0 Two Summer Street Office Buildings Sold

Posted on May 3, 2014 by Wil Catlin

321 Summer St. in Boston (click to view additional property details)

More trades in the Seaport’s red hot office Market. The Seaport Class B office lease rates are hovering just around $40 PSF in the first year.

Drawing national coverage, the Wall Street Journal reported on the recent Seaport transactions of 281 Summer Street and 321 Summer Street in Boston, MA. The Journal notes, “the two building portfolio is in Boston’s Seaport District and totals 243,000 square feet of office and retail space. Newly renovated, the properties are well-located in the heart of Boston’s Fort Port Channel neighborhood.”

The WSJ article on the Boston Seaport is available, here.

You can view additional details on both of the Summer Street buildings on our property listing pages:

321 Summer Street, Boston Seaport

281 Summer Street, Boston Seaport

0 171 Newbury St. Sold for $13.2M

Posted on May 3, 2014 by Wil Catlin

gallery space at 171 Newbury St. in Boston

Credit: The Real Reporter

Mike d’Hemecourt of our Retail Capital Markets Team produces a great outcome for 171 Newbury Street.

Details, posted by The Real Reporter, indicate that “the landmark Pucker Gallery is relocating within the Back Bay following a sale of its longtime home at 171 Newbury St. to Dutch capital at an eye-popping $1,553 per sf, an all-cash $13.2 million transaction negotiated by Boston Realty Advisors. The five-story, 8,525-sf building that has housed the multi-level gallery since 1967 and is now home to international retailer Clarks Shoes on the ground floor attracted a range of investors from around the corner and around the globe, relays BRA principal Michael d’Hemecourt in acknowledging the agreement that closed on Friday.”

Further information on the gallery and its sale, are available on The Real Reporter website.

0 Mobile App Brings Real-Time Ride Options to Boston

Posted on April 28, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: Boston Business Journal

What’s the fastest way to get there? I was leaving my office on Boylston Street Last week headed to the corner of High and Federal. My route was my standard one: hop on the T at Back Bay and head to Park Street then walk through Downtown Crossing down Summer to High.

As I walked across Exeter Street at Boylston Street, I noticed a motorcycle rider on a Ducati, felt the warm day air, and thought, Spring is burgeoning. As my trip progressed, I walked in front of 100 Summer Street and noticed the same rider on the same bike. Was my way quicker or did the rider stop for a coffee at Flat Black? Not sure, but I was rather impressed that the T scored the same speed as a motorcycle.

If you’re unsure of the best route or means for a particular trip, check out RideScout, and see what’s your quickest path to your Boston destination.

The BBJ describes RideScout’s functionality, which is now available in Boston and Cambridge:

“The app aggregates ground transportation services including public transit, private options and social ride-share that allows users to search and compare options in real-time..,Users of the app can find and connect with Zipcars, Hailo taxis, Hubway bike share, MBTA bus and rail services.”

Additional details are available on the Boson Business Journal.

0 Boston Harbor: today, as it was meant to be

Posted on April 28, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: Bisnow.com

One of our city’s most valued resources wasn’t always treated as such. Yes, our waterfront. Not only has this become a destination location for visitors, but now we have new residential communities and office buildings that are the new gateway to the water.

Bisnow offers a perspective on how the harbor used to be, and what it’s evolved into.

“[today], many of the region’s major developers and corporations…now see how valuable a beautiful waterfront can be. Rents are rising for offices and multifamily residences and commercial property sale values are hitting all-time highs.”

The full article, including a comparison of ‘old’ Boston Harbor to a “men’s locker room”, is available here.

0 Boston Residents: Text In Your Choice to Fill Storefront Vacancies

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Wil Catlin

This is a very interesting idea. I would love to see the results and read the texters’ suggestions; I imagine they would likely differ from the residents of the community. Either way, a great reach out program.

Credit: Boston.com

According to Boston.com, city officials are looking to use crowdsourcing to “help reduce the number and duration of business vacancies, increase community involvement, and promote innovation, according to municipal workers spearheading the pilot program.”

Back bay commercial space at 360 Newbury St. in Boston

360 Newbury Street

We’re using our Twitter feed (@bradviors) to garner opinions on what you’d like to see occupy 360 Newbury Street.

Tweet your suggestions using #360Newbury in your message.

You can see the responses here: 360 Newbury Street

0 Rosenthal Tax break at Fenway Center Gets Support from Mayor Walsh

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: Boston Business Journal

Mayor Walsh is looking to offer some reprieve to the Fenway Center Project. Will this stimulus be enough for the $550 million project to get off the ground? The residential and commercial market are both very strong and seem to be poised to continue upward; the real concern is the cost of construction.

The BBJ offered some underlying details on the tax agreement:

“The proposed 121A tax agreement, first reported by the Boston Globe Monday, is intended to provide property tax relief in a designated “blighted” areas. The Rosenthal tax plan is expected to be on the Boston Redevelopment Authority agenda at its board meeting on Thursday. The state would also have to approve the arrangement.”

The full article is available on the Boston Business Journal’s website.

0 Public Food Market Approved for Greenway

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: The Boston Globe

This will be a great addition to community and Greenway. Looking forward to visiting when it goes live; the concept reminds me of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco.

The Boston Globe reports:

“Plans for the year-round market along the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway were approved Thursday night by the Boston Redevelopment Authority. The project, expected to cost $14 million, will include up to 45 vendors as well as a bakery, seafood raw bar, and demonstration kitchen staffed by local chefs….’For people who live close to the market looking for fresh produce, this is going to be a godsend,’ said Liz Morningstar, executive director of the nonprofit Boston Public Food Market, which will develop and manage the facility.”

0 Cambridge Co-working Office Space Sends Five Entrepreneurs to Shark Tank

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Workbar, coworking space in Cambridge MA

Credit: BBJ

Co-working office spaces continue to create a platform where innovative ideas can turn into companies. Yes, I’m a fan of Shark Tank and I love how the show boils a product pitch down to five minutes from pitch to investment.

Reporting on the local angle on the show, the BBJ notes that “entrepreneurs drove from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to pitch their business ideas at Cambridge co-working space Workbar on Thursday in hopes of getting national exposure on ABC’s Shark Tank…About 100 people were standing in line an hour before pitches started.

The growing interest and relevance of co-working office space in Cambridge is beneficial to both the entrepreneurs, who will spur future growth, as well as the environment and infrastructure that surrounds it.

For details on the five selected entrepreneurs, read the full article on the Boston Business Journal.

0 129 Tremont Street Lands New Capital One 360 Café

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: BostonSF.com

A bank becomes a coffee shop. Well, I walked into this establishment for a quick meeting and I must admit, it was pretty cool. I got a cup of coffee and a quick bite to eat and I sat down to watch the comings and goings of the operation. In the 20 minutes I was there I noticed moderate coffee customers, but I didn’t notice any bank customers. Not sure why, but I sure this will become the rage as more of us are looking for service and convenience. After all, who would have thought 10 years ago that a bank would open in a supermarket and have office hours on Sundays.

An article on BostonSF.com notes additional details of the new establishment at 129 Tremont St.:

The café features a full service coffee bar, LCD video walls incorporated into an all glass façade, and a warm and inviting ambiance. Venetian plaster, faux brick walls and a wood slat ceiling define the space. Polished concrete floors are intricately inlaid with an elliptical reclaimed wood floor product. The café offers music and Wi-Fi to customers, as well as information on Capital One services via multiple LCD displays throughout the space. All of this while hiding the inner workings of a fully functioning café in the background.

0 Boston Waterfront: $20M Upgrade Proposed

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: Bisnow.com

This is terrific news and should be implemented immediately. Public access to our natural beauty is imperative to the City’s continued growth in the years to come. Not too far back, the suppression of the Central Artery bridged many areas of our city and created the Greenway.

From Bisnow:

“The City’s new proposal to spend $20M to upgrade 40 acres along the waterfront from the North End to Fort Point with open space, cultural attractions, and entertainment (fingers crossed for Ferris wheel) will elevate the rapidly changing district, BRA deputy director for waterfront planning Richard McGuiness tells Bisnow. The aim: upgrade the border of “our greatest natural resource: Boston Harbor.”

The complete Bisnow article is available on its website, here