0 MIT-designed Solar Benches in Boston

Posted on by
Solar bench in Boston, MA

Credit: The Boston Globe

What’s in store for the Greenway or a park bench near you?  Solar with the Net, that’s right.  MIT designed benches allow occupant to rest, recharge and Uber without increasing the carbon footprint.

According to The Boston Globe, “installed recently at the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, each of these two sleek, backless benches has a solar panel on one side to provide power to recharge cellphones, a connection to the Internet, and for night lighting. Soon they also will have sensors to detect for air pollution — even telling whether someone nearby is smoking.”

The full article is available to Globe subscribers: Seat-e can recharge phones as users take a rest

0 MassDOT Approves Back Bay Hotel, Retail, and Condo Project

Posted on by
Back Bay development project

Credit: Banker & Tradesman

At Boylston Street and Mass Ave a new project has just gotten approvals from MDOT.

Details on the new project are available in Banker & Trademan, and included the following overview:

“A project at the corner of Boylston Street and Mass. Ave. in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood involving the construction of a hotel and residential development over the MassPike received approval from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation today…The 99-year lease agreement between MassDOT and ADG Scotia covering two plots of land, known as Parcels 12 and 15, will provide the Commonwealth project value of $18.5 million for the two parcels in the form of fixed payments early in the lease period combined with annual rent payments.”

The full article can be found here on B&T.

0 How Expensive is Kendall Square?

Posted on by

Kendall Sq. office buildingThe short answer is mid $50’s PSF which equates to a 10 percent increase over last year. That being said, the real cost is even greater, due to fewer concessions from landlord’s. The East Cambridge office market is at a 6.4 percent vacancy rate, which contributes to the elevated rental numbers. The other side of this is there are fewer options for mid-sized tenants. Landlords would prefer larger full floor users as opposed to multi tenanted floors.

A Banker & Tradesman article from last week reported on one company migrating to Kendall Square, in East Cambridge:

“Biomeasure Inc. will abandon its Milford location for the proximity to hospitals and research institutions offered by Cambridge’s Kendall Square. The firm, a subsidiary of French pharmaceutical company Ipsen, has leased 63,000 square feet of space at 650 East Kendall St. in Cambridge. The company is moving its U.S. research and development operations from 27 Maple St. in Milford.”

You can jump over to the full article on Banker and Tradesman.

Related Listings
Office Space in Kendall Square

0 Real Estate Developers Voice Case for Tax Breaks

Posted on by
Fenway Center

Credit: The Boston Globe

Are you in favor or opposed of tax relief for construction projects? A Boston Globe editorial addressed the issue of added tax relief for construction projects, noting “the developer of Boston’s ambitious Fenway Center development is seeking $7.8 million in city tax breaks to proceed with construction, saying the $500 million mega-project could fall apart without urgent public assistance.”

The full Globe article, available here, further explores the issue.

0 Copley Place will see $500M Expansion

Posted on by
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.

Related Property Listings
Copley Office Space for Lease

0 Downtown Boston a Mix of Commercial, Residential, and Retail

Posted on by
Walgreens and convenience stores in Back Bay Boston

Credit: Boston Herald

Yes people do live here.  Some think of downtown as a place to work while others think of it as a place live, work and play.

In a Boston Herald article Greg Vasil, CEO of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, noted the confluence of office, retail, and residential elements in Boston, “Downtown Crossing is on its way to becoming another ‘living district,’ where you have the amenity retail, such as the Walgreens superstore, Roche Brothers grocery store, as well as more fitness centers, retail and restaurants.”

The full Boston Herald article is available, here.

0 Ma Commercial Real Estate Development Ranks 7th

Posted on by
Office space development and construction in Boston

Credit: Boston Business Journal

Our city is growing and adding more office, industrial, warehouse and retail space. This translates into construction jobs, followed by permanent jobs once the new facilities are built and occupied.

The local angle is detailed in the Boston Business Journal:

“The commercial real estate market’s continued rebound has pushed Massachusetts up two notches to 7th overall when it comes to construction spending among U.S. states, according to a new study by the NAIOP Research Foundation…Spending in the Bay State to build office, industrial, warehouse and retail space totaled $1.78 billion and supported 49,653 jobs in 2012, according to NAIOP.”

Follow the link for additional Boston Commercial Leasing Trends.

 

0 South Station Redesign?

Posted on by

Is the commuter hub, South Station poised for a makeover? Well, yes. It seems that the Governor’s team is looking to make an upgrade of the 114-year old terminal.

rendering of a proposed south station redesign

Credit: Boston Business Journal

According to a report on the Boston Business Journal, “Gov. Deval Patrick’s transportation spending plan includes an $850 million expansion of South Station…the architect’s rendering (right) appears to show the 114-year-old train terminal with its roof blown off, replaced by a glass canopy that stretches out to pedestrian walkways extending over the train platforms.”

The full article, along with additional renderings is available on the Boston Business Journal website.

0 Looking to Raising Startup Capital in Boston? Here’s a Quick Reference

Posted on by

SVG Capital LogoGreater Boston is rich with new, creative business ideas that with nurturing, could grow into companies that will employ our educated workforce and give back to the greater community. To blossom, these business ideas need leadership and capital; Boston has both.

The challenge for startups then becomes how and when to hire professional management for your idea and when to raise capital to grow. What should you do?  Surround yourself with smart people and take your idea on a road show with potential investors.  Boston has a wealth of venture capital and private equity firms that are eager to partake in a great idea. Interview them, ask them the hard questions, but most importantly, believe in yourself.

Here’s a list of Boston area VC’s:

(more…)