Volpe Transportation Center Development | Kendall Sq | Cambridge

bigpicture7 said:
Very cool. And sorry I perpetuated the miscommunication. The Elkus buildings get the job done, but making biotech buildings interesting is quite the challenge, and IMHO they haven't conquered that challenge (but perhaps they weren't commissioned to either...)

In any case:
Thanks for sharing these awesome SOM examples!
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Sans the 3rd one, those are some pretty futuristic looking buildings!
 
Get it while it's fresh! Using an existing SOM project layered onto the Volpe site:

sewnW2L.jpg
 
^^^ At 240m that's essentially a Hancock in Kendall.
 
My understanding was that SOM is on board for the new DOT building. That doesn't mean that they'll design anything else on the site...
 
JumboBuc said:
My understanding was that SOM is on board for the new DOT building. That doesn't mean that they'll design anything else on the site...
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They probably won't. MIT's been using a lot of Elkus and CBT elsewhere in Kendall.
 
Recently, at least in Boston, people have been more the problem. less the architects.

JumboBuc said:
My understanding was that SOM is on board for the new DOT building. That doesn't mean that they'll design anything else on the site...
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Is the ugly brown transportation building getting the wrecking ball?
 
Equilibria said:
They probably won't. MIT's been using a lot of Elkus and CBT elsewhere in Kendall.
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They seem to mix it up.

Elkus did 610 Main street (North & South) & is currently designing the NoMA building.
Jacobs (formerly Kling) did 300 Mass. Ave.
Wilson Architects did MIT.Nano.
SoMA is a mix of architects with Perkins + Will as master plan architect, plus doing 2 of the buildings as AOR.
(Elkus is architect for the "future" building 2, P+W is building 3, NADAA/P+W is building 4, Weiss/Manfredi is building 5, & nARCHITECTS is building 6.)
Novartis is not really an MIT building, but on their property, so I won't count that.

My guess would be somehting similar to SoMA at Volpe. A master plan architect, with different architects on the buildings. Each playing to their strengths.

This is smart for a number of reasons. Allows teams to focus on their individual building and not spread themselves too thin. Allows for schedules to run concurrently much better. And, the having architects/engineers who can play to their strengths on each building is key as well when there is a mix of uses.
 
As a guide, MIT will turn to the city’s rezoning proposal for the Volpe Center based on the extensive, Cambridge-led Kendall Square Central Square (“K2C2”) planning study.
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http://news.mit.edu/2017/agreement-redevelop-volpe-center-kendall-square-0118

KC2 puts Volpe in a 250'-300' zone.

How likely is MIT going to push against that?

Also, as mentioned previously, MIT is in it for the long haul - MITIMCo's explicit goal is long-term growth. This could be, in large part, a defensive move by MIT to control the destiny of their neighborhood. I agree that We may not see any changes here (besides the new fed building) for a long time.
 
34f34f said:
http://news.mit.edu/2017/agreement-redevelop-volpe-center-kendall-square-0118

KC2 puts Volpe in a 250'-300' zone.

How likely is MIT going to push against that?

Also, as mentioned previously, MIT is in it for the long haul - MITIMCo's explicit goal is long-term growth. This could be, in large part, a defensive move by MIT to control the destiny of their neighborhood. I agree that We may not see any changes here (besides the new fed building) for a long time.
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While MIT is in it for the long term, space in Kendall is in incredibly high demand RIGHT NOW. You have asking rents that are through the roof, and many players who want to locate there simply cannot find space. Cambridge will lose companies to Boston if they don't accelerate development here. (Pretty strong argument for MITIMCo.)

Why would you delay development in this climate?
 
JeffDowntown said:
Why would you delay development in this climate?
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What's the holdup with their 4 tower project on the other side of Main Street? Boston/Cambridge are the king and queen of delaying development and missing the open windows.
 
DZH22 said:
What's the holdup with their 4 tower project on the other side of Main Street?
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There is no hold-up - that entire two blocks from Carleton to Wadsworth streets, bounded by Amherst and Main - is a very active construction zone as we speak. Primarily utilities re-routing and existing structures demo at this point, but progress nonetheless. Yeah it took them a short while to get the re-zoning approved by Cambridge, but it has been steady progress ever since.
 
bigpicture7 said:
There is no hold-up - that entire two blocks from Carleton to Wadsworth streets, bounded by Amherst and Main - is a very active construction zone as we speak. Primarily utilities re-routing and existing structures demo at this point, but progress nonetheless. Yeah it took them a short while to get the re-zoning approved by Cambridge, but it has been steady progress ever since.
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I think the only reason we haven't seen a few of the buildings go up (the ones that are not on top of the garage) is that they're still waiting for final approval from the city on a few of the building designs (although the overall plan, heights, etc. have been approved).
 
Buildings 2, 3, & 4 at SoMA are in different stages of design, and are all on top of the garage.
Building 6 is the only one that is not on top of the garage that could start being built now if the design was done. But, it's a little two storey building anyways.
Building 2 is future, and cannot happen until the residential tower is demo'd.

Between buildings 3 & 5, there will be 640,000 sf of leaseable space. Lab/office in 3 and all office in 5.

That's a nice chunk of space, but not enough to cover what is needed.

Hopefully they move fairly quickly on Volpe to add more sf to the area, but it's doubtful it'll move faster than SoMA has.

There is a fair amount of sf being added at the MXD project that BP has coming down the pike as well. Northpoint is ready to go on their lab/office buildings it sounds like as well. The Kendall shuttles may make those seem closer than they are to local companies.

I would love to see Volpe push for more height/density of course. It's location is closer to Kendall than many of the other hot spots in East Cambridge, it's bordered by some decent residential already. Could really help make Kendall a real neighborhood finally. But, I think to get the residential on site, without sacrificing office/lab space, they need to be able to build high in my estimation.
 
I know that it is in design, and RGV is doing the engineering.
I won't talk to those guys until early February,so not sure where they are at in the design.
AFAIK they should be able to start building quickly on that one, as there is no new garage under it.
 
SeamusMcFly said:
Building 2 is future, and cannot happen until the residential tower is demo'd.
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Do you know when this demo is supposed to happen? I'm assuming they need to have a replacement built before taking down 30 stories of grad school housing? (still kills me, how do you tear down the tallest and slimmest building in the city?!?!?!)
 
SeamusMcFly said:
Agreed on the sentiments.

This is from the PUD Special Permit Application

The Academic Graduate Housing and childcare facility are being moved from Building Parcel 2 (E55) to Building 4. The Graduate Housing will increase in size from 201 units to approximately 450 units.
https://kendallsquare.mit.edu/sites/default/files/documents/2015_727_SoMa_PUDSpecialPermit.pdf

So, I'd assume once building 4 is up, Eastgate can come down.
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Yes, that is exactly the plan. They keep stressing this endlessly in all the community meetings since everyone is scared about the impact of demo-ing Eastgate without a replacement.
 
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