Author Archives: Wil Catlin

0 Residential High-Rise in Kendall Square to Follow Zoning Changes

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Boston Properties logoLooking to make Kendall Square your new home? Boston Properties will be bringing 240 residential units and ground floor retail space to Ames Street.

Boston.com is reporting that “the zoning change [approved last week] will allow the construction of a high-rise up to 250 feet tall along Ames Street, where the city is also selling Boston Properties a 20-foot-wide strip of land between Main Street and Broadway for about $2 million.”

Further information on the zoning changes, along with details about the impending high-rise building, can be found in the original article from Boston.com, here.

0 TD Garden Project a Go

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Rendering of the proposed renovation at the TD Garden

Credit: Boston Business Journal

Our outgoing mayor and Boston Properties have struck a deal on the TD Garden project.

According to an article on the Boston Business Journal, “the Menino administration is set to announce that they have reached an agreement with Boston Properties and Delaware North Cos. to allow construction of a 45-story residential tower near North Station and provide a lucrative tax break to support the $1 billion development.”

Full details are available in the original article on the BBJ.

0 Innovation District gets Smart Parking Sensors, Time to Destination Signs

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Boston innovation district at night

Credit: innovationdistrict.org

How smart is your parking space? Well in the Innovation district and Boston Seaport are stepping it up a few notches with a real-time data app from www.streetline.com. Imagine knowing where to go for the nearest spot and no longer circling the block, it’s here in our city!

Banker & Tradesman posted a report on the traffic installations in the Innovation District:

The technology is designed to help manage traffic congestion in the downtown neighborhood. The smart parking sensors and time to destination signs will provide drivers with constantly updated information on available, on-street parking spaces as well as the quickest route to take out of the Innovation District to the highway system during the evening commute.  Drivers may begin taking advantage of this new technology on Wednesday, Dec. 11.

The full B&T articles is available on their website.

Alternatively, follow this link to view available office space in the Innovation District

0 International Place to Host Boston Ballet’s The Nutcracker

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Boston Ballet putting on a performance of The Nutcracker

Boston Ballet’s The Nutcracker

Call me old fashioned, but I love group gatherings and large-scale events, like the Boston Ballet’s The Nutcracker.  I am always thankful that owners like the The Chiofaro Co. of International Place host festive, public events for all to come and appreciate.

Additional coverage is available on the Boston Business Journal.

Also, on newscast in recent days, there was a great flash mob event by the United States Air Force Band at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington:

0 Boston Takes 3rd on List of Top Global Office Markets

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Global office market study

Credit: World Property Channel

Boston commercial office rents are expected to continue upward at an annual rate in excess of 10-percent through 2015. This puts Boston third on the international stage, behind Jakarta then Dublin.

According to a report on the World Property Channel forecasting global office market growth, “in the Americas, technology and energy continue to be main drivers for the U.S. real estate recovery, with Boston forecast for 22 percent increase in prime asking rents.”

The complete article is available on the WPC website: Top 10 Global Office Markets (Forecasted)

 

0 MBTA Announces Late-night Service in 2014

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MBTA T train in Boston

Credit: Boston Globe

Boston is no longer comprised of 9 – 5 workers.  Our city has evolved to a 24-hour workforce and our infrastructure and services need to play catchup.  Great news for all those getting off work after midnight: starting in 2014, the MBTA will run late-night weekend train and bus service.

From The Boston Globe:

the T will run all subway trains and the 15 most popular bus routes until 3 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Yes, the T is still cash-strapped, and the state budget remains tight, but Governor Deval Patrick has found about $20 million, along with pledges from corporate sponsors, to launch a one-year pilot program to begin in March or April.

The full Globe article on the upcoming late-night MBTA sevice is available, here.

0 TD Garden Project Awaits Resolution

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Boston TD Garden project

Credit: Boston Business Journal

The changing of the guard may have already begun in the corner office at city hall.  It will be interesting to see the outcome of the vote on December 19th by the BRA on a 1.8-million square-foot project around the TD Garden.

According to the Boston Business Journal, “Menino has bristled at suggestions from mayor-elect Walsh and former mayoral candidate John Connolly that the BRA lacks transparency. But the administration’s unwillingness to talk about the negotiations or even allow members of the mayor-appointed Boston Garden Impact Advisory Group participate in the talks has raised questions about what is happening behind closed doors.”

Additional information on the ‘compromise’ is available on the BBJ’s website.

0 What Tenants Look for in a Building

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500 Boylston Street in BostonEach tenants’ specific requirements will vary: some want Starbucks, while other want Dunkin’ Donuts. The consistent component is area amenities, solid infrastructure, and easy access.

Banker & Tradesman takes a look at the factors that are driving tenant sentiment towards a property, noting, “clearly, cost comes strongly into play, but the financials are often very competitive. The decision may thus be swayed by the physical attributes of one location versus another. How can older or “dated” looking buildings be repositioned for maximum appeal? What are savvy landlords doing to their buildings to attract and retain good-credit tenants?”

B&T outlines a full list of attributes that factor into tenant satisfaction, including amenities, aesthetics, and sustainability. The article is available on the Banker & Tradesman website.

0 Office Design: Trend to Traditional Aesthetics Favor Open Layouts

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Office space design

Interior of 312-316 Stuart Street office space in in Boston

What does your office look like?  Are you working within an open plan or a private office model?

Banker & Tradesman describes the contemporary office motif, which “often comprise one or two wide open spaces with desks or tables that, at the most, have cubicles a seated employee can see over into his or her neighbor’s cubicle…Often, the spaces resemble a trading floor, sometimes hectic, sometimes measured in its activity. Along its edges or at the ends of the rooms are shared conference rooms, beside which smaller private rooms can offer a mostly soundproof space for personal phone calls or meditation. These kinds of spaces have very few private offices, if any, even for the company’s executive team. And many times those conference rooms and the desks provided are empty since mobile technology allows workers to do their jobs at home or on the road.”

This scene, described by Banker & Tradesman, is growing application and increasing in appeal. The full article can be found on B&T’s website.

0 BRA Approves $2.3B in New Projects

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BRA approves new projects in downtown Boston

Credit: Boston Business Journal

So what does $2.3B look like in the City of Boston? We’ll soon find out. The BRA has just approved seven new projects collectively totaling $2.3 billion.

The Boston Business Journal published a gallery showcasing each of the seven projects. You can view the gallery via the following link: BBJ Slide Show.