South Station Tower | South Station Air Rights | Downtown

I hope the state gets smart and makes the developers disrupt traffic for all projects at one time. Last year, Pike traffic was disrupted for construction and now its going to again for the air rights project and then for the rebuild. Why can't all construction be done simultaneously rather than torture commuters over a multi year period?

The plan was to have the Parcel 12, 13, and 15 projects all disrupt simultaneously, before the 1000 Boylston developer canceled and blew up the plan. I don't know whether Fenway Center and Parcel 12 will still be synchronized, much less the Viola at Parcel 13, but there has been attention paid to this before.

As a more general point: life in a dynamic city means constant disruption somewhere. MassDOT is also reconfiguring the I-90/I-495 Interchange in the next couple of years for those out that way, and that will be disruptive. GLX is very disruptive. The Charles Circle work will be disruptive, followed hopefully by the also-disruptive Red Blue Connector. Hub on Causeway has been disruptive at North Station.

You're either disrupting or stagnating. Fortunately, Boston is starting to disrupt itself for long-term benefit.
 
kmp1284's statement is very reasonable, however, because both South Station and the Pike carry commuters largely from the West & South West. Creating delays in both at once will exacerbate issues for the same commuting population, as opposed to (i.e.) the Allston work being done at the same time as a project at North Station.

For the most part, they are distantly different commuters, especially those from the South. I really believe that the SST project will have minimal impact. The Mass Pike project, unfortunately, could be a commuter hell.
 
Two takeaways from that presentation:

- The platform circulation space will actually increase during construction. The Globe needs to stop scaring people.
- I don't mind this building, but jeez, could we at least have considered the architect from Toronto? (It's WilkinsonEyre - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIBC_Square).

FWIW, I've always appreciated that the last render there includes window shades and less-than-ideal lighting. It's probably pretty close to a real prediction.
 
Rendering just released of what it will really look like.
30887-FA7-0-E48-493-E-808-D-F576056-A3-C03 2.jpg
 
I wonder which tower people will end up liking better, between this one and Winthrop Square. They're both chunky and clunky in their own ways, that's for sure. It's like a hallmark of mixed used buildings to look a little bit messy. I do expect quality cladding out of both towers, which has really been a saving grace for Boston at the skyline level, especially compared to some other booming cities. (examples Toronto, Miami, Seattle, Austin, Vancouver, Montreal, Los Angeles.... specifically the residential boom components)
 
^^^You have a lot of your heights wrong but I share the sentiment for sure.

What's crazy is that if this building was built in 2015 it would have been Boston's 3rd tallest, but by the time it's up it will only be 6th!
 
I think One Congress is the biggest game changer in terms of street level and the skyline. It will really bring the west end and downtown together to make it look like one continuous cluster. Taking in to account what was there before and the development as a whole, it really is amazing.
 
^^^Nice list, it's going to be a huge difference going from 614' in THIRD place to 677' in SIXTH place. The skyline is "leveling up" right in front of us.

I do have 1 point of contention. #14 is NOT another building and will never count as another building. The second wing appears to be fully connected for 25 floors. It doesn't matter that they split off after that point, even though they still have the glass bridge connections. Fully sharing the first 25 floors means it's the same building. If you want to think that you are providing us with the most accurate information possible, then cut it out already.
 
Last edited:
Oh look we're posting lists of buildings again. Can the mods start aggregating these posts somewhere and get us back on track?
 
all "large scale development projects" which created services and features you and others who "live in or spend considerable amounts of time in Boston" appreciate and make use of on a regular basis -- the subway; the infill and land reclamation that created haymarket, the south end, back bay, the west end, etc.; the big dig; *any* multi-use/public-use development (public garden, emerald necklace, the pike); *any* large common-use development (fenway park, symphony hall, td garden, MFA, prudential center) -- caused some degree of inconvenience during their times of development/construction.

so what's your take, here? so long as developments that you make use of and appreciate were constructed and dealt with before you lived in town and had to worry about a potential wrinkle to your commute-time, then you're cool with it -- but if you may have to budget your train ride to work differently for a couple years in order to create something that will greatly enhance the public good for decades to come, then it's an intollerable offense?

entitled much?

There’s a big difference between major public works projects like the filling of the Back Bay, Big Dig, etc. that have benefited the entire city and region and a clunky and generic office tower marring one of Boston’s best buildings from an architectural standpoint with the ancillary "benefits" being years of inconvenienced commuters and residents and a congestion-inducing parking garage and a bus terminal that'll probably smell like piss within six months of opening.
 
I agree, it will be a toss-up between the forthcoming 4, 600-700 footers:
  • One Congress
  • South Station Tower
  • Winthrop Square Tower
  • Harbor Tower
So far this one is probably my second favorite after One Congress, I appreciate what it will do to the skyline and the ground level effect it will have on Atlantic. Maybe finally a further link between South End and Downtown? Or... more of a connection! Very pleased to see this with the smaller buildings behind it.

Also just take a second to realize how much better Boston will be on a street level in 2025. We have so many projects coming forth and developing now that the city will truly be a world-class city in my opinion. I love the different types of heights across the new developments, its such a diverse range of buildings and towers!
  • Parcel 12, Car Guru (2022) ~260ft
  • Fenway Center (2022) ~360ft
  • Kenmore Square Hotel (2023) ~320ft
  • Kenmore Square Initiative (2021) ~150ft
  • BU Data Science Center (2021) ~400ft?
  • Parcel 13 Hotel (2025 or possibly later) ~150ft
  • Raffles Hotel (2024) ~449ft
  • La Grange (2022) 212ft
  • Bay Village Apartment (2021) 228ft
  • Post Office Square Makeover (2022)
  • Winthrop Square Tower (2022) 691ft
  • South Station Tower (2024) 677ft
  • South Station Condo (2025) 350ft
  • South Station Office (2025?) 250ft
  • Harbor Tower Garage (2025?) 600ft
  • One Sudbury (2020) 547ft
  • One Congress (2022) 647ft
  • Federal Street Building Redesign
  • Winthrop Third Tower (2023?) ~350ft
  • Residential Causeway (2019) ~500ft
  • Verizon Tower Causeway (2020) ~550ft
  • The Alcott (2021) ~485ft
  • Government Center Development and Beautification (Ongoing?)
  • Haymarket Square Hotel (2021)
  • Dock Square Garage (2022?)
  • Echelon Seaport (2020) ~270ft
  • St. Regis Tower Seaport (2022) ~250ft
  • Hyatt Parcel H Seaport (2020) ~185ft
  • WTC Pier Revitalization (2023?)
  • 88 Seaport (2023) ~200ft
  • Mass Mutual Seaport (2021) ~250ft
  • Amazon Tower (2021) ~250ft
  • Parcel P Seaport (2021) ~250ft
  • Fort Point Channel Building, Former GE (2025) 275ft
  • South End Flower Exchange (2022) 300ft+
  • Ink Block Part 2 (2022) 275ft
  • Harrison Street Office (2021) 200-250ft
  • All other South End Projects
  • Cambridge Crossing Developments
  • Assembly Square Developments
  • East Boston Waterfront Developments
  • Dorchester/Morrisey Blvd Master Plan
  • Harvard Expansions
  • Google Tower Cambridge
  • MxD Tower Cambridge
  • Volpe Redesign and Build
  • SoMa Buildings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

I mean that's probably not even 75% of all projects currently under construction, but you get the idea. I don't think Boston has ever had something this extreme. South Station Tower will definitely be something that will ultimately transform Boston.
Massachoicetts --- first Boston / Cambridge is already a World City -- irrespective of its architecture or its skyline

2nd -- the key to this cycle of major construction is that its dispersed -- prior to this cycle all of the major construction was concentrated either in the old Fin District or the Back Bay "High Spine" with the exception of government [e.g. Middlesex County Courthouse, U.S. Courthouse, etc.] or Institutions mostly U's and Hospitals

This time in addition to the usual places -- we have legitimate major projects [typically significantly tall] in Somerville, Cambridge [Kendall, Crossing, Alewife and even Central Sq.], South Boston Seaport, Fenway / Kenmore [not counting Longwood Medical], South End, Alston-Brighton and soon some in East Boston [e.g harbor edge, Suffolk]. Due to the tapping of untapped-potential developeable areas major construction has been happening most anywhere imaginable and some places beyond the "typically imaginable" such as Dorchester and Roxbury. Finally -- we are seeing another major increment of construction which is transportation related at Logan, North Station and soon perhaps also at South Station and Back Bay Station.

Just to put it in context: Enjoy the Cranes and the large variety of projects -- We may not see a similar amount of major construction for a very long time to come.
 
There’s a big difference between major public works projects like the filling of the Back Bay, Big Dig, etc. that have benefited the entire city and region and a clunky and generic office tower marring one of Boston’s best buildings from an architectural standpoint with the ancillary "benefits" being years of inconvenienced commuters and residents and a congestion-inducing parking garage and a bus terminal that'll probably smell like piss within six months of opening.
Kmp -- where would you place the Hub on Causeway? -- a lot of construction with some amount of inconvenience to commuters -- yet there are clear benefits to someone using North Station. In addition it improves the overall area in many many ways.

How about the proposed improvements coming with the proposed towers at Back Bay Station??

The projects with which you seemed enamored were all Taxpayer funded projects. When the lobby area for the Tower @ South Station is completed -- it will reduce the cost substantially of the eventual expansion of South Station which will have to be paid for by Taxpayers -- does that cut through your filter??
 
I agree, it will be a toss-up between the forthcoming 4, 600-700 footers:
  • One Congress
  • South Station Tower
  • Winthrop Square Tower
  • Harbor Tower
So far this one is probably my second favorite after One Congress, I appreciate what it will do to the skyline and the ground level effect it will have on Atlantic. Maybe finally a further link between South End and Downtown? Or... more of a connection! Very pleased to see this with the smaller buildings behind it.

Also just take a second to realize how much better Boston will be on a street level in 2025. We have so many projects coming forth and developing now that the city will truly be a world-class city in my opinion. I love the different types of heights across the new developments, its such a diverse range of buildings and towers!
  • Parcel 12, Car Guru (2022) ~260ft
  • Fenway Center (2022) ~360ft
  • Kenmore Square Hotel (2023) ~320ft
  • Kenmore Square Initiative (2021) ~150ft
  • BU Data Science Center (2021) ~400ft?
  • Parcel 13 Hotel (2025 or possibly later) ~150ft
  • Raffles Hotel (2024) ~449ft
  • La Grange (2022) 212ft
  • Bay Village Apartment (2021) 228ft
  • Post Office Square Makeover (2022)
  • Winthrop Square Tower (2022) 691ft
  • South Station Tower (2024) 677ft
  • South Station Condo (2025) 350ft
  • South Station Office (2025?) 250ft
  • Harbor Tower Garage (2025?) 600ft
  • One Sudbury (2020) 547ft
  • One Congress (2022) 647ft
  • Federal Street Building Redesign
  • Winthrop Third Tower (2023?) ~350ft
  • Residential Causeway (2019) ~500ft
  • Verizon Tower Causeway (2020) ~550ft
  • The Alcott (2021) ~485ft
  • Government Center Development and Beautification (Ongoing?)
  • Haymarket Square Hotel (2021)
  • Dock Square Garage (2022?)
  • Echelon Seaport (2020) ~270ft
  • St. Regis Tower Seaport (2022) ~250ft
  • Hyatt Parcel H Seaport (2020) ~185ft
  • WTC Pier Revitalization (2023?)
  • 88 Seaport (2023) ~200ft
  • Mass Mutual Seaport (2021) ~250ft
  • Amazon Tower (2021) ~250ft
  • Parcel P Seaport (2021) ~250ft
  • Fort Point Channel Building, Former GE (2025) 275ft
  • South End Flower Exchange (2022) 300ft+
  • Ink Block Part 2 (2022) 275ft
  • Harrison Street Office (2021) 200-250ft
  • All other South End Projects
  • Cambridge Crossing Developments
  • Assembly Square Developments
  • East Boston Waterfront Developments
  • Dorchester/Morrisey Blvd Master Plan
  • Harvard Expansions
  • Google Tower Cambridge
  • MxD Tower Cambridge
  • Volpe Redesign and Build
  • SoMa Buildings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

I mean that's probably not even 75% of all projects currently under construction, but you get the idea. I don't think Boston has ever had something this extreme. South Station Tower will definitely be something that will ultimately transform Boston.

Even more reason why the city is royally fukked if the B-RC and NSRL aren’t going to be done.
 

Back
Top