The New Residential Conversion Thread

BronsonShore said:
As long as we can also discuss why you're spectacularly rude.
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That goes without saying!

I'll also remember to bring along a printout of the PNF for the 101 Tremont project, which I just happened to check.... and noticed that it states (Section 1.3; boldface/italics mine):

"Once converted the building will include approximately 67,170-SF of dormitory space with approximately 8,938-SF of ground floor/below-grade retail/restaurant space (existing to remain)"

Finally, we can also certainly discuss how, given that Suffolk's 10 West St. dormitory opened in 2008, but the Back Deck restaurant at its base didn't open until 2012, then, Suffolk University actively recruited a bar to open at the base of one of its Downtown dormitories (instead of inheriting it from a prior landlord).

Cheers!
 
I hope your right and that Suffolk keeps a bit of vitality on the street. Contrast Emerson College which seems to have taken over and sanitized much of the Alley and Boylston St. There used to be a handful of bars/nightclubs there that have all but evaporated.
 
Fantastic, that would be great. If the Hook property high rise were allowed to go through and the Coast Guard wises up just a bit on their building, this little corner could be so much better. Northern Ave bridge redevelopment would put it over the top...
 
Justbuildit said:
Fantastic, that would be great. If the Hook property high rise were allowed to go through and the Coast Guard wises up just a bit on their building, this little corner could be so much better. Northern Ave bridge redevelopment would put it over the top...
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If you're referring to the parking lot, that isn't actually Coast Guard property. The facing walls of the building basically trace the property line, so the full width of the lot area (including sidewalks) is actually part of the Northern Ave right of way, and is owned by the city.
 
I'm referring to 408 Atlantic, just south of the former Goulston and Storrs building.

www.gsa.gov

Captain John F. Williams Coast Guard Building

Location, hours of operation, and additional info for the Captain John F. Williams Coast Guard Building.
www.gsa.gov www.gsa.gov

It traces its roots back to customs/seizure activities during the Channel's heyday, and has required a bunch of upkeep as it was transitioned from warehouse to office building. Seems like a great little parcel for the GSA to make a smart sale and consolidate with some of the other feds somewhere. It's a fantasy, but connecting Rowes Wharf down to South Station with lively offices, hotels, and residential would add a ton to the waterfront.
 

Public Process for Redevelopment of Our Lady’s Guild House gets Underway​


“The public process for the redevelopment of the Our Lady’s Guild House in Kenmore Square is now officially underway.

Per the filing of a SPRA (Small Project Review Application) with the city on Aug. 26, Fenway CDC (Community Development Corporation) and the Planning Office for Urban Affairs – a nonprofit established by the Archdiocese of Boston -intend to completely renovate and modernize the six-story, 140-room lodging house at 20 Charlesgate West to convert it into an 86-unit rental building. The proposed unit mix will comprise will include 22 enhanced, permanent, supportive-housing Single Room Occupancy (“SRO”) apartments, 45 studio apartments, and 19 one-bedroom apartments, along with a community room with a kitchen and storage, an office, lounge, laundry facilities, other ancillary spaces, and bicycle parking…..”

https://thebostonsun.com/2024/09/05...pment-of-our-ladys-guild-house-gets-underway/

OURLADYsc001.jpg
 

Berklee Gets Green Light for Reno to Vacant Fenway Office​

“Berklee has leased the vacant, 3-story, 40K SF square feet building at 1249 Boylston Street. Approved plans now call for renovations to convert all three floors of the building, plus the basement level, into academic space with 1,800 ± square feet of the ground floor space also used for retail use.”

1249 boylston


https://www.bldup.com/posts/berklee-gets-green-light-for-reno-to-vacant-fenway-office
 

West End Office to Resi Conversion Gets Green Light​

“Located in the West End, the 129 Portland Street project is part of the City’s Office to Residential Conversion Incentive PILOT program. This project will renovate the existing building to create 25 new residential units, including five income-restricted units. These will be a mix of studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments. The currently vacant ground floor retail space will be renovated, and the building will also include a bike storage room on site.”

129 portland


https://www.bldup.com/posts/west-end-office-to-resi-conversion-gets-green-light
 
stick n move said:

Berklee Gets Green Light for Reno to Vacant Fenway Office​

“Berklee has leased the vacant, 3-story, 40K SF square feet building at 1249 Boylston Street. Approved plans now call for renovations to convert all three floors of the building, plus the basement level, into academic space with 1,800 ± square feet of the ground floor space also used for retail use.”

1249 boylston


https://www.bldup.com/posts/berklee-gets-green-light-for-reno-to-vacant-fenway-office
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This is great, Stick, but I'm not seeing this project description as "new residential conversion".

.
 

LOI Filed Fort Point Office to Resi Conversion​

1727282034292.jpeg


“A Letter of Intent has been filed for the redevelopment of 263 Summer Street in Fort Point. The developer will renovate the existing 63,000-square-foot building to feature 77 apartments with 7,620 square feet of retail space. 15 of the units will be income-restricted to applicants earning no more than 60% of AMI. The project is being planned under the City's new office to residential conversion incentive pilot program.”

https://www.bldup.com/posts/loi-filed-fort-point-office-to-resi-conversion
 
The amount of conversions really seems to be picking up a lot of steam, its great to see. Its much harder to convert the office towers, but these low rise brick offices are perfect. This should make them more valuable as well and less likely to be replaced with something else compared to if they had stayed as lower tier office buildings that werent selling. Plus all of these conversions are going to add tons more foot traffic to areas affected by the pandemic. Big win.
 
stick n move said:
The amount of conversions really seems to be picking up a lot of steam, its great to see. Its much harder to convert the office towers, but these low rise brick offices are perfect. This should make them more valuable as well and less likely to be replaced with something else compared to if they had stayed as lower tier office buildings that werent selling. Plus all of these conversions are going to add tons more foot traffic to areas affected by the pandemic. Big win.
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This one is pretty much the poster child for the type of building that is relatively straightforward to convert. Smaller floor plates and very high window wall to floor area ratio. Also a great area for more residential.
 
Boston's lament of "But the floor plates!" seems to be unheard in NYC as they are converting plenty of 1960's+ era office towers per the EXCELLENT Bloomberg.com City Lab section (one of scores of sections on Bloomberg and even by itself is worth the annual overall $149/yr subscription ):

I can't link to it beyond the paywall but here are some clips:

Goldman’s Old Headquarters Turned Into $4,000-a-Month Apartments​

.......Starting Monday, New Yorkers can lease an apartment in the former headquarters of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. at 55 Broad St., where it was based from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. Across the street, in those days, were the offices of Drexel Burnham Lambert, while up the road stood the grand homes for Bank of America Corp. and what was then J.P. Morgan & Co.

It’s a different scene today. The financial industry’s grip on the neighborhood is long gone, and the pandemic accelerated the shift. A New York Sports Club that just a few years ago was filled with banker bros is now an indoor playground for young families, while a Serafina restaurant occupies what was previously a men’s suit store. Now, anybody with $4,000 a month can live in the very space Gus Levy cemented Goldman’s legacy as a trading powerhouse......

".....The financial district has evolved into “a 24/7 area,” said Nathan Berman, chief executive officer of Metro Loft Development, one of the developers on the project. “It used to be the consolation prize, now it’s a destination for people and a very reliable neighborhood.”.....

"......Hallways with bathrooms, closets and Bosch washer and dryers snake through the spaces to reach the windowed living areas. On the lower floors, which have larger floor plates, the apartments will include windowless home offices facing the building’s interior, geared toward professionals who work at least part-time from home...." (so NYC has found a way to "yes" instead of the automatic Boston "No")

".....Further north, Metro Loft’s conversion of Pfizer Inc.’s former headquarters on East 42nd Street is underway. They expect it to be New York’s largest office-to-residential conversion when complete, with about 1 million square feet transformed into 1,500 rentals........"
 

Office to Hotel Conversion in Bulfinch Triangle Gets Green Light​

“Rhino Capital Advisors has won approval to convert the vacant office building at 110 Canal Street to 82 hotel rooms. The restaurant space on the first floor will be maintained. There is currently a surface parking lot on site as well. Due to ongoing City planning efforts to further pedestrianize Canal Street, the developer and the future operator of the hotel space will continue to coordinate with various City Departments, including the Planning Department, to consider eliminating the existing parking lot to close the Canal Street curb cut and repurpose this space for a better use.”

canal


https://www.bldup.com/posts/office-to-hotel-conversion-in-bulfinch-triangle-gets-green-light
 
Re: the above - this is pretty exciting - Canal Street is perfect for a slew of hotels - - this can enliven and affect a real sports/concert nightlife center for TD Garden.

Also, it is smack dab next to a taller and new hotel proposal at 104 Canal (on the corner):

104 Canal Street Hotel Development | Bostonplans.org

Development Projects and Planned Development Areas (PDAs) that the Development Review division is coordinating.
www.bostonplans.org www.bostonplans.org

This is the current Google pic of 110 Canal Street and the small surface parking lot adjacent that seems to be about to be reimaged:

www.google.com

Street View · Google Maps

Explore a place in a more immersive way in Google Maps.
www.google.com www.google.com
 
shmessy said:
Re: the above - this is pretty exciting - Canal Street is perfect for a slew of hotels - - this can enliven and affect a real sports/concert nightlife center for TD Garden.

Also, it is smack dab next to a taller and new hotel proposal at 104 Canal (on the corner):

104 Canal Street Hotel Development | Bostonplans.org

Development Projects and Planned Development Areas (PDAs) that the Development Review division is coordinating.
www.bostonplans.org www.bostonplans.org

This is the current Google pic of 110 Canal Street and the small surface parking lot adjacent that seems to be about to be reimaged:

www.google.com

Street View · Google Maps

Explore a place in a more immersive way in Google Maps.
www.google.com www.google.com
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The only problem with lots of hotels on Canal Street is it pushes back against any attempt to pedestrianize the street.
 
JeffDowntown said:
The only problem with lots of hotels on Canal Street is it pushes back against any attempt to pedestrianize the street.
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I'd be interested to hear the reasons for that? Are you talking about making it more sidewalk oriented or actually fully closing the street off to any vehicles as in playoff game time?
 
shmessy said:
I'd be interested to hear the reasons for that? Are you talking about making it more sidewalk oriented or actually fully closing the street off to any vehicles as in playoff game time?
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I think the long term vision is closing the street off to cars (except perhaps delivery vehicles at restricted hours). Making is a true pedestrian zone.

Hotels want curb cuts for pick up / drop off by taxi and app service vehicles. They also have a ton of drop offs of food orders by vehicle. Those activities cannot be restricted to delivery vehicle hours, so hotels directly conflict with the redesign of the street as a pedestrian zone.
 
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