Category Archives: Commercial Real Estate Renovations in Boston

0 Builders Consider Wind Power

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Wind power for office towers

Credit: Banker & Tradesman

As we all try harder to recycle and become a greener society, one group has looked up. Way up. Is it possible and feasible to have wind farms atop office towers?  At a cost, yes; but is there an adequate return on investment?

Banker & Tradesman recently reported on a Cambridge-based startup that is exploring the use of wind power on an office tower:

One such cleantech startup based in Cambridge has designed its own version of a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) that stands from 26 to 40 feet tall, with a 20-foot diameter, a far cry from the turbines in, say, Falmouth, where the towers rise more than 260 feet into the air and can be seen for miles around…But instead of the turbines themselves being towers, Eastern Wind Power’s founders want to put their turbines on top of existing and new urban office towers.

The full article on sustainable office towers is available on B&T.

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 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 Update on the Callahan Tunnel’s Impending Closure

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Boston's Callahan tunnel

Credit: BBJ

What makes Boston perfect for the business traveler? Well, I for one have spent many hours commuting from airports to the cities they serve. Boston is different; our airport is in our city and just a short cab ride or a couple of stops on the Blue Line. The Callahan Tunnel — a core path to Logan airport — was opened in 1961 and like all infrastructure, needs maintenance. The tunnel is scheduled to close on December 27th and reopen on March 12th.

Details on the tunnel’s modifications were posted on the Boston Business Journal:

The DOT awarded McCourt Construction a $19 million contract in August for the project. During the time the tunnel is shut completely, the project will mainly involve demolishing and rebuilding the roadway and deck through the tunnel. East Boston-bound traffic will be redirected to the Ted Williams, the Tobin Bridge, or Route 16 in Everett. That third option involves plenty of intersections along the way to Route 1A. So DOT will upgrade traffic signal equipment at 20 spots, primarily along Route 16.

The full BBJ article is available on the Bizjournals website

Did you know that the tunnel was named for the son of Turnpike chairman William F. Callahan, who was killed in Italy just days before the end of World War II.

0 South Station Renovation Progresses; New Restrooms Announced

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South Station construction in Boston

Credit: Banker & Tradesman

The upgrades at Boston’s largest community hub continue. Yesterday, the first step of South Station’s augmentation was completed, with the opening of new women’s restrooms.

From Banker & Tradesman:

“South Station restroom changes include the creation of an airport-quality ladies room in the former Clark’s space. The accessible restroom fixtures will increase from 16 to 20. An expanded, high-quality men’s restroom is currently under construction, and the existing men’s restroom will be moved temporarily during construction to the former women’s room. The construction barrier around the Red Line elevator has been installed and work is being conducted at night. Additional security and signage is in place to direct commuters to the new restroom area.”

The full B&T article is available, here.

0 Boston Ranks 2nd in Construction Jobs

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Construction on Boston office spaces

Credit: Boston Globe

Greater Boston is 2nd to Los Angeles in new construction jobs, beating Houston, Atlanta and Phoenix. Employers and employees want to work live and play in our beautiful city.

According to the Boston Globe, “since August 2012, construction activity and employment have jumped. The Boston metro area added 8,700 construction jobs, compared with 8,900 in Los Angeles and 8,200 in Houston…Driving this surge are several factors, including the strength of Boston’s technology, biotechnology, and medical industries, pent-up demand for housing, and improved credit conditions that have made financing available for commercial construction.”

What we’re experiencing is the revitalization and creation of communities that cater to the changing demands of today’s workforce, while offering all aspects of a residential community that includes schools and grocery stores. Thank you to our construction industry for making this happen.

The full Globe article is available to subscribers, here.

0 Copley Place will see $500M Expansion

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Copley place expansion, graphic rendering

Credit: Bisnow.com

Changes are coming to Copley Place, a 52-story tower to house rental apartments and condos. Currently there is no change to the existing office towers.

Bisnow is reporting that “Simon Property Groups $500M expansion of Copley Place–is advancing with the recent city approval of its revised plan to add rental apartments to the residential mix…Simon will build 433 rental apartments and 109 condos instead of 318 condos in the 625-foot, 52-story tower.”

Additional details are available online, here.

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