Millennium Tower (Filene's) | 426 Washington Street | Downtown

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Re: Filene's

Ah, to be connected. The old design team was made to jump through all kinds of crazy hoops FOR YEARS to get to the final One Franklin design. Just thinking about the millions of dollars and thousands of hours spent to save that 1905 Fascade because it JUST HAD to be saved makes me ill. I'm glad something is getting built but this project will stand forever as a perfect example of how much the City of Boston can bleed someone when they're not really motivated vs. how easy they can make things when they are.
 
Re: Filene's

Arch101 said:
...this project will stand forever as a perfect example of how much the City of Boston can bleed someone when they're not really motivated vs. how easy they can make things when they are.
Click to expand...

Could there be a correlation between the cost associated with getting a project green-lighted and the insipid designs and low quality exterior finishes that are the order of the day in Boston?
 
Re: Filene's

Arch101 said:
Ah, to be connected. The old design team was made to jump through all kinds of crazy hoops FOR YEARS to get to the final One Franklin design.
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Purchased: July 7, 2006

Final Design Posted: May 8, 2007

Demo Started: July 9, 2007

Slightly better than one year. That's really not too bad for Boston.

I agree with you about the 1905 facade though. That's a fucking sin.
 
Re: Filene's

dshoost88 said:
I'll be at the BRA meeting tonight; message me if you're going/want to meet up there.
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Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

I checked the site, and Filene's isn't in the agenda? What's special about tonight's meeting? Or is it something else?
 
Re: Filene's

BostonUrbEx said:
Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

I checked the site, and Filene's isn't in the agenda? What's special about tonight's meeting? Or is it something else?
Click to expand...

Go here:

http://bostonredevelopmentauthority...Board Agendas/BRA Board Agenda - 09 13 12.pdf

Page 2, Item 5:

5. 5:30: Request authorization to approve the Second Amended
and Restated Development Plan the Millennium Tower and
Burnham Building for Planned Development Area No. 72; to
issue a Determination waiving further review in connection
with the Notice of Project Change for the Millennium Tower
and Burnham Building Redevelopment located at 426
Washington Street for the construction of a mixed-use building
consisting of residential, retail, office, restaurant, health
club/spa; to consider the Proposed project as a Development
Impact Project.; and, to take all related actions.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Filene's

Beton Brut said:
Could there be a correlation between the cost associated with getting a project green-lighted and the insipid designs and low quality exterior finishes that are the order of the day in Boston?
Click to expand...

Of course. Why waste money on something nice when regardless of what you present, some stay-at-home-asshole is going to take you to court or at the very least, threaten litigation over the shade of green of the window boxes or the usual shadow bullshit.

Not to mention all the other crap - the affordable housing fund, the transfer payments to the ethnic group du jour, the "community space" etc.
 
Re: Filene's

kmp1284 said:
Of course. Why waste money on something nice...
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Indeed.

Better question: how do those invested in the overall quality of the built environment in Boston address and correct these symptoms of a far greater ill -- the lack of civic ambition among our elected officials?
 
Re: Filene's

I don't think there's anything that can be done about that. Yes, we could always throw the bums out but inevitably we'd wind up with more bums. Electoral politics have never been much of a draw for truly capable and accomplished people.
 
Re: Filene's

I'd be more sympathetic to the urban activist community (of which I'm occasionally a part of) if the general outrage was directed at a given proposal's piss-poor street presence or el-cheapo fit & finish instead of its height or density.

Filenes-specific questions: has anyone at City Hall ever explained why a demolition permit was issued to Vornado-et-al without proof-of-financing to go forward with the project? Shouldn't proof-of-financing be required for projects of this scale before permits are issued?
 
Re: Filene's

Hey all, I went to my first BRA meeting earlier (so good to meet some of you guys tonight!) and stayed through the approval. There wasn't an ounce of opposition against this.

I took some notes; a lot of this might be recycled through the project change report from last month, but here we go:

-They definitely seem to be going for the full 625' under zoning, new renders seem to support this. Square footage remains the same (1,185,000 ft.)
-Speaking of new renders, there was a more detailed one of this, and a couple of larger skyline renders. It is very prominent with the glass, positioning, and height from most angles, but pleasingly so. I couldn't get any photos; they took the renders down at the end of the review and packed them up quickly.
-They aim to completely restore the Burnham facade; restore the glass storefront, add in new architectural lighting, new roof, and the new glass facade on the back towards the tower.
-Canopies extending from both structure will shade the "Shopper's Park" in front. The park will also contain a very fancy-looking white ampitheatre... it reminded me of a VERY small scale version of the new PATH station under construction at the WTC.
-They plan to market this broadly... to "empty nesters... all the way down to younger people, first apartment renters." They also want to go for families, noting a lack of "3-bedroom apartments" in the city.

That's what I took down. Do the other attendees have anything to add?
(Gus, Tim, and Derek, again, so pleased to meet you tonight!)
 
Re: Filene's

Thank you for the information Downburst. You have certainly added a lot of value in the short time you have been a part of this forum.
 
Re: Filene's

What an awesome night!

Great meeting you, Downburst! Great note-taking as well.
As always, great to see you Dshoost and UrbEx.
 
Re: Filene's

I can't believe there wasn't a single voice in opposition. So refreshing, seeing as I think the last approval I went to was for Copley Place, and boy was that a tough one! Ahahaha. What a great night! :)
 
Re: Filene's

Downburst said:
Hey all, I went to my first BRA meeting earlier (so good to meet some of you guys tonight!) and stayed through the approval. There wasn't an ounce of opposition against this.

I took some notes; a lot of this might be recycled through the project change report from last month, but here we go:

-They definitely seem to be going for the full 625' under zoning, new renders seem to support this. Square footage remains the same (1,185,000 ft.)
-Speaking of new renders, there was a more detailed one of this, and a couple of larger skyline renders. It is very prominent with the glass, positioning, and height from most angles, but pleasingly so. I couldn't get any photos; they took the renders down at the end of the review and packed them up quickly.
-They aim to completely restore the Burnham facade; restore the glass storefront, add in new architectural lighting, new roof, and the new glass facade on the back towards the tower.
-Canopies extending from both structure will shade the "Shopper's Park" in front. The park will also contain a very fancy-looking white ampitheatre... it reminded me of a VERY small scale version of the new PATH station under construction at the WTC.
-They plan to market this broadly... to "empty nesters... all the way down to younger people, first apartment renters." They also want to go for families, noting a lack of "3-bedroom apartments" in the city.

That's what I took down. Do the other attendees have anything to add?
(Gus, Tim, and Derek, again, so pleased to meet you tonight!)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the added notes from the meeting. Glad to hear this thing got the approval.
 
Re: Filene's

The whole atmosphere of the meeting in general for this part felt very much like this project was in the bag. Everyone that spoke (and everyone in the room) is just so antsy to get this thing going. Millennium was getting showered with praise. Everyone loves the team, the design, the notion of the project, etc. It was essentially just to congratulate Millennium on a job well done.

The new rendering from Cambridge was also STUNNING.
 
Re: Filene's

Rendering isn't wowing, me, but it's fine. I'm glad they're building something north of 600'. I'll withhold real judgment until I see the skyline renders.
 
Re: Filene's

Does the 550 car garage fit under the parking freeze?
 
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