Raffles Boston (40 Trinity Place) | 426 Stuart Street | Back Bay

Re: New hotel tower Trinity Place near Copley Sq.

A fair estimate although it wouldn't be 365 days at those rates. Most Boston area garages have MUCH lower weekend/holiday flat rates (usually between $10.00 and $16.00), and their after 5:00pm rates are similar. Membership/service sector employee rates are also a better deal and paid on a monthly basis.

That's all semantics though, the point remains that parking scarcity in cities like Boston makes for a lucrative business. If anything the price is skewed LOWER than market value due to city subsidized metered street parking that goes for WELL below their market value rates.
 
Re: New hotel tower Triunity Place near Copley Sq.

Commuting Boston Student said:
How often are those garages at full capacity?

What about the people who don't park for a full day? They pay less, right?
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In terms of total payment, yes, but their variable rate goes up. I think it'd probably be something like $15-$20 for 90 minutes or something like that...so theoretically, it's actually more profitable for these parking garages to be used by shoppers, not commuters.

On top of that, commuters likely have a monthly package and pay something like $600 a month, instead of $40 a day.

By the way did anyone see the comments on the Boston.com article? The first post called NIMBYs the "Back Bay Hysterical Society". Pure gold. I hope that was one of you guys.
 
Re: New hotel tower Trinity Place near Copley Sq.

I suppose I am in the minority. I like the building because it is very mannerly.

The UC used to own the whole building, but when it went broke years ago it sold it to John Hancock, and leased back the low rise portion for a reduced size clubhouse. I don't remember the lease length, but I think it was for a verrrrry long term. Theoretically I suppose you could demolish the "high rise" part without closing the club. The nice pool in the basement would get roughed up a bit by the foundation work.

Athletic clubs (and Boston clubs in general) have tough sledding. Younger members like first rate athletic facilities and are less impressed with embossed leather wallpaper and marble fireplaces. Older members are more interested in Martini curls at a well appointed bar and dozing in the leather armchairs. A few years ago the Algonquin Club was trying to think of ways to subsume the Back Bay Tennis and Racquet Club. But that didn't come off.

If I were involved I'd try to sell Saunders the lease and try to merge the UC with or take over something like the T&R, and use the proceeds for major upgrades to the social amenities.

Anyway, I guess I am biased, but I'd be sorry to see the building go.
 
Re: New hotel tower Triunity Place near Copley Sq.

tmac9wr said:
In terms of total payment, yes, but their variable rate goes up. I think it'd probably be something like $15-$20 for 90 minutes or something like that...so theoretically, it's actually more profitable for these parking garages to be used by shoppers, not commuters.

On top of that, commuters likely have a monthly package and pay something like $600 a month, instead of $40 a day.

By the way did anyone see the comments on the Boston.com article? The first post called NIMBYs the "Back Bay Hysterical Society". Pure gold. I hope that was one of you guys.
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That's genius. I'm co-opting that terminology, hope nobody minds.

I also should admit to never being inside any of the downtown garages due to avoiding parking downtown like the plague. I park in garages at the subway stations instead... I like driving, but the concept driving downtown scares me.
 
Re: New hotel tower Triunity Place near Copley Sq.

Commuting Boston Student said:
That's genius. I'm co-opting that terminology, hope nobody minds.

I also should admit to never being inside any of the downtown garages due to avoiding parking downtown like the plague. I park in garages at the subway stations instead... I like driving, but the concept driving downtown scares me.
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Commute -- Actually, parking in the Pru is quite easy -- you come in on the Pike take the Pru/Copley exit and go right into the garage without really driving in Boston

The other advantage of parking in the Pru is - buy something for your significant other, etc. in the Pru shops or even one of the "carts" and get a discount on the parking

Leaving is slighly more complex -- you need to remember which elevator to take and how to find your car - (Note: clear opportunity for an indoor GPS service) -- then you need to take the exit which takes you back to the Pike
 
Re: New hotel tower Triunity Place near Copley Sq.

whighlander said:
Commute -- Actually, parking in the Pru is quite easy -- you come in on the Pike take the Pru/Copley exit and go right into the garage without really driving in Boston

The other advantage of parking in the Pru is - buy something for your significant other, etc. in the Pru shops or even one of the "carts" and get a discount on the parking

Leaving is slighly more complex -- you need to remember which elevator to take and how to find your car - (Note: clear opportunity for an indoor GPS service) -- then you need to take the exit which takes you back to the Pike
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I don't have any significant others, heh.

How much is the parking discount, anyway? Is it a significant discount ($10+) or just something like $1?
 
Re: New hotel tower Trinity Place near Copley Sq.

whighlander said:
Paul -- pages 23 to 27 provide a very good summary of what constitutes a good building according to the BRA

such as: 75 ft maximum separation between pedestrain entrances; streetwall coverage and tower set-back from the pedestal

Verrry Verrrry interesting!
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...75 feet maximum? That sounds kind of extreme to me.
 
Re: New hotel tower Trinity Place near Copley Sq.

Project is moving forward:

The building by Saunders Hotel Group and partner Jordan Warshaw would have about 220 hotel rooms, 142 residential units, 100 parking spaces and ground-floor retail or restaurant space, according to a “letter of intent” filed with the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

We are excited to begin the development process for what we believe will be a new signature destination in the Back Bay,” the Saunders-Warshaw joint venture said in a statement yesterday. They expect to submit detailed plans to the BRA later this month, kicking off a public review.
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http://bostonherald.com/business/real_estate/view.bg?articleid=1061157188&srvc=business&position=2
 
Re: New hotel tower Trinity Place near Copley Sq.

The comments section to that article is off to a roaring start...

I guess the architects know how to buid on swampy ground more effectively now- and Beantown is surrounded by fault lines, we already know that- nothing like ruining a city with high buildings-
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"220 hotel rooms, 142 residential units, 100 parking spaces" Assuming that the 142 residential units are occupied, and half of the hotel rooms are occupied...is 100 parking spaces close to being enough? In a city notorious for no-where to park? What kind of developers are these?
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Re: New hotel tower Trinity Place near Copley Sq.

Nothing gives you away as a suburban asshole like the word "Beantown" and also, ruining a city with high buildings? lol
 
Re: New hotel tower Trinity Place near Copley Sq.

bbfen said:
Nothing gives you away as a suburban asshole like the word "Beantown" and also, ruining a city with high buildings? lol
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Yeah, you know those places with high buildings? Those places are ruined by adding more high buildings.

<logic>
 
Re: New hotel tower Trinity Place near Copley Sq.

Excellent news. I only wish it was moving faster.

"I guess the architects know how to buid on swampy ground more effectively now- and Beantown is surrounded by fault lines, we already know that- nothing like ruining a city with high buildings-"

Yes, I guess they do. Are you cool with that?

I'm moving to Little Rock where there are no high buildings.
 
Re: New hotel tower Trinity Place near Copley Sq.

If you are getting rid of high buildings you'd better ban student housing.
 
Re: New hotel tower Trinity Place near Copley Sq.

Don't do it type001! The Mid-West (Little Rock seemed Mid-West to me) SUCKS!.... Been trapped here for 7 years!
 
Re: New hotel tower Trinity Place near Copley Sq.

But there are so few tall buildings out there! How can it be anything other than nirvana?
 
Re: New hotel tower Trinity Place near Copley Sq.

Little Rock has a 546' office tower. If you still want a nice urban feel w/out any real tall buildings, try Richmond. Its tallest is only 450' but it has a dozen 300'+ towers and lots of surprising street-level density, as well as some nice history behind it. It's like twice the size of Providence's downtown/skyline, without actually being any taller.

Here's hoping that a 35 story hotel here doesn't mean we only get 350'.
 
Re: New hotel tower Trinity Place near Copley Sq.

pdoc816 said:
Don't do it type001! The Mid-West (Little Rock seemed Mid-West to me) SUCKS!.... Been trapped here for 7 years!
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Hahahaha. I'll take your word for it. To think that I had thought I had successfully picked an arbitrary city without any tall buildings was in fact proven wrong by DZH22.
 
Re: New hotel tower Trinity Place near Copley Sq.

This was originally reported in The Globe back in March.

539w.jpg


If they can shave the top 5 floors off and re-purpose the base, Hearst-style, this might be interesting...
 
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