Pinnacle at Central Wharf (Harbor Garage) | 70 East India Row | Waterfront | Downtown

[itchy]

It's ridiculous the amount of opposition a good-looking tower like this gets simply because it would be "too tall" or "on the waterfront", even though there are several other similarly-sized skyscrapers right down the road. It's unspeakably annoying how people choose to live in a city only to stand in the way of development. IMO this would have been the best-looking tower coming from this development cycle and it's a shame if it doesn't get built.

100%. And shame on the troglodyte demagogues running for mayor who are coming out against this. They are wholly unfit for public office.

 

[Patrick Winn]

This piece of shit advertisement just popped up in my Facebook feed

 

[mass88]

Yes, look at the beautiful aquarium and adjacent parking garage. Really nice and lovely looking.

 

[Patrick Winn]

Yes, look at the beautiful aquarium and adjacent parking garage. Really nice and lovely looking.

It pisses me off that they say “the superior court agrees Boston’s waterfront does not need an oversized, 600 foot luxury tower.” The court absolutely did not say that. And it drives me crazy how they couch everything in progressive slogans like “equity” and “environmentalism,” even though they are fighting to keep a concrete parking garage.

 

[stefal]

Yes, look at the beautiful aquarium and adjacent parking garage. Really nice and lovely looking.

They sure look like they prioritize climate resilience, accessibility, and equity to me.

You know, a parking garage... To store privately owned cars... In a dense downtown area... Checks off all three

 

[xec]

View attachment 13285

This is starting to look like the campaign(s) that killed Columbus Center. I wonder who the Ned Flaherty behind this initiative is.

If whoever it is does manage to kill the project, aB should add a "Ned Flaherty of the Year" category to the archBOSTON Awards to honor their preservation efforts. It's self-serving citizens like these who keep the city's most prominent & significant eyesores around, thus preserving our historical links to "Dirty Old Boston".

 

[themissinglink]

It's baffling the amount of fools who will line up to stand in the way of such a transformative project like this one simply because it doesn't fit their narrow-minded view of what Boston should be. Shame on each and every single one of them if this project doesn't get built.

The worst part is how they portray themselves as the ones trying to "save" the waterfront, even though 1. a project such as this would only improve the waterfront, not make it worse and 2. NIMBY's like them are the exact people the waterfront and Boston as a whole needs to be "saved" from, as we all know their stubborn obstructionism holds the city back in a number of ways.

 

[Patrick Winn]

It's baffling the amount of fools who will line up to stand in the way of such a transformative project like this one simply because it doesn't fit their narrow-minded view of what Boston should be. Shame on each and every single one of them if this project doesn't get built.

The worst part is how they portray themselves as the ones trying to "save" the waterfront, even though 1. a project such as this would only improve the waterfront, not make it worse and 2. NIMBY's like them are the exact people the waterfront and Boston as a whole needs to be "saved" from, as we all know their stubborn obstructionism holds the city back in a number of ways.

I mean, I understand people will act according to their own self-interest, but can you imagine being such a fucking hypocrite?

The proposed tower of course would have had the highest environmental ratings, and there was an agreement to raise the level of the land around the tower in anticipation of rising sea levels.

 

[393b40]

The proposed tower of course would have had the highest environmental ratings, and there was an agreement to raise the level of the land around the tower in anticipation of rising sea levels.

I mean lets not pretend this is anything but an attempt by HT residents to preserve their parking and views. We shouldn't even pretend their being genuine about their concern.

Edit: I hope Prudential/Chiofaro/Whoever the fuck owns this thing absolutely wrecks these assholes when their parking contract ends in a year or two. Maybe I'd be a terrible business person but I would absolutely play spiteball.

 

[tobyjug]

“Bow To Me, Homunculus!”

 

[stellarfun]

https://savebostonswaterfront.com/about-us/

Have at her.

Her background is public relations and marketing, and non-profits. Her prior experience in institutional management (e.g., an aquarium, zoo, museum) is non-existent. She is from Pensacola FL. and lived lived outside of New England before coming to Boston and the Aquarium in 2018.

This is the crux of her concerns.

We have a number of concerns about project impacts, however, the most serious concerns are the approach the project takes to climate resilience. Despite claiming Central Wharf as its home, the 563-page initial project filing devotes a mere three pages to climate resilience. The proposed solution is singular and disappointing: elevating the public plaza and the base of the building. In fact, this approach is increasingly considered perilous, creating an island on which the Harbor Garage project will sit, with little support or consideration for the impact on the remaining parcels in the downtown waterfront.

In other words, because the Pinnacle development will be climate resilient, "creating an island", the surrounding properties are not, and will be increasingly and detrimentally impacted by sea level rise.

Much of what is written with respect to their goals is internally inconsistent, not particularly well-thought out, or factually questionable. How much of it is really intended to drive membership giving, I don't know, but a look at recent political campaigns suggest that agitating the 'base' generates more donations to the 'cause'.

The aquarium is probably in perilous financial shape. Looking at another nearby institution, revenue for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, --four months into the pandemic -- for the Museum of Science was down $11 million from the previous fiscal year. Total income was down $41 million, or 54 percent.

 

[NoShJFK]

What are the odds anything of any significance ever gets built there? It's a real shame to because many proposals created for that parcel have been tremendous.

Just like, will Boston ever get a new tallest? Both answers seem to be a resounding and disappointing NO.

 

[Rover]

Pure speculation on my part but I think as an out of Towner the CLF probably got to her first when she arrived to run the NEAQ and told her that their billionaire benefactor was really into blocking the garage development, and if she helped out he might become the aquarium's benefactor as well. Not sure why the NEAQ has trouble raising money but someone running a entity in dire financial straights might be tempted to take that deal, all the while being unfamiliar that the CLF is an extortion outfit at this point chock full of con-artists and failed lawyers.

 

[stellarfun]

What are the odds anything of any significance ever gets built there? It's a real shame to because many proposals created for that parcel have been tremendous.

Just like, will Boston ever get a new tallest? Both answers seem to be a resounding and disappointing NO.

IIRC from the judge's decision in 2019, the Boston City Council in approving re-development of the derelict piers and parking lots, allowed for the garage to be demolished after D/M in 2005. That provision contributed to the judge ruling against the HT residents re: their claim that their parking spaces easement ran to perpetuity.

The garage, being 50 or so years old and in a marine environment, is probably at/near the end of its design life. It needs to be replaced. The city is not interested in paying for a new garage, nor are the HT residents (beneficiaries). The Aquarium doesn't have the money.

To bury the garage will cost north of $150 million. See what it is costing Cronin at Whiskey Priest to excavate loosely filled land at the water's edge. To offset the cost of burying the garage requires an expensive building on top of it. The city understands this, the Commonwealth understands this, Prudential understands this. Perhaps even the Director of the Aquarium understands this.

The new garage is sized, with respect to the number of spaces, to offer xxx number of spaces for museum visitors (the number is higher on weekends, IIRC), and xxx n umber of spaces for HT residents, comparable to the number of spaces they currently lease. Those two 'users' account for the majority of spaces that would be built. So both parties have a direct interest in having a large garage built.

What the Aquarium seems to be seeking is to become part of an a resilient archipelago, rather than having the Pinnacle be the only resilient site along this section of the waterfront..

 

[SuffolkHeights11]

I mean, I understand people will act according to their own self-interest, but can you imagine being such a fucking hypocrite?

The HT residents lounging by their pool behind a massive fence 10 feet from the water edge's actually say with a straight face the proposed tower will "wall off the water".... the hypocrisy is breathtaking

 

[BKNA]

She is from Pensacola FL. and lived lived outside of New England before coming to Boston and the Aquarium in 2018.

Pure speculation on my part but I think as an out of Towner the CLF probably got to her first when she arrived to run the NEAQ

Peter Shelley (CLF Counsel) said he knew her for 'decades' during one of the public meetings. didnt need to get to her 1st, he brought her here to begin with.

 

[found5dollar]

So what is the actual timeline of future events with the garage? When does the Harbor tower parking easement end? Their mechanical easement? how long until the garage is structurally in need of a renovation?

I'm sure I could dig back and find this else where on the site but I feel like someone might know this and be able to answerer more easily.

 

[Vivanna]

Peter Shelley (CLF Counsel) said he knew her for 'decades' during one of the public meetings. didnt need to get to her 1st, he brought her here to begin with.

If they are so interested in 'saving the waterfront' why is there not a peep about a huge salt pile being proposed for Massport Marine Terminal. The City came out last week saying that salt is an environmental hazard and a hardship on the residents of Eastie and Chelsea, why is there no opposition to putting this in Southie?

 

[Suffolk 83]

I'm actually feeling bad for this poor bastard now regardless of if he's a good person or not... he's got the aquarium blatantly blackmailing him for a huge payoff and he's got the obviously very DEEPLY connected Harbor Tower residents misaligning their own super selfish motivations with altruistic, liberal intentions. "wHaT aBoUt tHe REsIdeNtS of CHINATOWN???" This is some trumponian dissonance good luck to you Chioforo because you are completely screwed. I would cut my losses if I were him.

 

[Patrick Winn]

https://savebostonswaterfront.com/about-us/

Have at her.

Her background is public relations and marketing, and non-profits. Her prior experience in institutional management (e.g., an aquarium, zoo, museum) is non-existent. She is from Pensacola FL. and lived lived outside of New England before coming to Boston and the Aquarium in 2018.

This is the crux of her concerns.


In other words, because the Pinnacle development will be climate resilient, "creating an island", the surrounding properties are not, and will be increasingly and detrimentally impacted by sea level rise.

Much of what is written with respect to their goals is internally inconsistent, not particularly well-thought out, or factually questionable. How much of it is really intended to drive membership giving, I don't know, but a look at recent political campaigns suggest that agitating the 'base' generates more donations to the 'cause'.

The aquarium is probably in perilous financial shape. Looking at another nearby institution, revenue for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, --four months into the pandemic -- for the Museum of Science was down $11 million from the previous fiscal year. Total income was down $41 million, or 54 percent.

The surrounding parcels won't be impacted any differently than they already would be by rising sea levels. Having a parcel above them doesn't make them any lower in relation to the sea. The concern here is apparently runoff and flooding from heavy rain in the lower parcels, but the laws against this are very strict and there is a well known cause of action (nuisance, I think) to penalize neighbors who cause water to run on to adjacent property. So I'm sure it's been accounted for in the design.