0 New Collaborative Office Spaces for Boston Startups

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Wil Catlin

collaborative office space for boston startups

Credit: dailyfreepress.com

“Collaboration” seems to be the most common term in the lexicon of today’s emerging companies. A company dedicated to dynamic, collaborative office space is helping to ensure the trend has an increasing presence in Boston.

From the Daily Free Press:

“WeWork is a collaborative office space, with more than 2,000 members expected to call the Boston offices home by summer. The office space is shared primarily by early-stage startups that would otherwise not have access to many of the amenities available within the space.”

Additional information on WeWork is provided in the Daily Free Press article.

0 400 Atlantic Ave. in the Financial District Sells for $50M

Posted on February 18, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: Boston Business Journal

Trades in the fully-stabilized office sector continue to bring strong numbers and show no sign of slowing down in Boston’s Financial District.

From the BBJ:

Colonnade Properties has sold 400 Atlantic Ave., the 100,000-square-foot office building between Boston’s Financial and Seaport Districts, to Credit Suisse on behalf of a private client for $50 million.

The full article is available on the Boston Business Journal’s website: 400 Atlantic Ave, Sold for $50M.

0 How Startups Pick their Hometowns

Posted on February 18, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: BBJ

Frequently when I meet with young companies their initial request is, what will it cost? My reply is usually is, “ If it was free and the perfect configuration, but in Western Massachusetts, would you take it?” The reply, “No.”

Companies that are in growth mode care about access to qualified potential employees. In the Boston market we see many companies prefer to be within the city core as opposed to be outside the city for that simple reason. The younger workforce doesn’t own or doesn’t want their commute to involve an automobile.

According to a research report on the Boston Business Journal, here’s are the three aspects that entrepreneurs say actually did sell them on their hometowns:

1. Population & talent

2. Livability

3. Strong area supply chains

The full BBJ article is available, here.

0 22 Batterymarch Street in Boston Sells for $10.5M

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Office building on batterymarch street in Boston

Credit: Boston Business Journal

The Class B trades continue in the Financial District with 22 Batterymarch for $300 per square foot. As the vacancy continues to drop and lease rates increase, we will see more sellers coming to the table in coming months.

A BBJ article offers details and background on the property at 22 Batterymarch:

Built in the 1890s, the 35,000-square-foot Class B office building once served as the Harvard Club. Around 30 years ago, the property was converted into a multitenant office facility. The seven-story building was acquired by Taurus in 1998 for $4.4 million. It is assessed at $5.3 million.

The complete article is available on the Boston Business Journal.

0 Tech Banking Office opens in Financial District Boston

Posted on January 17, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Boston is home to some creative entrepreneurial companies that innovate continuously. Wells Fargo, amongst others, are after their deposits and corporate banking requirements. The days have gone by of old school banking, we now, as customers, require Apps.

From the BBJ:

“Wells Fargo & Co. is expanding its Silicon Valley-based technology banking group into Boston, and it has pinched executives from two high profile competitors to run the new office…The Boston office at 101 Federal St. will be run by commercial bankers Debra DelVecchio and David Dickinson.”

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

0 Price of Office Space in Boston’s Innovation District Still Climbing

Posted on January 16, 2014 by Wil Catlin

How expensive is the Innovation Districtt? Well, Boston’s Innovation District has pulled neck-and-neck with Back Bay. The Innovation District has benefited from a tremendous influx of tenants that could no longer afford East Cambridge and Kendall Square. Now with prices at or above pre-crash levels, the value play is within the low-rise Class A and Class B office space in the Financial District.

Office space in Boston's Innovation district and Back Bay

Credit: Boston Globe

A managing director at Cassidy Turley, David Campbell, recently commented to the Boston Globe, “the Innovation District has offered the most obvious place for the city to grow…the Big Dig and the convention center and the Ted Williams Tunnel have really made it fertile ground for future development.”

More from Campbell is available in the full article, on the Boston Globe’s website.

0 The Block on Congress Reinvented

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Wil Catlin

Credit: Boston Herald

An era gone by, no longer will the Fidelity sign hang at 82 Devonshire Street. Related Beal acquired the 343,000 square foot portfolio and is in the process of reviewing plans to revitalize the retail storefronts. Boston developer Related Beal has acquired a five-building portfolio in the Financial District from Fidelity Investments with plans to upgrade its office and retail space.

Stephen Faber, executive vice president of Related Beal, commented on the opportunity in an article on Banker & Tradesman’s website:

“Rarely do you have the opportunity to reposition and reinvent an entire city block, especially one in the heart of downtown Boston,”

The full article is available, here.

0 Boston Office Market Shifts to the Financial District

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Wil Catlin

The Downtown Boston Office Market continues to be strong as firms seek better value options than the high-priced Seaport or Back Bay submarkets. Pricing in the Class B market is still in the low-to-mid $30’s PSF downtown, while the Seaport has pushed into the low to mid $40’s.

B&T recently reported that “the popularity of the Seaport and Back Bay, where office building vacancy rates have been at historical lows in recent months, has been a boon to the city’s traditionally staid, button-down financial center, where younger and tech-related firms have opened up shop.”

Additional information is available on the Banker & Tradesman website.

0 BRA Approves $2.3B in New Projects

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Wil Catlin

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.

0 The 25 Largest Office Buildings in Greater Boston (via BBJ)

Posted on November 10, 2013 by Wil Catlin

Credit: Wikipedia

When thinking about your next office do you care to be in one of Boston’s top 25 largest buildings? Number one is the John Hancock with a total of 1,755,400 rentable square feet that is owned by Boston Properties.

The Boston Business Journal has posted its list of the top 25 largest office buildings in Greater Boston. You can download a pdf containing the complete list of the largest office buildings in greater boston, courtesy of the BBJ.