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

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I think it was Syms.

The Summer Street building where CVS used to be is now vacant. I thought it was supposed to become a Gold's Gym. It is amazingly ugly and desperately needs to be demolished. (Unless there's a nice old facade underneath that needs to be uncovered.)
 
Thank You! :)

It was a Gold's Gym for about a year or so and closed down a few months ago.
 
That's it, the one on Summer Street in the strange black building. I never understood what that building was suppose to be for...looks strangely out of place.
 
Found an excerpt from the press release announcing the opening of the store:

SECAUCUS, N.J., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Syms Corp (NYSE: SYM). This Thursday, Nov. 19, Syms will open a five-floor, 50,000-square-foot store at 55 Summer Street at Downtown Crossing. Syms has had two suburban stores in the Boston market since 1982 -- in Norwood and Peabody.

The Downtown Crossing location, previously occupied by a bank and offices, is very similar in its real estate use transformation to Syms location in New York City at Park Avenue and 54th Street. The Park Avenue location was also previously five floors of office space.

Since its founding, Syms has...
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This was in 1998, mind you.

So the ugly black sheep used to be a bank and offices.
 
Downtown doesn't need more drugstores, but it could sure use some competition. I wish Walgreen's or Rite Aid or someone else (Duane Reade?) would open a downtown store and push one or more of the redundant CVS's out of business.
 
Perhaps if and when Target comes, it will include a pharmacy. I know what you mean about the redundant CVS stores though. Look at Coolidge Corner.
 
A few posts above, someone mentioned Macy's. I'm glad to see that they have uncovered one of the two display windows along Washington Street. I hope the other follows along soon. What took them so long?

It would be a nice gesture for Macy's to keep the 'Filene's Clearance Center' open until redevelopment begins in earnest.
 
Ron Newman said:
Downtown doesn't need more drugstores, but it could sure use some competition. I wish Walgreen's or Rite Aid or someone else (Duane Reade?) would open a downtown store and push one or more of the redundant CVS's out of business.
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The was a Walgreens on Summer St down the block from the old CVS location. It lasted a few years and closed a few months ago.
Across the street, Kingston Deli just closed and the space is being reopened as a Staples Copy & Print Center. :?
 
Huh? There's already a Staples on Winter Street and another on Court Street. More redundancy and more non-competition.
 
Gale, Vornado finalize agreement to redevelop Filene's block in Downtown Crossing

Gale International and Vornado Realty Trust said today they have signed a joint agreement, formalizing previously disclosed plans to redevelop the Filene's complex in Downtown Crossing.

The joint venture said it will purchase the property for about $100 million from Federated Department Stores Inc., which bought Filene's parent last year, with the sale to the joint venture expected to close early next year.

The Gale-Vornado team has previously proposed a $620 million project that includes building a 38-story tower over the four-building complex, the Globe has reported. The hope is that construction can begin in June on plans envisioning office space, luxury stores, condos, and a hotel.

"This historic redevelopment will not only restore this site to its former glory but will transform and revitalize downtown Boston," said John B. Hynes III, chief executive of Gale International.

Mack-Cali Realty Corp., a real estate investment trust in New Jersey, said it will "co-venture" Gale International's investment in the project.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)

Rendering (above) of proposed redevelopment of Filene's block in Downtown Crossing courtesy of Elkus/Manfredi Architects.
Posted by Boston Globe Business Team at 11:07 AM
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Filene.jpg
 
Just to respost the large version so people don't have to jump back to Pg 2.

1159527711_5571.jpg
 
Does Vornado have any money left over to buy the Barnes & Noble building while they're at it?
 
Ron Newman said:
Does Vornado have any money left over to buy the Barnes & Noble building while they're at it?
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To do what with? There is a nice building underneath the B&N facade (I hope). It don't seem to need a major redevelopment, just touched up and filled.
 
That, and it needs an owner who can market it effectively and intelligently. My impression is that the current owner has given up.
 
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Since someone brought up the CVS, here's the beautiful building that was replaced on the Corner of Summer and Chauncy streets.
 
Hub?s moving Target: Filene?s developer eyes smaller shops
By Scott Van Voorhis
Boston Herald Business Reporter
Friday, October 20, 2006 - Updated: 01:22 AM EST


It?s certainly an ambitious makeover that the new owners of the historic Filene?s complex are working up for the Hub landmark.

But the $600 million-plus makeover, which includes a new tower, may stir controversy not for what it puts in, but instead what it may end up leaving out: Target.

City Hall has been aggressively promoting the big box retailer as a cornerstone for the 1912 Filene?s building, soon to be shuttered.

But the development team that just spent $100 million to buy the site has some ideas of its own.

John Hynes, the lead local developer on the project, says Target is a ?serious consideration.?

But Hynes, whose Gale Co., has paired up with New York real estate giant Vornado, also makes clear he is seriously considering another bold concept: a redeveloped Filene?s complex that does not include a Target or any other traditional big retail anchor.

Hynes? Gale Co. and Vornado officially unveiled their joint venture yesterday to buy and redevelop the Filene?s property.

?We do not have one retail company that wants to be in an eight-story, 400,000-square-foot retail building,? Hynes said. ?That category doesn?t exist.?

?The Filene?s building is not going to become the Target building or any other retailer?s building,? Hynes said. ?That is not where we are at today.?
That may not be the message, though, that city officials, and Mayor Thomas M. Menino want to hear.

Menino yesterday insisted he can?t dictate what retailers end up setting up shop at a redeveloped Filene?s.

Development officials in Menino?s City Hall have not been so coy.
City officials have made it clear to Hynes and his team in recent discussions they want Target. The store, they contend, would fill a crucial gap in the Downtown Crossing shopping district.

More to the point, Target is one of City Hall?s favorite corporate players. The retail heavyweight has made Dorchester?s South Bay shopping center thrive, while giving heavily to an array of worthy city causes.

But Hynes also sees the possibility of a bustling and redeveloped Filene?s complex that relies on a team of smaller retail shops, not one big battleship. It could even include a Whole Foods Market.

?We could do a very successful project with Target, but I think we could do a very successful project without Target,? Hynes said.

And for City Hall?s Target backers, that?s not exactly a bull?s-eye.



Link
 
What is this strange obsession with Target? City officials should just be happy that developers are eager to fill this gap.
 
TheBostonian said:
What is this strange obsession with Target?
Click to expand...

The retail heavyweight has made Dorchester?s South Bay shopping center thrive, while giving heavily to an array of worthy city causes.
Click to expand...

*Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge, say no more, say no more*
 
As a local resident, I like Target in the mix, as we locals still have nowhere to get cheap basic sundries since Woolies left. Target is a decent enough provider of such, and it's not walmart. :)

I don't know what this 'small non chain' concept is about. Downtown is full of small empty storefronts. With a new building do they thing rents are going to be cheap enough for ANY small non chain business to actually afford? Never mind something I want to buy - not another clothes or shoe store?

- J
 
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