Winthrop Square Garage Demolition | Downtown

what are the odds construction starts before the end of 2018? I know that's the current goal. Is it realistic?
 
It should. I think that they are anxiously waiting to go to work!
 
what are the odds construction starts before the end of 2018? I know that's the current goal. Is it realistic?

What are they going to do in the mean time? Do you mean above ground or piles go in a year from now?
 
Still says under review on BPDA website...how can they get started before it’s approved?
 
The guys who own the garage probably know somebody.
 
Still says under review on BPDA website...how can they get started before it’s approved?

Easy. Because they're currently only permitted to do a garage demolition.

And, needless to say, a garage demolition has nothing whatsoever to do with a formal tower proposal; it is a mere technicality that in this case it happens to be a necessary precursor.

In fact, if you look at the whole monstrous initial project submission, I'm guessing there probably isn't even a page devoted to the garage demolition... maybe a single throwaway paragraph?.... because it's just not the BPDA's purview.

Now, if they started to do anything that involved trenching a foundation hole for the proposed tower, without having BPDA/Zoning/Building Dept./MEPA, etc. sign-off... that would be interesting!

P.S. +1 for tobyjug's customary dry wit, above.
 
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Now, if they started to do anything that involved trenching a foundation hole for the proposed tower, without having BPDA/Zoning/Building Dept./MEPA, etc. sign-off... that would be interesting!

They're doing "up/down" to get the tower going vert faster....

"The use of steel sheet pile walls and drilled shaft foundation elements to enable up -down construction methods will be used....."
 
Sorry if I missed this, but are there any known plans for 75/101? I guess they'll just clean up the wall?
 
Sorry if I missed this, but are there any known plans for 75/101? I guess they'll just clean up the wall?

Given that it was bought only two years ago for $327 million--$402 psf of RBA if the 812,000 sf quoted in BBJ is correct--I suspect for now, at least, the new ownership will be happy simply to maintain it as a stable revenue-generating asset that gets their stakeholders a healthy ROI....
 
Given that it was bought only two years ago for $327 million--$402 psf of RBA if the 812,000 sf quoted in BBJ is correct--I suspect for now, at least, the new ownership will be happy simply to maintain it as a stable revenue-generating asset that gets their stakeholders a healthy ROI....

I guess I should have been more specific. I was referring specifically to the first few floors abutting the garage.
 

This is the first known picture of the "great hall" corridor. Nobody has had this view in decades and its pretty cool to now see what this cross tower connection really brings to the table in real life. Past renders make it seems like it will be slightly to the right of this picture, but still gives you a very clear idea of what to expect.
 
I guess I should have been more specific. I was referring specifically to the first few floors abutting the garage.

Based on this picture, I see only one floor, the ground-level retail/restaurant arcade which includes the lobby/security checkpoint and of course access to the elevator banks, etc... structurally speaking, what could be done that is pleasing, economical, etc., etc.?

Also, the new owners already spent a few million on lobby upgrades in the first place, based on having walked thru recently and seen enhancements.
 
This is the first known picture of the "great hall" corridor. Nobody has had this view in decades and its pretty cool to now see what this cross tower connection really brings to the table in real life. Past renders make it seems like it will be slightly to the right of this picture, but still gives you a very clear idea of what to expect.

Did anyone really have this before? I thought there was a building there before the garage and restaurant.
 
Anyone else remember Snow Place? Before 101 Federal was built there was a narrow lane there called Snow Place, more or less a continuation of Winthrop Lane to Federal Street. Part of the deal when 101 was built was that they would have to maintain that corridor as a publicly accessible walkway. Which they did (although I haven't tried it in years) but it wasn't very successful because there wasn't much of an attempt to make it obvious or welcoming to pedestrians outside the building. I hope this "great hall" is more successful and of sufficient scale and visibility to open up the views suggested above by Stick (and BeeLine's fantastic picture).

(On a side note, I love 101 Federal. By far the best post-modern building in the city. Neo-deco at its finest. I think it's a shining example of how to be contextual without being imitative. 75 Federal is the better for it.)
 

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