Monthly Archives: February 2017

0 Winthrop Square Tower Pushes to Maintain Height

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Winthrop Square tower development

Credit: Boston Globe

No change in height from the developer for Winthrop Square tower.

From Curbed, Boston:

The main bone of contention re: the development is its height, which will likely stretch to 775 feet. That has raised concerns about potential shadows that the tower might cast on the Common and the Public Garden.

Is Millennium considering cutting the height? No. We feel this project was holistically designed at its optimum size in response to achieving the goals that the city required for this public asset.

0 MA Has Highest Rate of LEED Certification in US

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LEED certified buildings in MA

Credit: Boston Business Journals

Being green is an attribute that Boston landlords aspire to achieve, and do so at a national-leading rate.

From the BBJ:

Massachusetts had 136 properties spanning 24.4 million square feet achieve LEED certification last year. That represented 3.73 square feet of certified space per resident — the highest rate of any other state in the U.S….The ranking comes at a time of both significant deal-making activity in the region’s real estate capital markets industry and during one of the largest building booms in the city’s history.

“Sometimes what will happen is a broker tells an owner: ‘I can’t show this property because buyers only want LEED-certified properties,’” Lee said. “They’re using LEED as a mechanism to give their brokers a little extra ammunition in the marketplace. … LEED is a global brand, and people recognize it as a third-party accountability structure that helps all parties get their game to a better level. It’s part of what capital markets are looking for: how do you distinguish one asset from another?”

What does LEED mean? From Wikipedia:
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is one of the most popular green building certification programs used worldwide.[7] Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) it includes a set of rating systems for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of green buildings, homes, and neighborhoods[8] that aims to help building owners and operators be environmentally responsible and use resources efficiently.

0 Boston City Hall Looking to Host Local Coffee Shop

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Boston City Hall with new coffee shop

Credit: Boston Business Journal

If you have coffee shop and are looking to expand, Mayor Walsh wants to speak with you about City Hall. The amenities that building offers are a tremendous asset to their occupants and the mayor is taking a page out of the private playbook.

Looking forward to seeing who lands the spot, and it’s safe to assume it will be a group with strong local roots and good beans.

According to the Boston Business Journal, “Mayor Martin J. Walsh on Tuesday announced the release of a request for proposals for applicants interested in operating a coffee shop in the lobby of Boston City Hall. The project is part of a renovation of the lobby, which is scheduled to be completed this spring. According to the proposal, the lease would cover a three-year period beginning April 1.”

Additional details are available on the BBJ’s website, here.

0 Green Line Extension Gets Boost from New Administration

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The Green Line extension appears to be moving back to the front page and is part of an infrastructure initiative put forward by the Trump administration.

Map of the MBTA Green line extension

Credit: BBJ

According to a recent BBJ article, “the much-delayed MBTA Green Line extension to link Cambridge’s Alewife to Somerville and Medford is one of 50 infrastructure projects that President Trump’s transition team has identified as a priority, according to a document obtained by the Kansas City Star…The total cost of the MBTA’s 4.3-mile Green Line extension could be as much as $3 billion and result in 3,000 jobs, according to the document.”

From Wikipedia:
The Green Line Extension (sometimes abbreviated as GLX) is an initiative to expand transit services in Greater Boston by extending the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Linelight rail beyond its current northern terminus at Lechmere Station in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The 4.3-mile (6.9 km) extension is intended in order to improve mobility and regional access for residents in the densely populated municipalities of Somerville and Medford, two cities currently underserved by the MBTA relative to their population densities, commercial importance, and proximity to Boston.

0 Self-driving Cars Create Employment Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities

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Self-driving car in the street of Boston and Cambridge

Credit: Boston Herlad

Self-driving cars, who’s technology in part is being created and tested in Boston, will offer the nearly 2 million individuals with disabilities new employment opportunities.

From the Boston Herald:

In a study released by the Boston-based Ruderman Family Foundation last week, researchers found self-driving cars would dramatically improve the lives of disabled residents by making it easier and cheaper for them to travel — especially to and from a job.

“Approximately 2 million individuals with disabilities would have new employment opportunities,” the study said. “New transportation technologies have the potential to help those with disabilities enjoy the activities that those without disabilities take for granted.”

0 Social Managers Cultivate Culture, Shape Workplace Environment

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Mary Landucci Social Manager at 451 D Street in Boston’s Seaport

Credit: Mary Landucci

Competition breeds a better product and Boston’s office landlords are adding key differentiators. No longer are lobby and common area upgrades the most notable factors when considering a new location for your company. Now tenants might consider items like: Green Factor, Hubway location and Bike Storage, after hours HVAC and Social Managers.

451 D Street in Boston’s Seaport has added Mary Landucci as the Social Manager to assist with coordinating all events for the building.

In an article with Biznow, Landucci notes that “from a recruitment standpoint, it’s become essential for companies, in Boston specifically, to provide their employees with space that caters well to Millennials. My role is a meaningful way for the building landlord to add to that lively, social environment. Also, by having our own building programming as well as a 3,300 SF building lounge, we’re seeking to take some of the pressure off of our tenant companies to be forced to create that space and programming within their own workplace.”

You can read the entire Landucci interview on Biznow’s website.

0 Boston Self-driving Cars Hit Roadblock

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Self-driving car in Boston

Credit: Boston Globe

There is no easy ride for the self-driving car industry. Legislation is looking to dramatically put the brakes on this.

A recent Boston Globe article noted Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier, a Pittsfield Democrat, and Senator Jason Lewis, a Winchester Democrat unveiled “a measure that would set statewide rules for the testing and use of autonomous vehicles…Among other provisions, the bill would mandate that all self-driving cars weighing under 8,500 pounds be zero-emissions vehicles, and require their operators to pay the state 2.5 cents for every mile they travel. Only freight and emergency autonomous vehicles could drive more than a mile without a passenger.”

Additional details on the battle between self-driving auto producers and state legislators is available on the Boston Globe.

0 Boston Leather District Adds Smartsheet

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The Leather District section of Boston will be the new East Coast office for 140 employees of Smartsheet.

From Smartsheet:

“Our expansion to the east coast is a direct reflection of the tremendous demand we’re seeing in cloud collaboration,” said Mark Mader, CEO of Smartsheet. “Building out a world-class team in Boston’s vibrant tech hub is a critical part of serving both U.S. and international customers.”

Consistently recognized as a great place to work, Smartsheet was featured as a “Highest Rated Private Cloud Company to Work For” in a new list by Battery Ventures and Glassdoor released in August 2016. Employee reviews on Glassdoor also praise the passionate and accessible senior leadership, work-life balance, amazing company culture, belief in the product and top-notch talent.

0 Available Office Space in Back Bay: 745 Boylston Street

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Back bay office building

745 Boylston Street in Boston’s Back Bay

Boston Realty Advisors has been retained by Upland Capital to exclusively represent 745 Boston Street in Boston’s Back Bay. The building is a 112,000 square foot 8 story building with Verizon and Max Brenner as the retail tenants.

The building currently has just over 18,000 square feet available and can accommodate tenants from 1,700 – 12,000.

Building Details
• 745 Boylston Street Back Bay
• Property Brochure
• Floor plan

 

0 Shadow Exemption Requested for Winthrop Sq. Tower

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Winthrop Square office building

Credit: Boston Globe

Winthrop Square tower is being positioned as the last development to cast a shadow.

According to the Boston Globe, “the Walsh administration is willing to write tougher rules restricting the size of shadows that new buildings can cast on Boston Common, as long as there’s an exemption for Winthrop Square, said Brian Golden, director of the Boston Planning & Development Agency. That could effectively cap the height of future buildings in parts of Downtown Crossing.”

Additional details on the proposed skyscraper in Winthrop Square are available on the Boston Globe.