Winthrop Center | 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

Updates to parking garage operator

I can't find the other posts about this - somewhere on our forum is a different about this ... I dunno.

So, one of the issues about the Winthrop Street Garage is that the current operator only gives the city several thousands dollars a year, even though it takes in over $2.5 million, annually (correct my figures, if necessary).

This ran on Boston.com in mid-June:

Seven parking management companies responded to the Boston Redevelopment Authority's request for bids to operate the aging city-owned Winthrop Square parking garage, site of a proposed 85-story skyscraper by businessman Steve Belkin, owner of Trans National Properties. A BRA spokeswoman said an operator would be selected by July 1 and would share revenue with the city under a one-year contract, with options to renew for three more years while Belkin develops plans. Mayor Thomas M. Menino has said he would use the revenue to support the Boston Housing Authority, which the city says is underfunded by the federal government. The Boston Municipal Research Bureau last week called for a public process to determine how proceeds from the increased parking fees and money from the sale of the garage will be spent. (Thomas C. Palmer Jr.)
Click to expand...
This ran on Boston.com on 7/2 (although not in the Globe, apparently):

The city of Boston has selected Network Parking Co. Ltd. as the new parking facility operator for the Winthrop Square garage.

In downtown Boston, businessman Steve Belkin, owner of Trans
National Properties, is proposing to build a tall skyscraper on the site.

Last month, the Boston Redevelopment Authority, the city's planning agency, said that seven companies had bid to operate the garage.

The new lease with Network Parking will be for one year, with the
option to extend on a year-to-year basis for no more than three additional
years, but with a written 60-day cancellation clause, the city said.

Network Parking is an affiliate of Forest City Enterprises Inc., a real estate company headquartered in Cleveland, the city said.
Click to expand...

No word on the amount the new operator will be paying to the city.

This should deflect a bit of the criticism, although it still doesn't address the fact that Belkin has been able to lock up development rights, without putting up any money, disregarding the deadlines imposed in last year's RFP.
 
I work at 133 Federal St, and I was just talking to the some of the maintennace crew guys here who were doing some work on our floor. They work for TransNational (and are very nice guys too). Officially, everybody in the building is vacating by early spring 2008.

This building is being demolished in 2008.

Some companies have already left actually, and we will be relocating somewhere else on Federal St before the spring. According to one of the gentlemen, "Everything is going according to plan". Also, they speak very highly of their boss Mr. Belkin as well.
 
^^Please don't tell me you are joking. This is really exciting. However, if the building is already being set for demolition, does it mean that the tower is approved?
 
Yeah, it definitely made my day as well. Apperently Steve Belkin is in here a lot too, but I am pretty sure that I have never seen him.
 
However, if the building is already being set for demolition, does it mean that the tower is approved?
Click to expand...

The specific word "Approved" never came out of the gentleman's mouth. But he definitely said that "everything is going according plan." All of the tenants in the building know why it is that they are leaving as does the crew (obviously).

Although I was only about 15 when the old telephone building was demolished to make way for one of my favorites 125 High Street, the tower must have been approved by the time demolition occured.
 
Buildings can be demolished and the land converted to a parking lot. This often makes economic sense, particularly if you don't want to get into short-term leases or having to buyout longer leases, and you want to markedly reduce your property taxes even for a year or two.
 
Ya, let's just hope that the demolition is for Trans National Place and it is because it is approved! We'll just have to wait for official word in the papers or whatever.
 
San Francisco?s Supertall Revealed.

3 competing entries for Boston?s West Coast sister city...

1. Rogers, with Ratner. 82 stories, 1225 ft.

010.jpg


020.jpg


2. Pelli, 1200 ft.

030.jpg


033.jpg


036.jpg


3. SOM, 1375 ft. (!)

040.jpg


050.jpg


090.jpg


100.jpg

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.



Langniappe: Pelli in Hong Kong (photos by Meerkat, Wired New York).

140.jpg


180.jpg


200.jpg
 
Huh...is Pelli going for an identical second act?
 
The Rodgers/Ratner proposal is interesting. The red-orange on the facade and spires references both the Golden Gate and Sutro Tower.

Pelli's proposal is a retread of IFC in HK. Slick, but boring.

I'd like to see more of the SOM design. I looks like it's trying to one-up Thom Mayne's new Federal Building by extruding its grammar into the clouds.

We'd be lucky to get any of these in Boston.
 
czsz said:
Huh...is Pelli going for an identical second act?
Click to expand...

Third act -- don't forget about Goldman Sach's tower in Jersey City, and for that I find Pelli's SF proposal inexcusable. And this is coming from someone who's a fan of the guy's work.

I like SOM's design the best. It's very hip yet I think it would age well, plus the terminal looks great (reminiscent of Calatrava's WTC station before cost-cutting set in, i.e. less glass/more wall). Rogers' tower doesn't work well as a skyline-defining element, but it's got plenty of great ideas, and with some refinement I think it could be the best of the three, although I'm not crazy about that canary yellow terminal.
 
I've put some more info and links on the San Francisco tower in the Architecture and Urban Planning forum.

For those who want to applaud or hiss the competitors in the San Francisco tower, you can get a copy of the comment card here:

http://www.transbaycenter.org/TransBay/uploadedFiles/Project/tjpa_comment_card.pdf

and send it here:
D&DComment@transbaycenter.org

You must comment before September 17, 2007.

Comments from the public will be forwarded to the TJPA Board with the Jury?s recommendation at the September 20, 2007 Board Meeting.
[TJPA is Transbay Joint Powers Authority and substitutes in San Francisco for Mayor Menino.]
 
that's great for San Fran, but what is the status of Trans National? It seems like everything has been awfully quiet.
 
This is the time for all the technical stuff that isn't that exciting.
 
Ya, I haven't heard any news on this for a while. In fact, their hasn't been any news on any major projects for a while! What is up with that? I have been freaking out lately because I keep coming on here, and all I see is Somerville Soccer Stadium or Hyne's Renovation lol and I am just like LAME.
What is up with all the good stuff like Nashua Street Residences, Columbus Center, South Station Tower, etc. I hope we get some good news and pictures on a lot of these projects soon! Or else I'll die :shock: lol
 
It's August; the big players in Boston are all laying on the beach down the Cape.
 
I totally agree with you BostonBoy. I need more exciting news
 
Does anybody else think the Rogers/Ratner tower looks like something out of Middle Earth in certain renderings? I half expect to see the evil eye hovering in the crown...

I like the Pelli the best, but that's ignoring the repetition issue. Honestly, none of these really caught my eye.
 
rayray07 said:
I totally agree with you BostonBoy. I need more exciting news
Click to expand...

It's Boston, after awhile you realize it doesn't matter if it's August or October--nothing "exciting" happens.

I look at Boston this way: It's the girl at the bar who is really good looking and you approach her, she's very flirty and you get good vibes from her. You start buying her drinks, and the night progresses and as it gets closer and closer to "last call" you realize she's just a tease who never planned to do anything past flirt.

In short: Lots of "exciting" stuff gets talked about but you rarely see shit happen.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top