The Hub on Causeway (née TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

datadyne007 said:
The podium is what the BCDC rejected. This project is a total no go. I think the construction vehicles were wishful thinking. Their contracts are likely being cancelled as we speak.
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What about the garage expansion? That has been approved by the BRA, no? Couldn't they hypothetically start excavation for that or does an underground garage need BCDC approval too?
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

palindrome said:
What about the garage expansion? That has been approved by the BRA, no? Couldn't they hypothetically start excavation for that or does an underground garage need BCDC approval too?
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But they would take on the massive financial risk of expanding the garage without approval for the revenues that are supposed to pay for expanding the garage.
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

A couple of things could be happening here. They may be redesigning the podium to resubmit to BCDC or they may be going back to the BRA Board to approve the project notwithstanding the BCDC rejection. BCDC does not necessarily have the final word. Under the applicable zoning, the BRA Board or the Mayor can approve the project and its design notwithstanding the BCDC rejection. Section 28-15 of the Boston Zoning Code provides:

In the event that two-thirds (2/3) of those members of the Design Commission that do not have a conflict of interest, as provided for by Section 28-17, after following the deliberative process outlined in Section 28-14, vote to disapprove the schematic design of a project or vote to disapprove proposed District Design Guidelines, the Boston Redevelopment Authority, or where appropriate the Mayor, shall require a redesign of such project or redrafting of such guidelines, unless the Boston Redevelopment Authority, by a vote of its Board, or the Mayor decides to approve the project's design or the proposed guidelines. In such an event, the Design Commission shall receive a written explanation of the basis of such approval.
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It is unusual for the BRA Board to approve a design rejected by BCDC, but it is not unprecedented. Of one thing I am quite sure: this project is not dead.
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

Mongo said:
But they would take on the massive financial risk of expanding the garage without approval for the revenues that are supposed to pay for expanding the garage.
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would it really be such a massive financial risk though? Garden events parking is $45, and something extremely similar will be built here eventually. The Garden Garage is shooting to be torn down next year, and Government Center Garage to follow some day.
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

BCDC rejection - shocking; I figured design review was dead, dead, dead in this city given projects such as the building that replaced the home for the little wanderers or repeated inattention to activation of the ground floor streetscape for many large new buildings throughout downtown boston. Unless we're just in the dark about the typical outcomes of BCDC reviews, what irony that they would choose to flex their muscles on this project of all the projects!
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

bigeman312 said:
This rejection is maddening. The amount of parking spaces per residence/office near one of our downtown train hubs is pathetic. At least One Canal, Avalon North Station, and Lovejoy Wharf are under construction. This is a missed opportunity, though. Hopefully this comes back bigger and better.
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Bigeman -- this is an architectural version of the Congress voting to reject a Bill and send it back to the committee -- where in the middle of the night a couple of lines on a couple of pages are changed and Lo and behold the Revised Bill is then approved

I fully expect the revisions to be approved within the next few months -- max -- No one wants to miss the window [or let the season change] for a project of this magnitude this close to starting

There is starting to appear hints of a global slowdown in various measures of economic activity -- notably China
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

^I hope you're right, Professor Westie.
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

This site is currently active and there are construction vehicles tearing up the old parking lot.

axbVdaZ.jpg


Looks like BXP sees the current BCDC hang-up as only temporary, so they're going to get started on site prep with or without approval for a final building. If Fallon can build out a full three floors of underground parking before any above ground plans are finalized at One Harbor Shore Drive, I don't see why BPX can't get started on a little digging.
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

Harvard built out three? levels of underground parking for the Allston science complex, and then did a complete re-design of the building(s). Its very likely that any re-design of the podium will align with what's being built below grade.
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

It's upsetting that this is getting sent back to the drawing board for the lack of grandeur of an entrance and not because said entrance doesn't interface with local transit. I'm still not over the fact that an easy walkable connection between the commuter rail platforms and the T entrance wasn't a requirement.

The towers themselves don't look half bad and I'm not sure I see the complaint about the podium entrance.
 
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Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

The same B&T article quoted about the Congress Garage indicates that preliminary work is underway at the Garden site as well

That suggests that the delay for the redesign of the entrance is a minimal impediment

I agree that there should have been a stipulation that the rail and T be connected by at the minimum a weather protected link and ideally a fully integrated transportation complex

Boston should have demanded that just as you can take either the Orang T or CR or Amtrak to Back Bay and then use gerbil tubes and malls to connect with the Green Line at Pru -- the Garden towers should have linked the North Station T with North Station CR
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

CX0BPwf.jpg
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

This is huge!
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

It really is a thing of beauty to see these pieces of the puzzle finally being filled in while at the same time retaining the fabric that makes Boston what it is.
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

Podium and residential tower on the west side.
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

Boston02124 said:
So is this for just the base or is an actual tower being built? Will there be below ground parking or none?
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Not sure. I know they plan to expand the current garage by 800 spaces which would need to be done first so I assume it's that plus foundation work for the future
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

palindrome said:
CX0BPwf.jpg
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Palindrome -- the last time we saw such a piece of machinery in the same area was when it was atop the rubble pile that had once been da Gahhhhdn aka the Throne Room of King Raaaat
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

In all seriousness, has anyone seen in filings or plans where they will put the various broadcast tractor trailers and equipment for major events? How about the fleet of trailers for large concerts like U2? That was previously the staging area.
 
Re: The Boston Garden (TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

Semass said:
In all seriousness, has anyone seen in filings or plans where they will put the various broadcast tractor trailers and equipment for major events? How about the fleet of trailers for large concerts like U2? That was previously the staging area.
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I think they've moved them to the other side of the Garden, between it and the Zakim. You can see lots of trailers there from the Commuter Rail.
 
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