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Re: Fenway Area Redevelopment
Burger sellers on way out of new Fenway
By Casey Ross
Globe Staff / May 14, 2009
Baseball and burger joints seem to go together, but that won't necessarily be the case near Fenway Park, where developers are moving to replace two fast-food restaurants with upscale mixed-use developments.
The Burger King and McDonald's restaurants on Boylston Street may soon be leveled to help further efforts to create an "urban village" with wide sidewalks, new retail stores, and possibly a hotel and residences.
Developer William P. McQuillan, president of Boylston Properties, said he has a long-term option to build on the Burger King site and is considering a hotel with retail space, among other possibilities. He said there are too few overnight accommodations for the neighborhood, which draws many visitors to nearby colleges and medical facilities.
"The Longwood Medical Area is about as thriving a commercial neighborhood as any you'll find anywhere in the country. And they've needed hotel rooms for a while now," McQuillan said.
He was part of the team that built the nearby Trilogy apartment and retail complex.
A short distance down the street, Abbey Group is expected to soon take control of the McDonald's property, through a land swap with the current owners, the Boston Red Sox.
The team has agreed to level the eatery as part of the deal, but Abbey Group has not said specifically what it plans to build there. Company officials did not return calls seeking comment yesterday.
Abbey Group was behind the redevelopment of the former Sears, Roebuck and Co. building nearby. It's now the Landmark Center, a complex that's home to retailers, office tenants, movie theaters, and a health club.
In exchange for the McDonald's site, the Red Sox will gain control of a parking lot across from the ballpark at the corner of Van Ness Street and Yawkey Way. A spokeswoman for the team said the Van Ness site will continue to be used for parking in the near future but could eventually host development.
The redevelopment of the McDonald's and Burger King sites is part of a years-long effort to transform the area around Fenway Park into a 24-hour neighborhood with new stores, restaurants, and residences.
"The idea is to restore a Main Street feeling, where it's pleasant to walk up and down Boylston and enjoy an urban landscape," said Bill Richardson, president of Fenway Civic Association, a residents' group.
In 2004, the city approved zoning changes to encourage mixed-use development and the production of more affordable housing in the neighborhood.
The Boston Redevelopment Authority's director, John Palmieri, said yesterday that the city will continue to make the area more pedestrian-friendly. The Boston Transportation Department is also working on a plan to improve traffic flow in the area.
Efforts to revamp the streets around Fenway Park gained momentum with the 2006 opening of Trilogy and the recent completion of 1330 Boylston St., a $140 million complex that includes 215 residences, space for shops, and Fenway Community Health Center's new home, which houses offices, a pharmacy, and clinics.
The developer of the 1330 Boylston project, Steve Samuels, is planning another project at the former Goodyear tire center across Boylston Street. It may include a supermarket, ground-floor shops, and residences above. Yesterday, Samuels said he hopes to file formal building plans in coming months.
Any new development will have to wait for a rebound in lending, though. Commercial real estate projects have been stalled by a lack of financing for developments that need more than $50 million.
McQuillan said economic conditions, along with community input, will largely dictate the elements and timing of his project. "Everything is hard these days," he said. He expects to begin discussing his plans with Fenway residents and the BRA, the city's planning arm.
McQuillan, meanwhile, is delaying construction of a 117,000-square-foot research building at 121 Brookline Ave., a short distance from Fenway Park. He received approval to build in 2007 but has not signed a lead tenant.
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Burger sellers on way out of new Fenway
By Casey Ross
Globe Staff / May 14, 2009
Baseball and burger joints seem to go together, but that won't necessarily be the case near Fenway Park, where developers are moving to replace two fast-food restaurants with upscale mixed-use developments.
The Burger King and McDonald's restaurants on Boylston Street may soon be leveled to help further efforts to create an "urban village" with wide sidewalks, new retail stores, and possibly a hotel and residences.
Developer William P. McQuillan, president of Boylston Properties, said he has a long-term option to build on the Burger King site and is considering a hotel with retail space, among other possibilities. He said there are too few overnight accommodations for the neighborhood, which draws many visitors to nearby colleges and medical facilities.
"The Longwood Medical Area is about as thriving a commercial neighborhood as any you'll find anywhere in the country. And they've needed hotel rooms for a while now," McQuillan said.
He was part of the team that built the nearby Trilogy apartment and retail complex.
A short distance down the street, Abbey Group is expected to soon take control of the McDonald's property, through a land swap with the current owners, the Boston Red Sox.
The team has agreed to level the eatery as part of the deal, but Abbey Group has not said specifically what it plans to build there. Company officials did not return calls seeking comment yesterday.
Abbey Group was behind the redevelopment of the former Sears, Roebuck and Co. building nearby. It's now the Landmark Center, a complex that's home to retailers, office tenants, movie theaters, and a health club.
In exchange for the McDonald's site, the Red Sox will gain control of a parking lot across from the ballpark at the corner of Van Ness Street and Yawkey Way. A spokeswoman for the team said the Van Ness site will continue to be used for parking in the near future but could eventually host development.
The redevelopment of the McDonald's and Burger King sites is part of a years-long effort to transform the area around Fenway Park into a 24-hour neighborhood with new stores, restaurants, and residences.
"The idea is to restore a Main Street feeling, where it's pleasant to walk up and down Boylston and enjoy an urban landscape," said Bill Richardson, president of Fenway Civic Association, a residents' group.
In 2004, the city approved zoning changes to encourage mixed-use development and the production of more affordable housing in the neighborhood.
The Boston Redevelopment Authority's director, John Palmieri, said yesterday that the city will continue to make the area more pedestrian-friendly. The Boston Transportation Department is also working on a plan to improve traffic flow in the area.
Efforts to revamp the streets around Fenway Park gained momentum with the 2006 opening of Trilogy and the recent completion of 1330 Boylston St., a $140 million complex that includes 215 residences, space for shops, and Fenway Community Health Center's new home, which houses offices, a pharmacy, and clinics.
The developer of the 1330 Boylston project, Steve Samuels, is planning another project at the former Goodyear tire center across Boylston Street. It may include a supermarket, ground-floor shops, and residences above. Yesterday, Samuels said he hopes to file formal building plans in coming months.
Any new development will have to wait for a rebound in lending, though. Commercial real estate projects have been stalled by a lack of financing for developments that need more than $50 million.
McQuillan said economic conditions, along with community input, will largely dictate the elements and timing of his project. "Everything is hard these days," he said. He expects to begin discussing his plans with Fenway residents and the BRA, the city's planning arm.
McQuillan, meanwhile, is delaying construction of a 117,000-square-foot research building at 121 Brookline Ave., a short distance from Fenway Park. He received approval to build in 2007 but has not signed a lead tenant.
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