BRA Expands Green Triple Decker Project

Seeks applications for five residences to participate in sustainability effort

The Boston Redevelopment Authority is pleased to announce that it is expanding its Green Triple Decker project from two to five structures and is ready to accept applications. In partnership with the federal Energy Star program, local utilities NSTAR and National Grid and Historic Boston Inc., the BRA has developed a strategy to improve the energy efficiency of Boston’s triple-deckers which will result in lower energy costs for occupants, while tackling a potent municipal green house gas emission target. The Green Triple Decker program will provide grants, matched with utility incentives, to qualifying owner applicants to achieve significant energy performance improvements in Boston’s historic triple decker housing style. Triple decker owner applicants should be individuals who have planned some renovation work, are willing to work with a team of building energy efficiency experts to develop their project, and are ready to proceed logistically and financially.

For more information, click here.

BRA Seeks Project Manager for Newmarket Eco-Industrial Zone

The Boston Redevelopment Authority, through its GreenTech Initiative, seeks proposals from a consultant or consulting group to provide project management services for the Newmarket Eco-Industrial Zone Program, to be funded with a recently awarded $30,000 grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Sustainable Skylines Initiative.

“Implemented properly, these strategies will help industrial and manufacturing businesses in the Newmarket Business District operate more sustainably, reducing energy costs, waste management and water expenses, while mitigating environmental impacts and improving air quality,” said John F. Palmieri, Director of the BRA. “Taken together, these measures will help increase the competitive position of industrial businesses in the district, improve their ability to retain existing jobs and create new jobs, while helping them to meet aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals set by Mayor Thomas M. Menino.”

The Request for Proposals will be available starting Wednesday, September 29, 2010 from the Office of the Executive Director/Secretary, Boston Redevelopment Authority, Boston City Hall, One City Hall Square, Room 910, Boston, MA 02201-1007, for a nonrefundable fee of $25.00. Proposals are due October 29, 2010.

For more information on the GreenTech Initiative, visit GreenTech Boston.

Kensington Files Notice of Project Change

The Kensington Investment Company filed a Notice of Project Change with the BRA on Monday, September 27, 2010 for The Kensington project (formerly known as The Residences at Kensington Place.) The project now consists of the development of a 29-story residential building at a height of 290 feet containing 395 rental residential units and 7,200 square feet of ground-floor retail/restaurant space. The project also includes new and upgraded open space areas, including an improved Boylston Square, as well as a refurbished Liberty Tree Park, and an improved LaGrange Street. The developer is also planning a $7.35 million off-site affordable housing contribution to benefit the Hong Lok House, an affordable housing project in Chinatown.

The public comment period runs through November 12, 2010. All comments should be sent to Tai Lim, Senior Project Manager.

Odd Pairings Spark Big Thinking

One of Boston’s strengths is the fact that this is a place with several strong sectors. We especially love to see interaction among leading thinkers and doers who have widely divergent perspectives. We find that this is how big ideas are born – and that’s one of the keys to this city’s unparalleled track record of innovation.

Seaport Square to Enhance City’s Innovation District with New Innovation Center, 23-Acre Mixed-Use Sustainable Neighborhood

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced that Seaport Square $3 Billion master plan will be the latest and largest addition so far to Boston’s Innovation District. With the district already home to a growing array of creative and entrepreneurial companies, the City is pushing the development community to be bold and creative to ensure that Boston stays at the forefront of the innovation economy in the 21st century. This 6.3 million square foot project will be Boston’s largest development in history, signaling the strength of Boston’s economy and continued investment in the city.  “Seaport Square has embraced the challenge of the Innovation District -- to be bold, creative and keep our economy growing. Together, we are creating a unique, diverse and entrepreneurial neighborhood that will help Boston attract and retain new industries and the city’s young, talented workforce, " said Mayor Menino.

BRA approves Boston University $50m, 99,600 sq ft East Campus Student Service Center project

Boston University received BRA board approval for its $50 million East Campus Student Service Center project to be located at 100 Bay State Road.  The six-story, 99,600 square foot center consists of a 900-seat student dining facility located in the basement, first and second floor levels, and a University academic and career advising center on the third through sixth floor levels.  Additionally, a multi-function room will be developed in the lower level with a 25-seat coffee shop and a 150-seat multi-purpose room.  The project is expected to break ground in the second quarter of 2011 and create 150 construction jobs. 

BRA approves Mass. General Hospital $8.25m, 8,000 square foot Museum & History Center

Mass. General Hospital received BRA board approval for a new two-story, 8,000 square foot Museum & History Center to be located on the corner of Cambridge and North Grove Streets. The $8.25 million Museum will serve as a new public face for the hospital’s campus. The first and second floors of the Museum are dedicated for museum exhibition space.  This space will be designed to allow occasional lectures, seminars and receptions. The rooftop will include a garden terrace.  In order to mark the 200^th anniversary of MGH’s founding in 2011, the hospital intends to begin construction by the end of this year and complete the project by the fourth quarter of 2011. The project will create 75 construction jobs.

Mayor Menino Celebrates Whittier Street Health Center Groundbreaking

Mayor Thomas M. Menino joined Whittier Street Health Center officials as they broke ground on their new $35 million facility in Roxbury, which will greatly expand health care services to the community.  The new 78,900 square foot facility, to be located across the street from their existing facility, includes the construction of a single six-story building on a sub-divided parcel of land within Parcel P3 on Tremont Street.  The facility will house a variety of medical and dental offices, a pharmacy, a physical therapy clinic, and community space.  It will also include 5,000 square feet of space which will house a mammography clinic and cancer screening and exam rooms in collaboration with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

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Save the Date- Boston's Hub on Wheels

Join Boston Bikes for the 6th Annual Hub On Wheels citywide bike ride on Sunday, September 26th, 2010. Experience a car-free Storrow Drive, explore hidden pathways and historic neighborhoods, and take in views of the Boston Harbor that you've never seen before. The ride starts and finishes on City Hall Plaza in downtown Boston, with three different routes to choose from: 10, 30 and 50 miles. Sign up now for what's sure to be the best ride of the year. You haven't seen the Hub until you've seen it on wheels.
You won't want to miss the second annual TD Bank Mayor's Cup Professional Criterium Race, also on Sunday, September 26th. More than two hundred professional racers, including national champions and Olympic cyclists, descend on Government Center to compete for $40,000 in prize money. The TD Bank Mayor's Cup is high-speed, spectator-friendly entertainment. Tight packs of professional cyclists will sprint around the course and dive into sharp corners at top speed.

Working Group Tackles CleanTech Incubator Challenge

On Tuesday, September 7, the BRA met with CleanTech industry leaders, real estate professionals, and architects at the Institute for Human Centered Design to discuss the development of a CleanTech Incubator in the Innovation District. Mayor Menino called upon the BRA’s GreenTech initiative to create a cleantech incubator, following a meeting with a dozen cleantech CEOs in June. The City of Boston Cleantech Incubator is dedicated to accelerating the development and commercialization of Cleantech technologies, fostering innovation and strengthening job creation capacity within the industry, while amplifying the profile and brand of Cleantech in Boston.

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Equity Residential Files Letter of Intent for Garden Garage Project in West End

On August 23, 2010, Equity Residential filed a Letter of Intent with the BRA stating that they wish to redevelop the existing Garden Garage in the West End and replace it with approximately 500 new units of housing. The garage is bounded by Lomasney Way and Thoreau Path and consists of a five-story garage that houses 650 parking spaces, as well as enclosed recreational space.

Developer Files Letter of Intent for Cleveland Circle Cinema Site in Brighton

Boston Development Group filed a Letter of Intent with the BRA on September 1, 2010 stating that they seek to redevelop the sites at 399 and 381 Chestnut Hill Avenue in the Cleveland Circle section of Brighton. The development team is proposing to replace the existing Cleveland Circle Cinema Building with a 150-room limited service hotel and approximately 24,000 square feet of retail space.