Table Of Content

TON The nese for people wh Soups er INFORMER First Church of Christ Master Plan Christian Science Center ~ The First Church of Christ, Scientist has proposed a plan forthe development of the Christan Science Center Plaza in Back Bay/South End, The plan features developing approximately 950,000 sn three new buildings. Two ofthe new buildings are proposed for the Dalton SteevBelvidere Steet parking lot and the third for the area along Huntington Avenue near the Sunday School building. The proposed Dalton/Belvidere buildings are S12 fet high (45 stories) and 251 fet high 20 stores). The taller building is characterized asa “highrise” and the stz-eonp00 st smaller a “mid ris.” The proposed building on Huntington Av nue would be slightly smaller at 291 fet shorter than the exist. ing 177 Huntington Ave. office building at 25 stories) and would contain 150,000 sof office space Impacts from new shadows would generally be on Christan Science land oon rooftops tothe north ofthe plaza, although plan stats that a small potion of the Southwest Coridor Park ‘would be in shadow inthe early evening in summer. To achieve the plan's fist objective, “enhance open space” the plan proposes rebuilding the reflecting poolTountan 18 fet shorter, redoing the depth om 26 inches to 6-12 inches and crating a pedestrian walkway along the path of a previous walkway that existed be fore redevelopment inthe 19603. The popular speay fountain is to remain and water use wil be reduced from $ milion gallons per year to 2 million. The master plan willbe reviewed under Ar ticle 80 ofthe zoning code and additional details on the proposed buildings will also undergo Anicle 80 review. Longfellow Bridge Rehabilitation — “MassDOT is nearing completion ofits Task Force work to develop altematives forthe Longfellow Bridge ros section and allocation of pavement and lanes, MassDOT convened the Task Force in June 2010 to broaden the alternatives it would study inthe federal Environmental Assessment MassDOT% original proposal was to maintin two travel lanes in each direction and widen the sidewalks and bik lanes. The bridge itself is historic and cannot be widened, More than cight alternatives have been ‘generated through the Task Force, including alters tives with one lane in each direction, giant bike anes big enough fora family to ride side by side, hourglass" scheme withthe middle ofthe bridge narrowing to one lane to allow socal activities to take place on the widened sidewalks Progress is happening asthe Task Force narrowed alternatives atthe Sept. 29 meeting, and MassDOT agreed that one lane toward Cambridge was acceptable In addition, MassDOT is studying a new pedestrian bridge from Charles Circle to the Esplanade to replace the existing ‘non-ADA compliant and inadequate pedestrian bridge as wel as improved connections to parkland and bikeways from the bridge in the Cambridge side ‘A public meeting Oct. 6 at the Shriners Hospital Auditorium will review progress to date, See htp/www:massdot state, ‘ma.us/Highway/abplongfellowaaspx for details on the Task Force and alternatives, Bulfinch Triangle Developer Shuffle In May 2010 MassDOT issued a defi notice tthe developer of Cental Artery Pojst parcels in the Bl finch Triangle near North Saon. Hines Rayrond LP swsindft for fing t start consrction a 360,000 51,5200 milion mixed-use projet in two Years afer ap- Prova: Hines Raymond had proposed to house a pe ‘arket—parclrly desired by North End resins ‘MassDOT designated a new developer. Tet Finn cial of Boston to Bild $150 milion proj with ound floor retail, second-floor supermarket, parking on oor 3, tnd apartments on foes 6-8. Constucton could start in 2012 sujet othe projet sccuring financing. CON acteurs, in, designers ofthe ace Avetir apa men als developed by Ti. isthe new arcitc. Pru Center Exeter Street Apartments Boston Properties and AvalonBay Communities are hack with ther proposed residential development on Exeter Stet fist preseted almost tree years ago” The $90 millon development building would be one of the tallest in the Back Bay (Praden- tal Tower is 749 Tet high). The PriPAC approved the proposed project afer it was fist advanced. Architect: Elkus Mane Seaport Sq. on So. Boston Waterfront The Boston Redevelopment Auhoriy has given zoning ap- ‘rovaltoasight downszedSeaportSquaremined-asedevelop- ‘ent(seeThe Boston afore ue 6 ul 2008) The proposed ‘Project in total would be the bgget single developmen Bos- {onsrecenthistryStilleedes Zoning Commission approval. The $3 billion proposal by Morgan Staley, Gale Iter rational and real developer WS. Development (of De fam’ Legacy Place fame) comprises 23" acres of land, now primary prking los. These would become 20 city ‘Socks, 63 millon sof development in 22 bugs, in cluding ofce, hoes, retail reslence, and an “innova ‘ion Building and pubic parks with 6.75 parking spaces Conttion pln oer 10 year, stating with ground tweaking next year fran sparen bung and “inovaion enter” One of the major unsaved sss i the adequacy of public wasperiaton The developers ae rving o he Sil {er Line and ther buses to cary 34 percent to 62 percent (e- Pending on lan! we) ofthe pala tips tan fom he pro- od procs For comparison, the masitech Bak Bay (ree osm ai ies, Orange and Green ines, lal and exes ta) achieves about 4 percent of peak-bour fic pty tans 5{ Downsizing Proposed Waterside Place—Waterside Place, Proposed mixed-use development on 10:3 ares of former Masport land between Summer and Congress sets in South Boston, was designed to meet the demand for residential and eal in he groeing Seaport District. In 2007 the Core Development Group, managing partner The Drew Co. proposed 209 residential units, a 300f00m hotel, 640,00 sf of retail, a 20,000- vistors center anda 2,350- space parking garage “Two years late, with development inthe Seaport District slowed to a Wickle, the developer proposed eliminating most ofthe retail and switched fom condominiums to apartments. Now the devel ‘oper is proposing to build Waterside Place in phases, with the fst phase comprising 235 real units, 6,000 of real, a 13,000 sf ovation centr (al us immediately if you know what that mean) Ad parking for 175-275 cars (tobe determined). Constuction ofthis has is planed to ttn ly 2011 and be completed in two Year 407 Newbury St. — Fornsly known as 93 Massa huss Ave. plans fo renovate and build new on his site have hanged. In 2008, th plan was renovate the existing fouro- 1 buidng (ght in photo) and replace the one-story Bing Now Kingston Rely Trst LLC proposes o renovate and build 8 fourstory building (ein photo) that wll be reviewed under ‘Article 80 Small Project Review. The projec within th Incr im Planning Overlay Disc for downtown which caps eights 65 fet. Plans forthe new addition tobe metal clad have Deen Scrapped. The building willbe faced wih tera cota exterior 0 ‘end in beter with Back Bay materials. Consttion planed fo 2011. Architect: CBT. 157 Berkeley St/Liberty Mutual ~ Approved by the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA), the proposed story office building at Berkeley Stet and Columbus Avene ‘as sparked controversy because of relately sal clement on ‘tua Steet footbridge wo connect th ne building to existing Liberty Mut buildings i of eancem to the Boston Civic De- sign Commission and the Sturt Street Comidr Planing Group. [Nether group suppor the footbridge and opposed tring the review period. Maybe the BRA was convinced by statements "supporting the bridge fr the construction obs. So mich for the ‘recent planning proces. The proposed fotride in fc wl re duce the visual quality of Stat Steet aswell a add no life to these and sidewalk usual benefit of 39,000. downtown office buldng ilies ofall isthe BRA’ requirement to rete ' parkas mitigation forthe bridge. How will the park lessen the ipocts ofthe bridge? What’s Up? Expand the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center?—Whispers about expanding the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC) sent us back o review the concep tion and bh of the BCEC starting in 1998. The original 1998 Environmental Notification Form forthe BCEC (see The Boston Informer, sue 36, uly/Aug 1998) proposed a publicly financed 117 millon- building ona 60-sre site with $92,000 fof ex hibit space, meeting oom, «6000-5. ballroom and 2,000 un <Serground parking spaces. The enabling epslation (Ch. 152 of the ‘Acts of 1997) protege shows” (open othe publi) because ‘of unfir competition between a taxpayersubsidized facility and a private al like Bayside Expo. The BCEC opened in 204 and an Adjacent privately financed 1,120-00m hotel opened son af. ‘When the BCEC filed to mect projections fr attendance and ‘hotel rom nigh, the ban on “gate Shows” was removed (Bayside subsequently filed). The BCEC also took some business om the Hynes Convention Center in Back bay, Both centers ae owned by the Masachusets Convention Center Authority (MCCA). MCCA is now proposing to expand the BCEC by 400,00. of tional exhibition space, 8,00-sat auditorium and 75,000- ‘ballroom, And since the numberof hotel roms close to BCEC Aida’ materialize atthe pace needed, MCCA proposes o build a taxpayersfnanced 1,00-room hotel ‘rics ask why expand facility that is doing only about hal the business originally projected. Furter. nado othe capital oss, will a bigger fcity eed an even bigger taxpayer subsidy ‘than he $35 million subsidy provided in 20097 Oh, yes—we cant forget that) expansion has always ben about jobs ab) ation: wide, “every convention center requires an operating subsidy.” BRA Greenway District Study (see TBI Issue 94, spring 2010) was approved by the BRA Board in August with just ‘one change tothe draft guidelines. North En residents and leaders shed for liming all of ts Greenway buildings to 5 fet and ‘ejected the study's 85-oot iit for Pace 1B. Approved guidelines ar just the first step: new zoning and changes to the cuent “Municipal Harbor Plan governing land subject to Ch. 91, Public ‘Waterfont Act, wl follow. ‘Liberty Wharf’ in So, Boston Seaport District (formerly part of Boston Fish Pier and site ofthe former Ji mys Harborside restaurant) is nearing completion. Originally an nounced in 2008 asa $30 milion project, the now S60-nilion project is hee-building complex developed by Cresset Devel ‘opment LLC. Located opposite the Seaport Hotel on Norther: ‘Avene, the project featresa main building that wll house three resiaurants wth ofice space o the upper Noor a second bung will be a 20,000 (hig!) Legal Seafoods restaurant and the third wil be large kos fora cae or wine ae PEOPLE MOVERS [Anne Colin, excctive director ofthe Commonwealth's Acce- crated Beige Program Counc othe Federal Motor Carer Safety Administration, Washington, DC- (Colin Durrant fom MassDOT public alas to Harvard Univers- ty sustainably inate a Signor tom Boson bgt chit Petr Schoo the Jilie Burns, rom Boston detox of rts, tourism, and special ‘cenit Blue Cos Ble Sl, ‘Welcome to The Boston Informer ‘The goals simple: Provide concise publi information on onstruction projets, planning intaives, and. whatever tts affects living and working im Boston. Welcome 10 The Boston informer! The Boston Informe spb by ATC ffomaton, ne ve timer erty n Boson, Masacnt: President Antony Caen ‘in tcepesients, Ane MeKinnon, Chris cha. "Te onan inflomeraaite by malo S250 per year (cheap Queton?Teleone (617) 723-705, (617) 4871886 ‘rama Bostonafomeres om. Check ws ou onthe Wed at ‘bstoniformer com! ‘MassDOT is working with pedestrian & bike advocates to rehabilitate and possibly transform the Longfellow Bride. SS ae 1 Siti my Longfellow Bridge future? EBosTon INFORMER) ‘A publeaton of ATC informatio, Ine PO Box 51473 + Boston, MA 02205-1473 Duval Bryson steno 2010 Er You Were Asking 1 heard the Friends of Copley Square is back. rue? Yes, The almost defunct Friends of Copley Square has reorganized after three years of inactivity. The Trust reports its endowment is nearing the $1.5 milion mark ‘euired to deal with park maintenance issues. Plans fre underway to revive holiday and other traditonal ‘events. FOCS chai: Paul Tormey, Fairmont Copley Plaza; Presiden: Dan Donohue, Lenox Hotel. Contact FFOCS car of Back Bay Assn, 617-266-191, (Q. Is the resturant planned for the end of Long Whar, Doe's ever going tobe built? ‘The Boston Informer covered this project in fal 2006. It hasbeen approved by all relevant agencies, buta group ‘of North End residents filed suit in Massachusetts Su- perior Court to block it Opposition stems from fears of poise and rowdiness. | read thatthe planned Edward M. Kennedy Institute near the John F. Kennedy Library in Dorchester is receiving $39 million in federal funds in addition to about $50 million in private funds, Why are taxpayers contributing so much toa private institution? Look at the name. | heard UMass Boston's Master Plan includes its Gest dormitories. My daughter will be applying to college into ‘the dorms be ready? ‘No. A‘mall number of beds (2,00) are in later phases ofthe campus development, possibly as far off as 20+ years. Overall the $1 billion Master Plan will add cose 02:5 times more gross. but Phase I willbuild only ‘onebuilding, 217,000s.£.Integrated Sciences Complex. ‘Ofnote is Master Pan projects are 0) about 15400 new campus trips, mostof which willbeon transit leaving 8252606new autotrips(numbersvary {in Master Plan and Environmental Notification Form), Yet there is no explanation of how the existing shuttle bbusservie willbe expanded toaccommodatethousands ‘of new transit trips and what entity i responsible.