Russia Wharf

[tocoto]

33 story Russia Wharf project is almost fully permitted:

City Hall's plan for redeveloping the once-industrial Fort Point Channel into a showcase of gleaming new waterfront high-rises and marinas took a big step forward yesterday.

State environmental officials gave a green light to a Boston Redevelopment Authority blueprint to revamp the channel area.

The city plan would open the way for a wave of new high-rise development along the oily waterway. Once dominated by old warehouse and wharf buildings, the channel area is on the edge of an expanding financial district.

Developers who build along the channel, under the city's plan, will also be on the hook to help turn the waterway's still greenish waters into a playground for tourists and an expected wave of new residents. That may mean everything from putting lights on a nearby bridge to providingspace for eateries, nightclubs and museums.

The nod from the state Executive Office of Environmental Affairs will also move a key new channel project - plans for a new 33-story office, hotel and residential tower at Russia Wharf - a step closer to winning final regulatory approval. Armed with the decision, national office tower giant Equity Office Properties Trust, Russia Wharf's developer, will need only one other state environmental agency to sign off on its plan as it pushes ahead to begin construction in about a year.

The state's approval also requires Equity to pump $500,000 into the construction of a nearby Childrens' Museum Park and another $1.6 million into other efforts to liven up the waterfront.

The channel plan approval also lays a foundation for the redevelopment of the Hook Lobster property, which has been eyed by residential developers.

[Scott]

This project will have an important impact on the new Rose Kennedy Greenway and also the still windswept areas of the Southie waterfront. I've always thought that parts of Fort Point Channel would be fantastic for residential development. The park that they a building near the Broadway Bridge is fantastic and would be a whole new residential district ajacent to the new hi rise developments south of Kneeland Street.

btw-After literally billions of dollars spent on cleaning up the local waterways I whince when people call any body of water "oily".

[tocoto]

when I look at my sewer bill I think the water should be clean enough for the mermaids to have returned to boston harbor by now.

[ChunkyMonkey]

Is this the building that will cover up the ugly vent building near the Fort Point Channel? If not, what's up with that project?

[tocoto]

Russia wharf will be next to the vent building. It will rehab the old buildings on the wharf, and build above them.

The vent bulding site will have a new Intercontinental hotel, about 250 feet I think. It is scheduled to start this year. They are still finishing up big dig/busway stuff underneath.

[M. Brown]

Oh I cant wait

[tocoto]

They are starting the westin at the new conventon center as well. The residences in the seaport are well along in the excavation phase. one charles is almost done, and looks pretty good from some angles. the emerson building on boylston is started. They are building the high rise crane for Liberty place (?) on washington its now supposed to be 325 feet

[Cotuit]

Russia Wharf developers drop large hotel plan, may add more condos and smaller hotel: Boston Globe.

[youbetternot]

Russia Wharf developers drop large hotel plan, may add more condos and smaller hotel: Boston Globe.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Those pictures are outdated. This is the updated proposal:

[Cotuit]

Those pictures are outdated. This is the updated proposal:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I thought there was another update on that, but wasn't sure, thanks for posting.

[TheBostonian]

Looks a lot like 33 Arch Street to me. It is interesting to see modern glassy buildings adding to the Boston skyline.

[TheBostonian]

This is an amazing project because the building is built around massive ventilation towers for the Big Dig tunnel. And right next door there is the approved Russia Wharf project which would be a residential tower of about 400 feet to be constructed over three existing lowrises. Unfortunately the Intercontinental people are blocking its construction with a lawsuit. I haven't heard anything come out of that recently, but I hope it is resolved soon. The area has been such a mess with Big Dig construction and it is such a delight to see things begining to come to a close and new buildings going up. It is better to have Russia Wharf built sooner than later.

[TheBostonian]

Russia Wharf

http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=187738

[TheBostonian]

I just searched around for any news on the lawsuit, and found nothing new.

[tocoto]

There is some confusion here about the Russia Wharf and 500 Atlantic Ave buildings. They are next door and both on old wharfs.

500 Atlantic ~300 ft is a hotel and condo tower and is just finished

Russia Wharf ~450 ft will be an office building

500 Atlantic Ave, now finished, rendered on the right and Russia wharf on the left now U/C

The buildings that will be at the base of the Rusia wharf tower being prepaped for construction above them

another shot of russia wharf construction site

russia wharf foreground, 500 Atlantic background

[Cotuit]

Thanks for the photos and clarification. I have a map that says "Russia Wharf" right across the Intercontinental site.

[tombarnes]

Surely those buildings above aren't being obliterated? Those warehouses have good details. Please tell me they aren't being torn down.

[TheBostonian]

Surely those buildings above aren't being obliterated? Those warehouses have good details. Please tell me they aren't being torn down.

[tombarnes]

That's a relief. For a minute there, I thought they'd been swept away.

[Cotuit]

Bidding war erupts for Russia Wharf. Price could top $100m; condos, offices due at site. [The Boston Globe]

[atlrvr]

Boston Properties won the bidding war and will develop the property with the same mix as approved by the BRA with office, condos, and retail. Here is the latest rendering from today's Globe.

Steve Bailey's article was very critical of this design, which hasn't changed much, it just lost it's mini-turret and spire. I'm ok with it, nothing wow. It reminds me of 33 Arch, which I like. It doesn't seem to compliment the existing warehouse that much, and looks sort of perched on top of it. On the positive, it will likely be the first new office tower completed in Boston, so hopefully it will result in a boost in jobs. Also, the retail should enliven that stretch, which is sort of dead. The IC has helped, but those WIDE sidewalks always feel empty.

[tombarnes]

The older buildings look as though they are about to be devoured by the tower. I don't think there has been any attempt to join them in any meaningful way. Sorry, but it looks clumsy.

[atlrvr]

Walked down around the Russia Wharf site today....things are definitely coming along.

A shot from across the channel.

Some closer up shots.

And what's this? Is that the base of a tower crane? I think it is!

[atlrvr]

Here is a much larger rendering from an angle I don't think has been shown before....this would be probably from close to where I took my first photo from. I'm guessing this rendering would be from Summer St. across the channel.

It definitely reminds me a a slightly dressed up 33 Arch St., which is fine by me, since I like that building a lot. I do think the transition from brick to glass it a bit "harsh", and could probably be integrated better if some vertical metal slats were added near the top of the warehouse in some sort of crazy art-deco fashion.

[Cotuit]

I don't know, in a way I like that the brick part is allowed to just sit there and not have to be integrated, but it does look a little awkward.