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Development Projects New urban and/or architectural developments in Boston metro. |
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#1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 417
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Fidelity's HQ may go high
Fidelity Investments has started exploring the possible sale of its former headquarters block in downtown Boston, a storied site that’s expected to draw significant interest because it could be redeveloped with an office tower up to 400 feet tall. The company hired broker CBRE New England to market its longtime home at 82 Devonshire St. and three adjacent buildings, either for sale or lease. And Fidelity’s team recently met with city planners to test the waters to see how developers could rework the property within zoning rules. “Given its desirable location in the heart of the Financial District and on the edge of Downtown Crossing, we believe there are a number of attractive options for the buildings,” said Fidelity spokesman Vin Loporchio. http://bostonherald.com/business/rea...hq_may_go_high |
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#2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Chelsea
Posts: 550
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
Those are nice buildings.
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#3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,018
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
Agree. Hopefully any new construction there would be an addition rather than replacement.
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#4 |
Senior Member
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
I think the ideal redevelopment scheme would be to convert the existing buildings into residential to serve as a base for a condo tower as big/tall as the market will allow. Condo units as opposed to rentals or at least a mix of both because there are already a ton of rental units coming online soon.
Benefits: Converting the existing space will take obsolete office space off the market. Adding residential units in the financial district would shift the area towards a more mixed use environment which I think the city and public finally understands makes for vital areas. Boston is kicking ass right now!! |
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#5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 586
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
Fidelity should get an 800 footer with a sign on top like the Pru and State Street. Its a Boston-based company, they should get that perk. Putnam as well.
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#6 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 628
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
Quote:
(Not only that, but Fidelity, though "Boston-based," of course, is famous for having sent thousands of jobs out of state to RI, etc., making your misplaced aspiration even more ironic.) |
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#7 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Boston
Posts: 1,179
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
Quote:
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#8 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 586
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
Quote:
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#9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Winchester
Posts: 1,469
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
400 feet?? It's literally in the middle of the Goddam financial district. Biggest lost opportunity right there. Am I only one that thinks this?
Regardless, that building best be preserved. That will be the saving grace for whatever turd gets put on top of it. Edit: Atwood91 has a good perspective on this. |
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#10 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,416
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
So do we think Fidelity will be looking to lease in existing class A space or build something new for themselves elsewhere?
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#11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,270
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
I'd be surprised if Fidelity wants to make a landmark investment in Boston. While I would certainly welcome it, it would be counter to every move they have made over the last ten years.
Also, I don't think residential could get the rents that office could here. Maybe our own version of chicago's Hancock tower with residential and office would be good. Why can't that be 800' right here? |
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#12 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,273
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
Quote:
They are simply NOT going in the direction you are dreaming. It's time to get over it. Boston has. |
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#13 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: atlanta
Posts: 1,870
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
So, what are the major limiting factors here in regards to height? Shadows on the Common? FAA? Or is it just some arbitrary zoning number?
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#14 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Jamaica Plain
Posts: 1,462
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
Quote:
One Boston Place (2 blocks away) - 601 feet One International Place (4 blocks away) - 600 feet Two International Place (5 blocks away) - 538 feet One Post Office Square (1 block away) - 525 feet One Federal St (2 blocks away) - 520 feet Exchange Place (1 block away) - 510 feet 60 State St (2 blocks away) - 509 feet One Beacon Street (4 blocks away) - 505 feet 28 State St (2 blocks away) - 500 feet 33 Arch Street (2 blocks away) - 477 feet 225 Franklin (2 blocks away) - 477 feet This lot should be zoned for at least 600 feet or as tall as the FAA would allow. A signature 650+ footer would be perfectly contextual. |
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#15 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 330
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
Fidelity proposed building a tall headquarters building on that location back in the 1980s. The owners of Exchange Place successfully fought it since it would harm their views. There is an old drawing of it somewhere, I'll try to dig it up.
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#16 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 330
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
Here are the renderings I have of the previously proposed Fidelity HQ on that site.
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#17 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 581
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
Fidelity considered building a tower in the 1980's but, I believe, dropped the idea on its own before there was much of a battle with Exchange Place or anyone else. Exchange Place (or some of the tenants led by Goodwin Procter) fought against 75 State Street resulting in a shorter, squatter building than what was originally proposed and what the BRA was prepared to approve.
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#18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 955
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
I think people are forgettign the boston rule with this building "Zone the building short so that if you need or want to build tall you need a variance. Through the variance discussion the city gets something out of you."
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#19 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Boston
Posts: 2,123
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
Quote:
I believe the only spaces zoned for taller than 400 feet are the PDA at the Filene's crater and some air rights parcels (SST, Copley Tower, etc.). So the fact that this building is located in the tallest as-of-right zoning district in the city makes it very likely that they'll either: 1. Create a PDA and zone it taller. Or, 2. Grant variances for more height in exchange for some extortion (civic space, linkage funds, etc.). People shouldn't be freaked out by the 400 number. |
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#20 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 852
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Re: Fidelity's HQ may go high
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