Mixed Reviews

Back Bay Sun 9/21/2007

Depending on who you talk to on the Prudential Project Advisory Committee (PruPAC) about a recent proposal by Boston Properties and Avalon Bay Communities to build two more towers on the Prudential Center site, the proposed buildings are either too tall, or just what the community needs.

At least those are the initial reactions of some of the committee’ members following a presentation by Boston Properties last week. However, committee members admit that a lengthy public process will determine the final approvals of any project that goes forward on the site.

The proposal, which will cost an estimated $192 million to bring to fruition, calls for a 30-story residential tower on Exeter Street across from the rear-side of the Boston Public Library, as well as a 19-story office tower at 888 Boylston Street, adjacent to the John B. Hynes Convention Center.

State Representative Martha Walz, whose district abuts the Prudential Center property, said this week that her concerns about the project are centered around the proposed building height of each of the two buildings and how those new buildings will work within the context of the larger neighborhood.

“The proposal for the office tower would increase the traditionally acceptable height from 150 feet to well over 200 feet, right at the edge of the street,” said Representative Walz.

“All of the other taller buildings at the Prudential Center are set back from the street and here Boston Properties wants to add a building with significant height basically right at the sidewalk.”

Walz said that until she hears some justification for the increased height she doesn’t understand why it would be needed and noted that Boston Properties has already been approved for an 11-story office tower on the site, which would not go above the traditional 150 feet of allowable height.

“I have to understand more about the commercial real estate market, and they need to make their case to PruPAC in order for that proposal to go forward,” she added.

However, Meg Mainzer Cohen, a PruPAC member and the executive director of the Back Bay Business Association, said that the additional height requested for the Boylston building is understandable, given the vagaries of the commercial office market.

“We feel like the entire project would be an enhancement to the community,” said Cohen. “Any initiative proposal will go through various iterations, but so far we feel pretty positively about both towers.”

Cohen explained that Boston Properties has come back and asked for more height in the office tower to accommodate potential tenants who have indicated that they are looking for a ‘signature’ building, and “and to provide that you need more height.”

As for Exeter Street, Cohen said she likes the idea of “activating” Exeter Street with new residential units, especially since the proposal includes retail space on the first floor of the building.

“I also think that Boston Properties has done a very good job of demonstrating to us how the buildings will work on the street,” added Cohen.

But Walz said that height is still a concern for the office tower, particularly in light of the continued construction of the 13-story Mandarin Oriental Boston Hotel adjacent to Lord and Taylor on Boylston Street and the way that project is being received in the community.

“As for Exeter Street, I’m delighted to see more housing being proposed in that area, but I think the design of the building should be more significant,” said Walz. “I really think the developer is missing an opportunity to do something interesting and creative on that site.”

And she added that she also has similar concerns with putting such a large residential building on Exeter Street right across from the BPL.

“We just have to work on the design of the building and have a hard conversation about what the appropriate height is in that neighborhood,” said Walz. “The Exeter Street building is proposed to be 340 feet and the office tower would be 265 feet. They are both significantly taller than other buildings we typically find right in the neighborhood. If we use the Mandarin Oriental hotel as a benchmark, many people in the neighborhood are startled by how big that building feels right at the street and both of these buildings are taller than that is.”