayward Place
I agree with quite a bit -- however I'm not sure I trust the planners -- for example:
The Pru complex was planned by people who thought that it would be filled by people with typewriters and some who used mainframe computers, its updating was planned on the basis of wired ethernet connections -- However, it has turned into a major locus for communications because of the fiber optic corridor running down the Turnpike, and the large floor to ceiling spacing (almost 15 feet) of the old Pru tower.
Planners like generals are always well prepared to fight the old war -- better than the last time -- but generally they haven't a clue of what is really needed to adapt best to future developments in technology and society
I agree with quite a bit -- however I'm not sure I trust the planners -- for example:
The Pru complex was planned by people who thought that it would be filled by people with typewriters and some who used mainframe computers, its updating was planned on the basis of wired ethernet connections -- However, it has turned into a major locus for communications because of the fiber optic corridor running down the Turnpike, and the large floor to ceiling spacing (almost 15 feet) of the old Pru tower.
Planners like generals are always well prepared to fight the old war -- better than the last time -- but generally they haven't a clue of what is really needed to adapt best to future developments in technology and society
jdrinboston
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Re: Hayward Place
Hello all, I'm a long time lurker, but I felt compelled to make my first post.
I was walking through Downtown Crossing today and I noticed that the surface parking lot slated to become Hayward Place was completely empty. A sign at the entrace of the lot refers motorists to other Central Parking locations. Plus, there appears to be a construction sign facing Washington street, however it is presently covered with paper. It also looks like a traffic light pole is being moved from one side of Washington Street to the other.
There were a couple of Central workers standing around so I asked them what was going on. They both replied that the lot was closed because of a "new building" going up. It also appears that some brick facade has been installed below the window mock ups on the corner of Washington and Hayward Place, next to the old Orange Line exit.
When I walked back a few hours later it looked like Central Parking was having some sort of company gathering on the lot, perhaps to commemorate its closure.
Anyway, the arrows seem to point toward this project finally starting soon. Here's a pic.
[/IMG]
Hello all, I'm a long time lurker, but I felt compelled to make my first post.
I was walking through Downtown Crossing today and I noticed that the surface parking lot slated to become Hayward Place was completely empty. A sign at the entrace of the lot refers motorists to other Central Parking locations. Plus, there appears to be a construction sign facing Washington street, however it is presently covered with paper. It also looks like a traffic light pole is being moved from one side of Washington Street to the other.
There were a couple of Central workers standing around so I asked them what was going on. They both replied that the lot was closed because of a "new building" going up. It also appears that some brick facade has been installed below the window mock ups on the corner of Washington and Hayward Place, next to the old Orange Line exit.
When I walked back a few hours later it looked like Central Parking was having some sort of company gathering on the lot, perhaps to commemorate its closure.
Anyway, the arrows seem to point toward this project finally starting soon. Here's a pic.
Last edited:
Re: Hayward Place
Interesting news.
You can't upload images to the forum, you have to post a link directly to the image. An easy way to do that is to upload it (free) to http://www.imgur.com, then copy the URL they give you as a reference. Click the image icon here (the icon of a postcard with a mountain) and paste in the image's URL. That's it.
Interesting news.
You can't upload images to the forum, you have to post a link directly to the image. An easy way to do that is to upload it (free) to http://www.imgur.com, then copy the URL they give you as a reference. Click the image icon here (the icon of a postcard with a mountain) and paste in the image's URL. That's it.
Ron Newman
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Re: Hayward Place
mid-November is not when I'd want to start a construction project. I wonder why they didn't start earlier in the season.
mid-November is not when I'd want to start a construction project. I wonder why they didn't start earlier in the season.
BostonUrbEx
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Re: Hayward Place
Menino: We're supposed to get alot of snow this winter. It could be an ionic season: we're talking splitting the uprights ionic. I need more snowbanks.
Millinium Partners: What do you need us to do? Anything to please the development god.
Menino, stroking a cat: Dig out the basement in November, and we'll dump snow in there in the winter. Then you can resume in the spring and you shall receive tax breaks.
</bospoli>
Menino: We're supposed to get alot of snow this winter. It could be an ionic season: we're talking splitting the uprights ionic. I need more snowbanks.
Millinium Partners: What do you need us to do? Anything to please the development god.
Menino, stroking a cat: Dig out the basement in November, and we'll dump snow in there in the winter. Then you can resume in the spring and you shall receive tax breaks.
</bospoli>
stellarfun
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Re: Hayward Place
The weather forecast for Thanksgiving for Boston is flip flops and sunscreen.
Ron, what will be happening over the winter is excavation and shoring, two activities usually little affected by the weather.
The weather forecast for Thanksgiving for Boston is flip flops and sunscreen.
Ron, what will be happening over the winter is excavation and shoring, two activities usually little affected by the weather.
whighlander
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Re: Hayward Place
I'm tempted to burst into song ... Happy days are here again the sight of cranes are here again, I can hear construction machines again ... Happy days are here again....
Look at the list of active major projects -- where dirt, asphault or old buildings are begining to disappear and in some cases already steel is rising: [in no particular order -- a lot of which are in Cambridge]:
1) Vertex at Fan Pier
2) Liberty Mutural
3) Pru Appartments
4) Kensington Apartments
5) Skansa Labs
6) 610 Main St.
7) Hayward Place?
8) Alexandria Labs at Kendall
9) Novartis campus
10) the end of Faces and the beginning of ? at Rt-2
I'm sure there are a couple of others already underway and then here are the new majoer ones moving through the pipeline
Happy days are here again the sight of cranes are here again, I can hear construction machines again ... Happy days are here again....
I'm tempted to burst into song ... Happy days are here again the sight of cranes are here again, I can hear construction machines again ... Happy days are here again....
Look at the list of active major projects -- where dirt, asphault or old buildings are begining to disappear and in some cases already steel is rising: [in no particular order -- a lot of which are in Cambridge]:
1) Vertex at Fan Pier
2) Liberty Mutural
3) Pru Appartments
4) Kensington Apartments
5) Skansa Labs
6) 610 Main St.
7) Hayward Place?
8) Alexandria Labs at Kendall
9) Novartis campus
10) the end of Faces and the beginning of ? at Rt-2
I'm sure there are a couple of others already underway and then here are the new majoer ones moving through the pipeline
Happy days are here again the sight of cranes are here again, I can hear construction machines again ... Happy days are here again....
Re: Hayward Place
Not bad. But I'll bet the property owner secured property tax exemptions during approvals.
Not bad. But I'll bet the property owner secured property tax exemptions during approvals.
Re: Hayward Place
Don't forget the new Berklee dorm on Mass. Ave. They've started the demolition on that already as well.
Don't forget the new Berklee dorm on Mass. Ave. They've started the demolition on that already as well.
whighlander
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Re: Hayward Place
Perfect - - we can get a student group from Berklee to record our official theme song
Happy Construction Days Are Here Again
Any other projects just getting started -- definition is less than 10% complete
Perfect - - we can get a student group from Berklee to record our official theme song
Happy Construction Days Are Here Again
Any other projects just getting started -- definition is less than 10% complete
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Re: Hayward Place
It was a joke warning that Hayward Pl could become another Filene's hole and that demo means nada in this city.
It was a joke warning that Hayward Pl could become another Filene's hole and that demo means nada in this city.