BOSTON | Millennium Tower | 685 FT | 55 FLOORS

[NYguy]

Looks like this saga may finally have an ending...



http://www.bostonherald.com/business...&position=also

Hope builds up for Filene’s pit
Millennium buys into stalled Hub project



By Jerry Kronenberg
February 3, 2012

Millennium Partners will take over as lead developer of a stalled project that has left a giant hole in the ground where Boston’s landmark retailer Filene’s once stood, and the city hopes construction will restart at the Downtown Crossing site within a year.

New York developer Vornado Realty Trust left a gaping pit at the corner of Washington and Franklin streets three years ago, but the company has reached an agreement to sell Millennium a 50 percent interest in what was supposed to be a $750 million redevelopment of the site, sources told the Herald.

“It’s great news,” one City Hall source said, speaking on condition of anonymity because Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino plans to officially announce the deal this morning.

[NYguy]

http://www.boston.com/Boston/busines...VsJ/index.html

New developer to take control of former Filene’s site




By Casey Ross, Globe staff

Developer Millennium Partners will take control of the long-idle Filene’s property in Downtown Crossing and build a tower on the site with retail stores, office space and hundreds of residences, city officials said tonight.

In Boston Millennium has developed the Ritz Carlton Hotel and Towers nearby, and is currently building Hayward Place residences across from the Ritz. Executives with Millennium Partners could not be immediately reached for comment tonight. Vornado officials also could not be reached for comment.

City officials emphasized that Millennium will lead the project, with Vornado taking take a more passive role. They expect Millennium to file a revised development plan for the former Filene’s site within 60 days, and that they hope to see construction resume on the property within a year.

The work stoppage on the Filene’s site has left a major hole in Downtown Crossing, a commercial district that Menino has been trying to spruce up. Vornado stopped worked in the summer of 2008, when its development team could not get a loan to finish the construction.

That triggered an angry standoff between Menino and Vornado’s chairman, Steven Roth, who at one point in a public talk suggested that developers allow urban properties to become blighted to extract more funding from local governments. An angry Menino responded by triggering the process to revoke Vornado’s permits for the project.

The new building by Millennium will be designed by Architect Gary Handel, who also drafted plans for the Hayward Place project currently under construction in Downtown Crossing.

[seaskyfan]

Fantastic news!

[fflint]

Finally! Such a black eye in DT Crossing...

[blade_bltz]

...I want to celebrate, but I'm going to hold back until steel starts to rise.

But honestly this is awesome news.

[Zapatan]

Cool, but what will be built there?

[Austinlee]

Great location.

[Zapatan]

is it a skyscraper?

[JBoston]

This made my day!

[NYguy]

http://bostonglobe.com/business/2012...7RM/story.html

Proposed Downtown Crossing tower could be up to 600 feet high

By Casey Ross
February 03, 2012

The developer taking control of the former Filene’s property in downtown Boston said it will build a tower up to 600 feet high, rivaling the tallest buildings in the city’s Financial District.

A 600-foot tower would be nearly as tall as the Federal Reserve Building.

Speaking at a press conference today, principals of Millennium Partners said the tower will cost about $500 million and include a mix of uses, from offices to residences to new shops and restaurants along the street.

“It will really target all the potential uses to bring vitality to this critical corner,” said an executive with Millennium. “It will again become the center of downtown.”

Mayor Thomas M. Menino expressed confidence that the firm will begin construction within a year, ending the work stoppage that has left a giant crater on the site for three and a half years.

News
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/r/30367637/detail.html

[Zapatan]

This is where you add 200 feet or so, make it a mixed use tower and wala, you have Bostons new tallest.

[statler]

Unfortunately, this is where you plan a 450ft building, propose a 600ft building, wait for the NIMBYs to demand the height be cut and then build your 450ft building.

[1Boston]

Was not expecting this. I really hope this happens. I will be amazed if this goes up

[1Boston]

Originally Posted by statler

Unfortunately, this is where you plan a 450ft building, propose a 600ft building, wait for the NIMBYs to demand the height be cut and then build your 450ft building.

Only if it was the opposite, but at least were getting something

[statler]

Yeah, whatever it ends up being, it will be better than a giant hole in the ground.

[Zapatan]

Originally Posted by statler

Unfortunately, this is where you plan a 450ft building, propose a 600ft building, wait for the NIMBYs to demand the height be cut and then build your 450ft building.

A. why do people listen to them? and if I were in Boston I would do a counter protest, demanding MORE height!

B. you don't know that for sure, maybe they'll just build a 600 foot tower, there's another one planned for Boston too I think.

[NYguy]

http://www.bostonherald.com/business...00964&srvc=rss

Millennium to build $500M, 600-foot tower at Filene’s site

By Brendan Lynch
February 3, 2012

Millennium Partners will take over One Franklin, the former site of Filene’s, and develop a $500 million, 1.2 million-square-foot, mixed-use development tower that could hit 600 feet in height.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced the project with Millennium at Boston City Hall this morning.

“Yesterday, Millennium Partners agreed to take a controlling stake in the development project at One Franklin — the Filene’s site,” Menino said. “It’s a first step toward a new beginning at this historic site."

"They’re creative and they get the job done,” he said. “I tell you, a lot of developers come and go, but Millennium Partners comes into the city and gets the job done.”

Boston Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Peter Meade said a plan will be submitted to the BRA within 60 days, after which there will be community meetings and BRA suggestions on the eventual design, which is expected to be thinner than Vornado’s original tower.

“All of that takes some time to get done,” he said. “Frankly, breaking ground by this time next year is an ambitious goal, one we hope to keep.”

[Zapatan]

two good looking 600 footers for Boston would be amazin, keep our fingers crossed

[Roadcruiser1]

This building would tie One International Place as Boston's 5th tallest building.

[DZH22]

Originally Posted by Roadcruiser1

This building would tie One International Place as Boston's 5th tallest building.

One IP is 600'. One Boston Place is 601'. This building would slot itself as the 4th tallest in the city, except that the Copley Place tower is supposed to start this fall and be taller (626'). If these are all built, One IP would slide into 7th place. Also, I think Boston would finally reassert itself as a top 10 American skyline.