July 25, 2019 HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BOSTON-AREA DEVELOPMENT THIS WEEK Critical Mass includes some arrested development in Fenway, a big project next to Faneuil Hall, and a new life sciences building in Waltham.The redevelopment of the Dock Square Garage next to Faneuil Hall in downtown Boston is on, complete with a six-story vertical addition with up to 210 condos. It is but the latest Boston garage segueing into a second act.On the other hand, that first-of-its-kind independent, unaffiliated dormitory in Fenway looks like it's not a go--at least not yet. Some neighbors are concerned about the 15-story, 533-bed tower's scope and . . .Read More
July 15, 2019 SEAPORT WORLD TRADE CENTER CHANGES ADVANCE-GOODBYE, COMMONWEALTH HALL.
Exhibition hall giving way to more privately owned public space on the Boston waterfront, including a plaza with year-round programming. The nearly 120,000-square-foot Commonwealth Hall exhibition space at the Seaport World Trade Center on the Boston waterfront will disappear under a redevelopment plan for the complex.The Boston Planning and Development Agency signed off July 11 on a plan from Pembroke, the real estate arm of trade center. . .Read More
June 13, 2019 ONE CONGRESS, BOSTON'S TALLEST NEW OFFICE TOWER SINCE 1984, TO OFFICIALLY BREAK GROUND State Street Corporation to anchor the 43-story, 528-foot part of Bulfinch Crossing . . . The 1 million-square-foot tower is a partnership between Carr Properties and National Real Estate Advisors. The HYM Development Group is acting as the local developer. Financial services firm State Street Corporation committed in January to anchoring the tower with a 510,000-square-foot lease for 15 years . . .Read More
June 12, 2019 T FUNDING SOURCES: 3 LONGER-TERM SOLUTIONS FOR BOSTON AREA MASS TRANSIT Congestion pricing and a gas tax hike should be on the table as the T struggles with delays and derailments. The June 11 derailment of a Red Line train that snarled commutes throughout the Boston region has once again highlighted the shortcomings of the region's mass transit. . . .Read More
May 14, 2019 FORT POINT SALE COULD MEAN MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT ON FORMER GILLETTE LOT Developer Related Beal wants 'to create a diverse, mixed-use development ... and expand public waterfront access. Boston developer Related Beal has closed on the purchase of 6.5 acres of waterfront in Fort Point, the firm announced on May 14. Gillette parent Procter & Gamble sold the parcel bordering A Street and Fort Point Channel. It has been used as a surface parking lot.The new owner sees major potential in the acreage."We are excited to start . . .Read More
April 29, 2019 QUINCY BIOTECH, MEDICAL BOOMLET A BID TO BECOME ANOTHER 'NEXT KENDELL SQUARE' Amid the influx of firms to Boston's southern neighbor, officials hope not to overbuild.Quincy is making its bid to join the ranks of the next Kendall Square. Biotechnology and medical companies such as PharmaLogics, Boston Scientific, and Ras Labs have set up shop in Boston's southern neighbor.It's not just the generally lower office rents in Quincy compared with those in Boston's Seaport District or Cambridge's Kendall. It's the infrastructure too . . .Read More
April 29,2019 FENWAY'S 839 BEACON STREET APARTMENTS WILL START AT $1675 FOR STUDIOS Five-story, 45-unit spread will also include one-bedrooms retailing for $2,675 and up.The five-story, 45-unit 839 Beacon Street is expected to open to tenants this summer, yet another project in Boston's Fenway.The property "will reflect a modern interpretation of Boston's classic brick-and-bay townhouses," according to a release from . . .Read More
April 15, 2019 ROXBURY'S TREMONT CROSSING EXPECTED TO BREAK GROUND IN SUMMER 2019 Site work would cap a long, long wait for the parcel; latest plans include 700-plus apartments.Tremont Crossing, a major project planned since at least 2011 for several acres at Tremont and Whittier streets in Roxbury, could break ground this summer. Buildings would start going up in 2020.What would those buildings contain? The most recent plans. . . .Read More
April 18, 2019 DUDLEY SQUARE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS INCLUDE HOUSING AIMED AT BOSTON TEACHERS Four contenders for site of old police station across from the Dudley Station.Four different proposals would turn the old police station site across from Dudley Station in Roxbury into an amalgam of residential and commercial space, with the housing components aimed at a variety of incomes.One from developer Urbanica would create a 261-unit mix of apartments and condos aimed at educators and other city employees. . . .Read More
October 15, 2018, DOWNFALL OF SEARS MAY BOOST A MAJOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AT CAMBRIDGESIDE
The Sears in East Cambridge will soon close. But while its demise marks the end of an era, the closing also means something new may rise in its place. The fading retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday and marked another 142 Sears and Kmart stores for closing by early next year, including the Sears at the . . .Read More
October 12, 2018, WORCESTER REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BACKS SKANSKA AS BALLPARK PROJECT MANAGER
The Worcester Redevelopment Authority Friday unanimously approved the awarding of the owner's project manager contract for the city's minor league ballpark project to Skanska USA Building Inc. The WRA board also voted to authorize the expenditure . . .Read More
October 3, 2018, BOSTON UNIVERSITY TOWER IN KENMORE SQUARE AREA WILL LOOK LIKE STACK OF BOOKS
Boston University's planned 19-story tower at 645-665 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston's Kenmore Square area will resemble a stack of books, according to the school.That's no coincidence: The tower is set to host the university's data sciences center, including the mathematics, computer science, and statistics departments. . . Read More
October 3, 2018, FUTURE OF WEYMOUTH HUGE DEVELOPMENT IS UNCLEAR AFTER SUMMER OF SETBACKS
When the developer of the former South Weymouth air base landed a Dutch robotics company two years ago, it marked a major milestone for the 1,500-acre property: finally, a major commercial tenant. But construction on what would be the US campus of Prodrive Technologies still hasn't . . . Read More
August 21, 2018, MAVERICK SQUARE DEVELOPMENT WOULD REPLACE PARKING LOT WITH 10-STORY BUILDING
Boston-based developer MG2 Group wants to replace the 0.17-acre parking lot at 2-10 Maverick Square in East Boston with a 10-story building.The base of the building would be retail, with residence either apartments or condos, it's not clear on top. As for the. . . . Read More
August 15, 2018, ASSEMBLY ROW HOTEL PLUNKS 158 ROOMS AT UNFOLDING SOMERVILLE PROJECT
The 158-room Row Hotel at Assembly Row opened August 14 at 360 Foley Street in Somerville's still-unfolding Assembly Row mega-project.The inn is part of Marriott's signature Autograph Collection, and a release on the hotel's opening says the newest location will provide. . . . Read More
August 9, 2018, NAVY PIER NEXT TO BLUE HILLS BANK PAVILION COULD HOST NEW DEVELOPMENT
The partially submerged Navy pier next to the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion in Boston's Seaport District could end up hosting a two-story, 122,000-square-foot building under plans recently filed with the city.Recall that Boston officials approved development for the city-owned site in 2013, but little has happened. . . . Read More
July 11, 2018, MAJOR BOSTON DEVELOPMENT: 9 PROJECTS TRANSFORMING THE CITY
Boston is famously in the midst of a building boom and not a moment too soon given the cost of housing in the city.Here are nine major projects under construction that are not only transforming Boston's built environment, but providing a real-time gauge of its real estate. How these go, so will likely go the commercial and residential markets overall. . . . Read More
July 11, 2018, DEVELOPMENT NEAR FENWAY PARK WOULD ADD 443 RESIDENCES TO THE AREA
A pair of developers wants to replace low-rise buildings on 2.16 acres near Fenway Park with two eight-story buildings with 443 residential units.Boston-based Cabot, Cabot, and Forbes and the CIM Group out of Los Angeles filed plans with the Boston Planning & Development Agency on July 9.The buildings on Kilmarnock and Queensberry streets, four blocks from . . . Read More
July 2, 2018, BOSTON CITY HALL PLAZA OVERHAUL TO INCLUDE SEASONAL FOUNTAIN, TREES
Boston is moving forward with a long-planned overhaul of its City Hall Plaza beginning later this year.The city will start testing the plaza's infrastructure in the fall and continue it through the winter, with major work set to begin in 2019 and expected to last five years.What is that work supposed to produce? Plans call for a seasonal fountain and tree-shaded gathering spots. Boston also intends . . . Read More
June 28, 2018, ALLSTON DEVELOPMENT WOULD ADD FIVE BUILDINGS AT HARVARD AVE. & CAMBRIDGE ST.
A Brookline-based developer is proposing a six-building project with 334 apartments and condos at Harvard Avenue and Cambridge Street in Boston's Allston. City Realty's Allston Square project would involve the demolition of the Jack Young building on Cambridge Street and a single-story building next-door on Harvard Avenue; and would also include the gut-renovation of Allston Hall . . . Read More
May 24, 2018, NEW EAST BOSTON CONDO COMPLEX NEAR LOGAN WILL INCLUDE 25 TWO BEDROOMS
A five-story, 37-unit condo building at 287 Maverick Street in East Boston's Jeffries Point will replace an existing warehouse. Twenty-five of the units will be two-bedrooms; 10 one-bedrooms; and two studios. Five will be income-restricted.. . . . Read More
May 21, 2018, MASSACHUSETTS PLANS 17B TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM
Massachusetts transportation officials are planning a $17.2 billion capital projects program during the next five years, according to a State House News Service report published in the Sentinel & Enterprise. The 2019 to 2023 plan is $234 million more than one developed by the state for the years 2018 to 2022.. . . . Read More
May 4, 2018, NORTH STATION OFFICE TOWER, WHICH VERIZON'S OATH COULD ANCHOR, GETS DESIGN OK
The 31-story office tower planned as part of The Hub on Causeway, a massive mixed-use development at North Station, has received design approval from the Boston Civic Design Commission. The office building's anchor tenant is likely Oath Inc., Verizon Communications Inc.'s newly formed digital-media . . . Read More
May 1, 2018, STATE OKs WATERFRONT PLAN, PAVING THE WAY FOR TWO DOWNTOWN TOWERS
Real-estate development firm The Chiofaro Co. has moved one step closer to making its long-envisioned tower at the site of Boston's Harbor Garage a reality, thanks to a key state approval of a planning document that outlines development guidelines along the city's waterfront.. . . . Read More
Apr. 25, 2018, DORCHESTER AVENUE GETTING 38-UNIT APARTMENT COMPLEX WITH 26 PARKING SPACES
Boston's Zoning Board of Appeals has signed off on developer Adam Sarbaugh's plan to replace the building at 951-959A Dorchester Avenue that houses the Dorchester Market and the Tom English Bar with a five-story, 38-unit apartment complex. . . . Read More
Apr. 13, 2018,CITY OKs NORDBLOM'S 200M REDEVELOPMENT OF FORMER BOSTON GLOBE HQ
The Boston Planning and Development Agency on Thursday evening approved Nordblom Co.'s proposed rehabilitation of the former Boston Globe headquarters at 135 Morrissey Blvd. in Dorchester, a $200 million project that will bring 695,000 square feet of creative office and light industrial space online by 2019 . . . Read More
Mar. 14, 2018,APARTMENT PLAN TO GIVE NEW LIFE TO NOTRE DAME ED CENTER
The Notre Dame Education Center would get a new South Boston home on the first floor of a 55-unit apartment building that would replace its current facility, under plans filed with the city. All Saints...Read More
Mar. 8, 2018, PARTNERS PROPOSES 30M EXPANSION TO MGH WALTHAM FACILITY
The project, which was outlined in documents filed with the state last month, would add six operating rooms to the top floor of Mass. General Waltham.
Feb. 12, 2018, LOW INCOME SENIORS LIVING IN BOSTON WILL SEE EXTENSION OF AFFORDABILITY, MAJOR PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS
MassHousing has provided a total of $135.5 million in financing to an affiliate of the non-profit Retirement Housing Foundation (RHF), to enable RHF to launch a major renovation of the 404-unit Symphony Plaza in Boston and extend affordability at the property for at least 30 years. The 404-unit housing community near Symphony Hall . . . Read More
Feb. 6, 2018, DELPHI TO BEGIN WORK ON SEASCAPE AT WEYMOUTH
Multimarket construction management firm Delphi Construction of Waltham announced recently that it will begin work on Seascape, a six-story condominium development at Weymouth Neck.The project, valued at $16 million, is owned by DAI Property Management. Design work was . . . Read More
Jan. 30, 2018, FORMER GLOBE BUILDING ENVISIONED AS 'INNOVATION PARK, FOOD HALL AND CO-WORKING SPACE
That’s the vision the development firm Nordblom shared when it filed detailed plans Tuesday to redevelop the massive complex on Morrissey Boulevard. The company wants to repurpose the nearly 700,000-square-foot building as . . . Read More
Jan. 9, 2018, 8 CONSTRUCTION TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2018
After a robust 2017, commercial construction companies are anticipating an even stronger 2018, with the majority reporting they plan to expand their staffs, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. As professionals seek to map out 2018 and beyond, there are a number of trends shaping the construction industry. Some are evolutions of past years, such as offsite construction . . . Read More
Jan. 8, 2018, MISSION HILL DEVELOPMENT WOULD ADD 31 APARTMENTS AND A PUBLIC PLAZA
Developer New Urban Partners wants to replace a parking lot and a triple-decker at 9-11 Burney Street in Mission Hill with a six-story complex with 31 apartments.That is according to recently filed plans with the city that also call for a 2,853-square-foot public plaza-slash-lane.The privately maintained space would be . . . Read More
Dec. 15, 2017, OMNI HOTEL ACROSS FROM BOSTON CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTER WINS KEY APPROVAL
The Boston Planning and Development Agency on December 14 approved what will be one of the largest new hotels in Boston in ages: A 1,054-key Omni-brand inn on Summer Street across from the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. . . . Read More
Oct. 28, 2017, A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN CAMBRIDGE, MA AIMS AT BEING A PILOT FOR THAT CITY'S NZE COMMITMENT
The first Net Zero Emissions school, and the largest NZE building of any type, in Massachusetts is under construction in East Cambridge. In collaboration with William Rawn Associates, Boston-based architectural firm Arrowstreet has designed this 270,000-sf building . . . Read More
Sep 15, 2017, BPDA BOARD APPROVES SEVEN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, 181 TOTAL RESIDENTIAL UNITS
The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) Board of Directors approved seven development projects at the September board meeting. The projects will generate 181 residential units with 30 affordable units, and represent an estimated $51.5 million in investments and 221,600 square feet. Read More
