500 footer proposed for Boston

[tocoto]

New 500 footers are hard to come by these days. Boston has the SST proposal at around 700ft, the North station tower(s) at 500+ feet. Both have a good chance of getting built in the next economic expansion. The proposal in the article came out of the blue, and is questionable but interesting.

[Guest donaltopablo]

Looks pretty cool, and another 500 footer is always good news. But seems like a long shot without financial backing. And even if they had it, they would still need probably 50% prelease to began construction.

Seems like a long shot. Plus, several recent articles have mentioned a softening DT Boston real estate market. I'm not going to claim to know enough about it if it will stop/stall many of these projects, but it certainly is a valid concern during this economy.

[tocoto]

This building is unlikely, but it shows that there are big plans for the area south of downtown that is being opened up by the big dig when the economy picks up.

The Boston office market is just beginning to turn around, and is expected to solidify more in 2004. Rents are still among the highest in the nation, and vacancy is about 15% (in 2000 the vacany rate was something like 3 or 4%). Even during the slump, 33 Arch,477', U/C, 1 tenant; 1 Lincoln, 503', just opened, fully leased, and the Manual Life Building, ~285', build to suit) got built.

It will be interesting to see how cities build after this slump is over.

[Guest donaltopablo]

It will be interesting to see how cities build after this slump is over.

I noticed last time I was in Boston (even during the downturn), that there was certainly a health amount of development going on. Atlanta, Miami, Boston, NY, Chicago - all had very health amounts of office/condo construction going on during the downtown. I think the developments we had seen will continue to be the trend, 400-500 footers. I know in a lot of cities that is a little disappointing (I'm sure Boston is dying for more 750+ buildings). In other cities, like Charlotte and Atlanta, the in fill developments between towers is good news.

But you make a good point, it will be very interesting to see what aspires with the land and space made available by the big dig.

[tocoto]

I am not all that familiar with southern cities. It is one reason I like this forum, it has a lot of members from the south I have spent time in the south, but never lived there. Given how much I like warm weather, I don't know why.

IMHO Atlanta, Charlotte and Miami will become some of the biggest cities in the US over the next century. The building going on in those places is amazing and I would love to see more pictures of it.

Oddly, Boston which is an old city that does grow in population, but not rapidly, is quite dynamic on the building front. There are cranes and steel all over the place, and it has been this way for most of my 40+ years. Between the universities, residential, financial, and high/bio tech it seems like there is always one industry building almost all of the time. I think most people around the US would be surprised that Boston has built more new buildings in the past 20 years than many (but not all) up and coming cities.

[turlough]

very nice I'm happy to see a new 700ft bought time something new happens

[Scott]

The site of this potential development is also very interesting. Most of this land has never actually had a building on it because it is on landfill that was created to build railroad tracks in the 19th century. Or if there was a building it was one of the former maritime structures that were knocked down during urban renewal Currently the Mass Turnpike I-90 which this would cover a section of, brings commuters into the city from the west. It has recently been extended under the harbor to Logan Airport as part of the Big Dig. Nearby is the junction of I-93 making this area suddenly very desirable.

In addition to adding a new tower to the skyline this project would cover a number of less than pretty but essential parts of the cities infrastructure.

[Guest donaltopablo]

Oddly, Boston which is an old city that does grow in population, but not rapidly, is quite dynamic on the building front. There are cranes and steel all over the place, and it has been this way for most of my 40+ years. Between the universities, residential, financial, and high/bio tech it seems like there is always one industry building almost all of the time. I think most people around the US would be surprised that Boston has built more new buildings in the past 20 years than many (but not all) up and coming cities.

It is certainly something I've noticed about Boston on all of my trips. There is always a LOT going on. Lots of new construction in various parts of the city. Your right, it doesn't grow in leaps and bounds, but there is always some activity going on.

[Cotuit]

Boston is a completely different city than it was in 1992 when I moved there from the Cape. I remember not being able to go into the common at night, I remember being told to stay away from the orange line, I remember the police helicopters patrolling at night over Mission Hill and the occassional sound of gunshots heard from my apartment near the MFA, I also remember Mayor Flynn getting hit in the head with a rock during a race riot in Southie.

What a difference a decade makes, and not even a decade, I moved to NYC in 2000 and am back in New England now in Providence. Recently I've had to go to Boston for work quite a few times and I'm stunned by the changes that have taken place since I left back in 2000.

The development at Park Square is one of my little dreams come true. I can remember standing there in the rain (it always seemed to be raining) waiting for a bus to the Cape and seeing in my mind the parking lot there transformed, and now it's really happening.

Columbus Centre is also one of my little dreams, I used to live on Clarenden Street across from the Hancock and I would will the steel beams into existance that would cover that part of the Pike.

The Pike at Mass Ave. is my other big desire to come true. It is simply amazing that an intersection that has a major interstate highway running under it could be so busy and vibrant, could you imagine what it would be like if that highway were hiddden by buildings. It'll happen soon, no doubt.

And this Chinatown proposal, this is going to happen, no doubt, maybe not what we see here, but the Leather District I think is finally going to be Boston next big thing. I remember years ago South Street was going to be the next Newbury Street. It never happened, but now that the Big Dig is wrapping up, businesses are moving down there. The convenience to South Station is just too big of a thing for this area not to boom. It will also be adjacent to the Chinatown portion of the Central Artery Greenway, and close to the new frontier in the Seaport District.

tocoto is right that there is also something happenning in Boston. It has finally diversified it's economy to the point that even during a bust, some part is also booming. The Universities and Hospitals tend to pick up the pace during an econimic downswing, at the peak retail is pumping, on the way up from down the corporate sector is where it's at.

[tocoto]

For those interested in the leather district and beyond, I noticed new construction in what they are calling Channel Center. For those that don't know, Boston was once a major shoe manufacturing center (still has headquarters for converse, new balance, others), and there are a lot of old warehouses and manufacturing buildings near the waterfront east and south of south station that make up the leather district. It is now an artists colony and rapidly gentrifying into ????

[Scott]

Thread in New England section about Channel Center along with construction pics.