2 replies to this topic

[Cotuit]

S. Boston project adds a developer. W/S to handle retail part of site near court. [The Boston Globe]

Seaport Square is a 23 acre parcel that sits between Old Northern Ave. and Seaport Blvd. near the Courthouse Silver Line station (Map). The development will include 6.5 million square feet or more of new construction including retail, residences, offices, hotels, and parks on more than 12 blocks.

[atlrvr]

John Hynes, the developer of Seaport Square, is proposing a private school to be included in his development.  The school would be huge (by private school standards) serving 1,500 kids from K-12.  The mayor and school superintendant are outraged at that idea, apparantly offended that he developer doesn't think that families paying $500-$1000 per square foot to live in the massive development would consider public schools.

A quote from the superintendant.

Quote

He's catering to the upper end," Contompasis said. "This guy's just coming out and saying they don't want anything to do with the public schools and will build their little enclave. What's he going to do? Put a big gate around the place? He should know better. Wasn't he the grandson of a former mayor?"

From the mayor

Quote

Mayor Thomas M. Menino called Hynes's school proposal a "hare-brained idea," saying not enough families live in the Seaport area now or in the near future to warrant building a new public or private school.

"We're not going to build schools for political purposes," Menino said. "We put them where they're needed."

I don't see what the big deal is...they're PRIVATE SCHOOLS on PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT paid for by PRIVATE MONEY

I think it's a fine idea, and likely to help attract families to the area, or at least keep them in the city once their kids hit the school age.

Link to the Boston Globe article

[atlrvr]

There was a long-winded, short-on-information article in today's globe, mostly about how he is planning to provide permorming artists with space at Seaport Square.

A couple of quotes.

Quote

Arts community leaders say that, while there may be a shortage of popular shows to fill the theaters with a thousand or more seats, there are more than enough troupes to fill more modest facilities. Hynes's performing arts facility could have as many as 3,000 seats, he said -- but would be designed so it could be broken down into smaller spaces of a few hundred seats each.

...

Hynes, along with development partner Morgan Stanley, is building one of the largest projects -- covering a 12-block neighborhood -- in this emerging part of the city. Seaport Square, on 23 acres of parking lots formerly owned by Frank H. McCourt Jr., could cover 6 million square feet when complete. It will include residential buildings, office space, restaurants, retail space, and a large park.

...

Hynes's complex would be built on his property's southern edge , along Summer Street, which is now just a bridge. It is planned for the area between Summer and Congress streets, which is at a grade about 30 feet below Summer.

The complex would be built on multiple levels on both sides of a brand new street -- Harbor Street -- that would extend downhill, over Congress Street, connecting Summer to Seaport Boulevard.

and

Quote

"It's part of our master plan not to develop in a conventional and, some would say, sterile way," he said, "but to try to create an atmosphere and environment that would be different and would thrive."

^ Is he taking a shot at Fan Pier?

The BRA was also quoted as saying this project won't start for at least two years.....

I hope by then, they will be more receptive to a private school.