Rose Kennedy Greenway

I think that the second paragraph is a joke. And whighlander, hahaha. Perfect names. I vote for the latter. I don't run on Dunkin, but still hilarious.
 
Commercial owners are already paying a premium to own property along the Greenway, even without paying into a BID. That premium goes into city coffers, in the form of elevated property taxes; the Greenway, however, doesn’t see any of it. It took a year of cajoling to get most abutters to the point where they were willing to pay, in effect, two surcharges for owning along the Greenway, but they’ve drawn the line at paying for the park while the public sector walks away. Business improvement districts are, by definition, groups that pour private funds on top of a baseline of public support.
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I found this very interesting. How much more of a premium do they have to pay the city? And the Greenway Conservancy wants the owners to pay more. This is crazy.
 
Forcing the conservancy to break even may yet be a positive development. I'm thinking more space dedicated to glasses-in restaurants and other commercial kiosks. MassDOT may also downscale their obligations, i.e sell some parcels for development.
 
TheRifleman said:
I found this very interesting. How much more of a premium do they have to pay the city? And the Greenway Conservancy wants the owners to pay more. This is crazy.
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Is this premium essentially saying higher rents and property valuations that have come abouts directly because of the Greenway but the higher tax returns generated by these rents, valuations, meals taxes, etc. does not funnel to the greenway specifically--which a separate BID would be designed to do.

That is how I read it, but I have no specific knowledge of any of this.
 
Shepard said:
Forcing the conservancy to break even may yet be a positive development. I'm thinking more space dedicated to glasses-in restaurants and other commercial kiosks. MassDOT may also downscale their obligations, i.e sell some parcels for development.
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Shep -- I think the model should be the Armenians

They've built and will maintain their contribution to the Greenway

I suggest that we make available to other entities the opportunity to build memorials / honorary sites to any entity that:
1) has a good general idea, open to inniovation and with some process to review the design proposals
2) that the concept is not degradory of some other entity (e.g no Klan propsals for cross fire features)
3) doesn't restrict public access to the site (except for limited numbers of paid events)
4) proves that they have the financials to build and maintain the site for at least the next 25 years

Then just let em bid for the sites
 
Shepard said:
Forcing the conservancy to break even may yet be a positive development. I'm thinking more space dedicated to glasses-in restaurants and other commercial kiosks. MassDOT may also downscale their obligations, i.e sell some parcels for development.
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That's an interesting idea. Maybe the ultimate goal is force the Conservancy to say it's going to sell it's land? Then either they do and we get developments, or the city and/or state freaks out and dedicates a new revenue stream to maintain the parks. Either way, MassDOT wins.
 
underground said:
That's an interesting idea. Maybe the ultimate goal is force the Conservancy to say it's going to sell it's land? Then either they do and we get developments, or the city and/or state freaks out and dedicates a new revenue stream to maintain the parks. Either way, MassDOT wins.
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UG -- you missed part of the point of the article -- the Conservancy doesn't own any land -- its all held in trust for the Taxpayers of the Commonwealth by the DOT

All the Conservancy can sell is probably the naming rights to the Greenway

However -- getting the Conservancy to think outside of their current -- "well of course the DOT will cave and we'll continue with business as usual -- care for another latte?" -- to transition to: "Do you think that they might be serious -- we'd really have to work to stay in business?'

That by itself is possitive development
 
No, I know that. The reason they sell is they can't afford upkeep so they say it's MassDOT's only option. Either that or maybe let it go wild. Either option's likely to cause a shit storm.
 
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Whatever they've been doing in there is going wicked slow. AND WORST PART IS THEY CLOSED ADAMS PIZZA TO DO IT!!!
 
Just guesstimating by the window lintels (early 19th century at latest?) and location in the Blackstone Block that this is maybe among the oldest private buildings left downtown. Interesting that they received permission to build atop it...
 
Mmmmm I can't wait for some fresh Alucobond to go up on that baby!
 
EBay to Boston's International Place: The Don has his day Boston Business Journal by Craig Douglas, Associate Editor

Craig Douglas
Associate Editor- Boston Business Journal
Email
“A new approach is called for on the waterfront — one that is both more deliberate and more experimental ... The massive expanse of the South Boston waterfront, with its existing knowledge base, opportunity for growth, and world-class infrastructure is ripe to produce world-class products and services.” — Mayor Thomas M. Menino, June 28, 2010

“What have I done that you treat me with such disrespect? If you had come to me in friendship, your new tower would be up this very day.’’ — Mayor Thomas Menino, Nov. 10, 2011

Somewhere high above the city this morning, Don Chiofaro is laughing. Sitting next to him is Ted Oatis. He’s laughing, too.

The pair, the Statler and Waldorf of Boston’s booming commercial real estate industry, are just a few short weeks and several pen strokes away from finalizing a lease that will bring eBay Inc.’s PayPal Media Network to some 60,000-to-100,000 square feet of space at International Place, Chiofaro and Oatis’ signature property. Sources say the deal, expected to be one of the largest leases in Boston this year, is expected to close sometime in early August, with occupancy to come as early as October.

The pending deal also is a proverbial stick in the eye to Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, whose grand plans for the South Boston waterfront, er, Innovation District, would have gone into overdrive with a big-fish tenant such as eBay. Instead, the mayor’s left to continue on his current track, nickel-and-diming his way to building that South Boston cluster of information technology firms he’s always dreamed of.

No doubt, it’s a point not lost on Chiofaro and Oatis, whose long-standing battles with the mayor over development along the Rose Kennedy Greenway are the stuff of legend.

To say the pair, who codeveloped and currently manage International Place, are in the catbird seat would be an understatement. Yes, the Class A towers, with some 1.9 million square feet of leasable space, are nearly half empty. But the arrival of eBay will change that and then some; smaller tech firms and every other company looking to get a piece of eBay’s business will be flocking. It is plausible that the city’s new Innovation District has just been hijacked at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and High Street.

Assuming eBay’s PayPal Media Network takes a full 100,000 square feet of space, that will still leave International Place with roughly 800,000 square feet of vacant floor plans. That said, Chiofaro and Oatis now have the gravitas to take their leasing pitch to Waltham, Cambridge and even San Jose to recruit the very same fast-growing tech firms Menino so craves.

In the end, the mayor has nothing to be sad about: His city just received another solid vote of confidence from one of the biggest corporate tenants in the world. No, his problem is personal, having less to do with eBay’s long-term impact on the city and more to do with the deal’s who, what and where — Chiofaro and Oatis, a major tech employer moving to the neighborhood of its choice, and the delivery of an old-fashioned Heisman to his nascent Innovation District.
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Chiofaro might have just rebranded the RFK to the New Innovation District. You gotta love this city.
800,000 SquareFeet empty at IP? WOW

http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/b...-to-bostons-international-place.html?page=all
 
TheRifleman said:
Chiofaro might have just rebranded the RFK to the New Innovation District. You gotta love this city.
800,000 SquareFeet empty at IP? WOW
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Rif --- The last laugh is like "settled science" -- oxymoronic term -- there is only the most recent laugh

Menino might hit the next one into the seats and pull another big fish into the SPID.

For example -- Apple is rumoured to be interested in a presence in the area -- could be Cambridge, could be DTX, could be the SPID, could be International Place -- who knows
 
whighlander said:
Rif --- The last laugh is like "settled science" -- oxymoronic term -- there is only the most recent laugh

Menino might hit the next one into the seats and pull another big fish into the SPID.

For example -- Apple is rumoured to be interested in a presence in the area -- could be Cambridge, could be DTX, could be the SPID, could be International Place -- who knows
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The only difference is Chiofaro is using private money and Menino is spending the taxpayers MONEY. There is a big difference.

Also the writers are just making the story interesting, I don't think anybody really cares who does what.

I also said this before......without Tax Breaks the Seaport does not really offer anything attractive besides the Silverline, which is far from what efficient Transporation Grid that Cambridge, IP or Downtown offers these perspective tenants.

If I was a perspective tenant I would rather be closer to the Greenway walking distance to the North End, MBTA (hardrails) Downtown, Boston Common. Then walking from the Seaport District.
 
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TheRifleman said:
The only difference is Chiofaro is using private money and Menino is spending the taxpayers MONEY. There is a big difference.

Also the writers are just making the story interesting, I don't think anybody really cares who does what.

I also said this before......without Tax Breaks the Seaport does not really offer anything attractive besides the Silverline, which is far from what efficient Transporation Grid that Cambridge, IP or Downtown offers these perspective tenants.
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Rif -- try a Google Map and stop firing without cleaning out the barrel

How about one of the best transportation access nexii in the Northeast if not the entire US -- right there

There being D St from Seaport Blvd to and Congress or Summer St.

I-90 -- West and Logan
I-93 S and SW via I-95
I-93 North and East

and yes the Silver Line to South Station, Amtrak and the Red Line & Purple Lines to the rest of Boston

When you couple the above impressive transportation access to the huge amounts of almost empty / under-used land -- you have a guarantee of development -- the only question is what kind of development
 
whighlander said:
Rif -- try a Google Map and stop firing without cleaning out the barrel

How about one of the best transportation access nexii in the Northeast if not the entire US -- right there

There being D St from Seaport Blvd to and Congress or Summer St.

I-90 -- West and Logan
I-93 S and SW via I-95
I-93 North and East

and yes the Silver Line to South Station, Amtrak and the Red Line & Purple Lines to the rest of Boston

When you couple the above impressive transportation access to the huge amounts of almost empty / under-used land -- you have a guarantee of development -- the only question is what kind of development
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I'm not only talking about transporation access, how about accessible foot traffic. Walking to areas that are very vibrant which make the area very appealing.
Walking around the Seaport is like walking around 128 Suburban office park near the water. For Example: Seaport looks like a better version of a 15 New England Executive Park in Burlington Ma on the water with some nice real cool restaurants.

Compared to locations like RKG, Cambridge, or Downtown. As a fellow techie I would prefer Union Square over Seaport at this point. Much more Unique in character to grow a company.

Lets have a vote--What is the best location in the city right now if the price was same by per Square foot
#1 RKG
#2 Downtown
#3 Seaport (such a cool name) But was rebranded to INNOVATION DISTRICT
#4 Cambridge

At this point I would want to grow my company on the #1RKG. The location is priceless.
 
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Company's deciding to move are not necessarily looking at what is there today. They are planning ahead. If they see a future in the seaport district, that matches what they want to be their future, or if they feel like they have a chance to help mold that district into the future the envision. They may choose the 128 on the water you describe as they see the potential of this area to be much better than some of the alternatives.

At this point in time, every new major tenant or building constrcuted has the potential to drastically change the seaport whereas they would not make a dent in the existing downtown environment.
 
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