One Kenmore Square | 560 Commonwealth Avenue | Kenmore Square

datadyne007

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Bldup just dropped this:

About 560 Commonwealth Avenue

Kenmore Square, Fenway, Boston, MA

Proposed glass hotel tower that would also include ground-floor retail and a roof deck restaurant. The project site is located in the heart of Kenmore Square at the intersection of Beacon Street and Commonwealth Avenue. A single-story Citizens Bank building currently stands on the site, which is located steps to multiple rapid transit lines, Boston University and Fenway Park. Mark Development intends to file plans for the tower with the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) in Fall 2016.

http://www.bldup.com/projects/560-commonwealth-avenue

560-Commonwealth-Avenue-Citizens-Bank-Allston-Fenway-Development-Kenmore-Square-Boston-University.jpg


No info on height. Looks a lot like 1 Dalton at the base. This parcel is currently a single-story Citizens Bank: https://www.google.com/maps/place/5...becda59196b6ac!8m2!3d42.3487498!4d-71.0983374
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

Lovely. There'd been hints of this on a different Kenmore Sq thread, happy to see this is really being proposed. Kenmore needs about 5 more of these, including the (fictional?) glass tower shown here next to the Buckminster Hotel.

My two questions from the other thread are 1) Does this development company have the experience to pull this off, and 2) Will the residential balcony buildings behind this site raise hell
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

My vote is to preserve the facades of the the B&N building and immediate abutters, and build a 350' to 400' hotel. There's no question we need the rooms, and with views of Fenway Park from one side and the Charles River on the other, it's definitely a highly desirable transit-oriented block dying for a place-making tower.

That article and my comment were posted on January 22nd this year in the BU Development Thread... Although this property is across the street, I am beyond THRILLED (if true) that a developer is proposing a hotel of this scale for Kenmore Square!!!
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

Lol I love how theres bombs dropped like once a week lately. Was Columbus Center last week? I cant even remember at this point. Its almost like clockwork now.
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

This is the same developer behind the proposed Newtonville development. Don't see anything bigger than that in their portfolio.
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

Prediction: The Red Sox will complain about the field views without tickets.
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

Height doesnt really matter here compared to other spots. The important part is that we are getting rid of a bank and putting in real ground level retail. Also it is good that we are getting another hotel, we need as many as we can get
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

Prediction: The Red Sox will complain about the field views without tickets.

The Pierce got approved. 2 Charlesgate West has not gotten any opposition from the Sox. I don't think that this development will incite much opposition from the Sox, it's not exactly next to the park and the game views from the new tower would be pretty poor.
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

Prediction: The Red Sox will complain about the field views without tickets.

I'm not worried about that ever happening. Five years ago I attended a Northeastern U.-sponsored Q&A with Theo Epstein and current Red Sox President (then COO) Sam Kennedy. At the event, I specifically asked them how the Red Sox organization feels about the redevelopment of the neighborhood around them and what role they've played--I specifically cited Fenway Triangle, 1330 Boylston, and Turnpike air rights development. Kennedy's response was more or less that they are very supportive of any development that adds to community vibrancy and try to work with developers to continually improve [see 'densify'] the neighborhood around them. He also stressed how deeply they cared about seeing Fenway/Kenmore flourish as a destination, especially since their renewed commitment 15 years ago to stay at Fenway Park and reinvest in it.
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

This lot is really small, less than half the size of the 1 Dalton footprint by my measure. I have a really hard time picturing anything here taller than say, the Viridian on Boylston St, which is twenty stories.

Prediction: The Red Sox will complain about the field views without tickets.

If the plans for this building have it tall enough for the Red Sox to care about it at all, then there will surely be many people in line to oppose it well in front of Fenway Sports Group.

Height doesnt really matter here compared to other spots. The important part is that we are getting rid of a bank and putting in real ground level retail. Also it is good that we are getting another hotel, we need as many as we can get

I totally agree with your sentiment, but the render (even though it's more of a massing model...) keeps the Citizens Bank in the ground level.
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

Prediction: The Red Sox will complain about the field views without tickets.

I think they would only really object to something that had view to the park if it had some sort of publicly accessible area with a view into the stadium, for instance a roof top bar or pool.
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

I totally agree with your sentiment, but the render (even though it's more of a massing model...) keeps the Citizens Bank in the ground level.



God damnit. How did I miss that? Also hopefully something will go on the other sides of the building. Hopefully...
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

I'm very confused with the render. Is there a different building across the street on the left side of the picture? Is that the Rosenthal thing?
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

I'm very confused with the render. Is there a different building across the street on the left side of the picture? Is that the Rosenthal thing?

DZH -- don't know if this is the building on the other side of the street -- but the Buildup story says

Glass hotel tower with roof deck restaurant proposed for Kenmore Square
Nov 14, 2016

Mark Development has released a preliminary rendering of a new glass hotel tower planned for the heart of Kenmore Square. .... Developer Related Beal recently acquired nine buildings totaling approximately 335,000 square feet located across from Mark Development's proposed tower site for nearly $134 million.
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

Those balconies are about to declare war
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

Those balconies are about to declare war

No doubt, does anyone know if they are apartment or condos? Or even student housing?

Also, that parking lot across the street should go as well.
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

No doubt, does anyone know if they are apartment or condos? Or even student housing?

Also, that parking lot across the street should go as well.

Can't speak for the entire building, but I looked up a few condo listings in there around 750k for 2 bedrooms.
 
Re: Hotel Tower | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

The ugly building with the balconys is a coop building...rare around here...the one next to that is BU grad student housing.
 

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