[lexicon506]

The rendering is finally in :cheers: Here is the proposed 1000' tower by Renzo Piano

http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Original_Graphic/2006/11/13/1163454847_4706.jpg

Monday, November 13, 2006
One bidder for 1000-foot tower site in Boston

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino's invitation to developers to build an iconic, 1,000-foot-tall tower on the site of a decaying city-owned parking garage drew only a single bidder today.

Steven Belkin, chairman and founder of Trans National group and an owner of the Atlanta Hawks basketball and Atlanta Thrashers hockey teams, proposed a tower -- which after approvals may turn out to be Boston's tallest building -- with extensive retail space on the ground floor.

The Boston Redevelopment Authority issued a request for proposals for the Winthrop Square public parking garage site, at 115 Federal St., in May; bids were due on today. Belkin, a hugely successful businessman but not as of yet a real estate developer, was considered by many to be the one to beat because he owns a key adjacent property, 133 Federal St.

The odd-shaped parking garage, with a footprint of a little over an acre, is considered much more valuable if a building there could also include the space occupied by Belkin's building.

Belkin has hired Meredith & Grew/Oncor as development manager for his project, and he has been working with architects including the highly regarded Renzo Piano of Italy, who designed the commercial and cultural Centre Pompidou in Paris.

"Very clearly he's been working on this for quite a bit of time,'' said David I. Begelfer, chief executive of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties' Massachusetts chapter. "He has the land, he has the money, and without question he has the determination to build this."

Belkin pioneered the successful use of "affinity" credit cards, those tied to businesses or nonprofit institutions, and has started more than two dozen companies. He is extensively involved in charitable work in Massachusetts, including efforts on behalf of Harvard University, Combined Jewish Philanthropies, and the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

Belkin also owns Belkin Family Lookout Farm, in Natick, Mass. He graduated with a degree in engineering from Cornell University in 1969 and received a masters in business from the Harvard Business School in 1971.

Menino surprised the development community in February by giving a speech in which he invited developers to think big, after many year during which tall towers were shunned in Boston. The 60-floor Hancock Tower in the Back Bay is the city's tallest office building.
(By Thomas C. Palmer Jr., Globe staff)
Posted by Boston Globe Business Team at 01:46 PM

[Benhamin]

There is already a thread for this in the highrises section.

And BTW, only one proposal??? wtf??? and imo, it SUCKS!!! :(

[M. Brown]

It doesn't look too bad to me.

[StevenW]

It's very dominating. :yes:

[volguus zildrohar]

You could do worse.

[Visiteur]

Looks like the spire was an afterthought, a la the original Libeskind WTC design.

[liat91]

I like it, adds some sophistication to the skyline. Does anyone know if this will be very clost to SST.

[PA Pride]

I used to think that this style of modern design was a fad kind of generic design... But if you look at several of the largest, most high profile towers going up all around the world, such as the NY Times tower, the new Bank of America tower, the final world trade center plan, the waterview tower in chicago, the murano & mandeville place in philly... the list goes on...

This truly is the future of modern, skyscraper design... Simplistic; elegant; tall; and nothing too bold that will age poorly and become outdated... This tower will look good in 100 years!!


Congrats to Boston; What a deserving city for a 1,000 footer; And a great design too.... Boston would be a great city to get a few super tall, landmark towers to let people really, really know that the skyline is just as unique and in a league of its own as that amazing city is!!!

[Boston Dave]

Please people let's try to be realistic here. I am from Boston and have been looking forward to this since Menino made the announcement back in February. In my opinion, this building is far from worthy of taking the title of tallest building in Boston away from the John Hancock Tower.

First of all, that spire is the most hideous thing I have ever seen. If you look closely at the top, something seems "off" there as well. There is no grace, nothing that screams out "Boston", and certainly nothing iconic about this building. I would call it uninspired at best.

Now I am not completely going to tear this design apart, and I believe that some tweaks might actually make it the proud icon that Menino (not to mention all of us skyscraper fans in Boston) are actually looking for. How about we get rid of that spire, and maybe add a setback and a crown at the top? Would it really kill these architects to stop putting up dumb poles on buildings that inflate their height by potentially 100's of feet?

With all of the great possibilities out there (I'd prefer something more gothic and elegant) this is a major disappointment. Now if you'll excuse me I need to go pray that this is not our final result.

[Late1]

1000 feet? check
new tallest? check
iconic? uh....

I realize they don't want to go crazy and build something completely at odds with the rest of Boston's tasteful skyline, but IMO this isn't the "iconic" tower Boston's mayor is looking for. It's handsome, but apart from its height doesn't stand out design-wise.

And wouldn't the spire serve the skyline better (at least from this angle) if it were on the opposite side of the building? Seems to me you'd want the building's peak closest to the rest of the skyline's height.

Anyone know if that's a public observation deck at the top? If it is, I'm envious.

[donybrx]

There is already a thread for this in the highrises section.
(

yep. better to have topics in one place e.g. "Highrises" for more complete discussions.

[Mike/617]

It sucks.

[Mike/617]

Anyone know if that's a public observation deck at the top?



Yes there is one planned. It's the only thing I like about this proposal.


Garden in the sky: Plan for Tommy’s Tower features greenery
By Scott Van Voorhis
Boston Herald Business Reporter
Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - Updated: 04:56 PM EST

Bostonians would get a new garden - 1,000 feet in the sky above the Financial District - as part of a stunning plan unveiled yesterday for the Hub’s tallest tower.

Boston business magnate Steve Belkin yesterday pulled the wraps off Trans National Place, a 75-story office and retail tower that would become the new centerpiece of Boston’s skyline.

At 1.6 million square feet, the new tower would hold roughly the same amount of space as the Hancock Tower, while also looking down 15 stories at what is now New England’s tallest building.

But the new tower, designed by internationally renowned architect Renzo Piano, may stand out even more for its unusual design, including garden areas on both the roof and the ground floor.

Belkin heads the Trans National credit card and travel empire and holds stakes in two pro sports teams. His tower would take shape on a downtown site bounded by a city-owned parking garage and a mid-rise Federal Street office building he now owns.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino earlier this year put that Winthrop Square garage out to bid, calling upon developers to submit bold plans for the city’s tallest tower.

“We commend (Menino) for his forward-thinking vision, and have answered his call,” Belkin said in a statement.
Protected by windscreens, the rooftop Lookout Garden - named after an historic Natick farm Belkin recently bought - offers a bucolic setting high above downtown Boston.

Meanwhile, the ground floor of the tower itself would feature a park called the Town Green. The park would be built underneath the skyscraper’s main lobby, which will be raised up three stories to make room for the greenery below.

Nor do the surprises end there. The tower’s first few floors would feature a mix of retail and restaurants, including a grocery store.

No other developers submitted proposals, leaving Belkin the sole contender and stifling City Hall’s hopes for a bidding war.

[tocoto]

I like it, adds some sophistication to the skyline. Does anyone know if this will be very clost to SST.

The SST will be just outside the left edge of the photo (~784'). I like the building, but it could use a little more pizzaz. It will certainly have some design adjustments, this is just the first rendering. A garden on top would be incredible.

[bpg88]

That is just about the ugliest, most uninspiring thing I have ever seen. Leave Boston's skyline alone.

[volguus zildrohar]

Yes there is one planned. It's the only thing I like about this proposal.


Garden in the sky: Plan for Tommy’s Tower features greenery
By Scott Van Voorhis
Boston Herald Business Reporter
Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - Updated: 04:56 PM EST

Bostonians would get a new garden - 1,000 feet in the sky above the Financial District - as part of a stunning plan unveiled yesterday for the Hub’s tallest tower.

Boston business magnate Steve Belkin yesterday pulled the wraps off Trans National Place, a 75-story office and retail tower that would become the new centerpiece of Boston’s skyline.

At 1.6 million square feet, the new tower would hold roughly the same amount of space as the Hancock Tower, while also looking down 15 stories at what is now New England’s tallest building.

But the new tower, designed by internationally renowned architect Renzo Piano, may stand out even more for its unusual design, including garden areas on both the roof and the ground floor.

Belkin heads the Trans National credit card and travel empire and holds stakes in two pro sports teams. His tower would take shape on a downtown site bounded by a city-owned parking garage and a mid-rise Federal Street office building he now owns.
Mayor Thomas M. Menino earlier this year put that Winthrop Square garage out to bid, calling upon developers to submit bold plans for the city’s tallest tower.

“We commend (Menino) for his forward-thinking vision, and have answered his call,” Belkin said in a statement.
Protected by windscreens, the rooftop Lookout Garden - named after an historic Natick farm Belkin recently bought - offers a bucolic setting high above downtown Boston.

Meanwhile, the ground floor of the tower itself would feature a park called the Town Green. The park would be built underneath the skyscraper’s main lobby, which will be raised up three stories to make room for the greenery below.

Nor do the surprises end there. The tower’s first few floors would feature a mix of retail and restaurants, including a grocery store.

No other developers submitted proposals, leaving Belkin the sole contender and stifling City Hall’s hopes for a bidding war.

The rooftop garden is quite an idea - I wish some other developers had vision like that.

[lexicon506]

That is just about the ugliest, most uninspiring thing I have ever seen.

Wow, consider yourself lucky. But you should try to get out more...

[Magnus1]

It's a very nice tower. Imagine the view of the city and ocean from up there.

I hope theres an observation deck for when i visit.

[Wheelingman04]

It still may not be built anyway. Boston is not one of those cities like Chicago where it is easy for a supertall to get built.

[Paintballer1708]

I think it dominates the Boston skyline a little too much. Philly should be the one getting the 1000 footer IMO. Their skyline has towers that reach 945 feet already. I like the design though.

[SLC Projects]

That is a nice looking tower you guys have going there. Hope it gets built. :tup:

[Eigenwelt]

I think it's a great looking building. Feel free to ship it down to Philly if you don't want it.

[StevenW]

:previous: Ditto for Baltimore. :D :yes: