1 Greater Boston Co-Working Office Spaces Get Boost

Posted on September 11, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: BBJ

Co-working won’t change the need for companies to have office, but rather it will bring those that are in home offices and garages into a dynamic environment.

The BBJ is indicating that Bostonians are likely to “see a surge in co-working spaces around Massachusetts thanks to funds made available to residents in select cities across Massachusetts. The spaces, which typically feature a variety of entrepreneurs in shared office space that doesn’t require a long-term lease, have become such a big part of the Greater Boston’s startup scene. But new grants available to entrepreneurs in Massachusetts’ 28 Gateway Cities— from Everett and Worcester to Fall River — aim to spread the concept of co-working spaces beyond Boston, Cambridge and Somerville.”

You can view the full article on the Boston Business Journal, here.

0 Boston’s Highest-Valued Commercial Real Estate, According to Uncle Sam

Posted on September 7, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: BBJ

We all look up and see new office towers in Boston and an abundance of high-priced commercial real-estate, but what are they taxed for all of that luxurious space? According to the BBJ, “the city’s commercial tax rate is $31.18 per $1,000 of assessed value, down from $31.96 last year. For fiscal year 2014, which ended June 30, the city collected $1.1 billion in commercial tax levies. The assessed value of a property does not always reflect the actual value since the data is lagging. For example, One Beacon, the 34-story tower at the edge of the Financial District, recently sold for $561.5 million, but is assessed at $341 million.”

A slide show exhibiting Boston highest-taxed buildings is available on the BBJ, here.

0 $500M Copley Plan nears Completion

Posted on August 23, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: Bisnow

Simon is finalizing their plans for Copley to bridge over the Pike.

Biznow reports, “the interior of the 625-foot residential tower—109 condos and 433 apartments—that will accompany 115K SF of new retail is still undefined. But ODA founder Eran Chen intends for it to be contemporary, international, and elegant to echo Boston’s strong economy, growing global cache, and reflect the unique site that straddles the historic Back Bay and South End. To create a new level of luxury living, the vast interior space will also be intimate and personal through the choice of materials and space configuration. The amenities will provide a “world of activities”: perhaps a spa, wine storage, private entertaining, and meeting rooms.”

Additional information on the Copley Place Plan, along with a sequence of images, can be found on Biznow.

0 Tech Companies Drive up Office Rent in Boston

Posted on August 23, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: BetaBoston

Boston ranks 7th in office rent growth compared with 20 other cities over the last 24 months. The reason for the expeditious growth rate, according to a study released this week by CBRE Group Inc., and posted on Banker & Tradesman, is the “growth of high-tech employment [that] helped drive double-digit office rent increases in Boston over the last two years.”

More information is available on B&T’s website.

0 Boston Wharf Co. Building at 51 Melcher Sells for $52.7M

Posted on August 23, 2014 by Wil Catlin

For $513.49 PSF Synergy Investments has sold 51 Melcher Street to Zurich North America. The building went through a complete renovation and was delivered fully leased to WeWork, Life is Good, and NetSuite.

According to Banker & Tradesman, “Synergy spent millions of dollars repositioning the building in the market, including base building renovations, a new main entrance and lobby, HVAC systems, new and restored windows and new roof, restrooms, plumbing, electrical service and elevators.”

Pricing with the Seaport Class B Market now is running in the upper $30’s to low $40’s PSF.

Click to view the full size graphic

0 Parking App Haystack Gets Boot by Boston City Council

Posted on August 23, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: ExpiredMeter

Information is power, but the Mayor’s office has shut down Haystack in the city of Boston.

Eric Meyer, CEO of the Baltimore-based company, offered a statement in reaction to the vote, which was posted on the BBJ:

“Although we think that Ordinance 1310 should not apply to Haystack (as Haystack does not sell, lease or reserve public parking spots), it seems clear to us that City Council has passed Ordinance 1310, at least in part, to challenge and end Haystack service in the City of Boston. We believe that taking actions against new ideas and passing legislation based upon hypothetical concerns that have not materialized in the actual implementation of the Haystack app is premature and does nothing to help solve Boston’s acknowledged parking issues. The passage of this ordinance is a step in the wrong direction for parking innovation, and for innovation of every kind. Nonetheless, it is our company’s mission to solve parking issues collaboratively. Accordingly, Haystack will suspend service in Boston this week until further notice in the hopes of engaging with the Office of New Urban Mechanics and local lawmakers to identify a modified approach to parking issues that can be supported by City Hall.”

0 What do you do on Conference Calls?

Posted on August 21, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Intercall

We all have to join conference calls. Where do you make them from and what do you do while you’re on one?

The BBJ highlights findings from the Harvard Business Review, examining conference call behavior. It cites an InterCall survey of 530 people:

Once we dial in (and perhaps put the phone instantly on mute), most of us are not fully engaged. In fact, 27 percent of respondents said they had fallen asleep at least once during a call. The fact that 64 percent of the respondents said they prefer cell phones over landlines explains how they can get away with doing so many other things.

According to the respondents of InterCall’s survey, the most frequent distractions are:

·         Doing other work – 65 percent
·         Sending an email – 63 percent
·         Eating or making food – 55 percent
·         Going to the restroom – 47 percent
·         Texting – 44 percent
·         Checking social media – 43 percent
·         Playing video games – 25 percent
·         Online shopping – 21 percent

0 Boston Companies Can Now Lease Extra Space to Startups

Posted on August 15, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Now you have a place to go! PivotDesk has solved the problem for the entrepreneur.

From BetaBoston.com:

“PivotDesk, which lets companies lease out extra office space to other startups, has launched a new offering that lets commercial real estate brokers connect with companies that might be too small for their own space with PivotDesk.”

For more info, jump over to PivotDesk.

0 Google Opens New Cambridge Office

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: BetaBoston

“Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful,” and with that, their new office in Cambridge inspire. The following are the 10 items about Google philosophy, and some things to think about as you type in your next query:

1. Focus on the user and all else will follow.

2. It’s best to do one thing really, really well.

3. Fast is better than slow.

4. Democracy on the web works.

5. You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer.

6. You can make money without doing evil.

7. There’s always more information out there.

8. The need for information crosses all borders.

9. You can be serious without a suit.

10. Great just isn’t good enough.

Interior of Google's cambridge office in Kendall Square

Credit: BetaBoston

Betaboston offers a report on the opening of Google’s new Cambridge offices:

“Google opened up its new offices in Cambridge today which connects three Cambridge Centers into one expansive campus sitting above Kendall Square. The key space in the complex is the (somewhat controversial) “Connector” built across the once fully public rooftop garden between Four and Five Cambridge Center.”

0 Boston Office Market Growing in 2014

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Boston office market continues to see strong demand for space. The BBJ offers a breakdown by market:

“The Back Bay remains the highest priced submarket at $53.65 per square foot, but not much has changed from a year ago, when average rents were $53.35. Rents in the Seaport were flat at $38.46 per square foot. Charlestown rents dropped to $22.43, the lowest rate in the city, down from $23.10 a year ago, and Fenway rents were flat at $32.95 per square foot.”

Credit: Boston Business Journal