The Chiofaro Company has publicly released its long-awaited design for a waterfront tower on Atlantic Avenue, a 600-foot tower called “The Pinnacle at Central Wharf.”
The tower would have approximately 865,000 sq. ft. and the outside Harborwalk would be part of 28,000 sq. ft. of open space, meeting the 50% Chapter 91 requirement set forth under the recent Downtown Waterfront Municipal Harbor Plan. There would be 200 residential units and 538,000 sq. ft. of office space plus 42,000 sq. ft. of amenity space including retail and restaurant.
While Chiofaro says the project will “elevate Boston to the short list of truly extraordinary global waterfronts,” not everyone supports the plans. Both the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and abutting Harbor Towers have filed lawsuits that are still pending to challenge the plan’s legality, saying the proposed height is more than three times allowed by the Ch. 91 waterfront standard.
The BPDA is expected to schedule public sessions in the Spring 2020 according to its Article 80 large project review process. In the meantime, what do you think of the tower? Are you in support of this redevelopment on the waterfront? Or do you think it should continue to be a parking garage site? Vote in our poll and add your comments in the section below!
There will be a public meeting about the Harbor Garage redevelopment on Monday, February 10 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. See the BPDA calendar and description here.
Web polls are unscientific and reflect only those who choose to participate. NorthEndWaterfront.com polls do not have any official significance and are only intended for the interest of our readers.
Always interesting to hear people complain about a tower that live in one.
If memory serves, MassPort shot down 600′ as it would interfere with airspace.
As I understand it, the Waterfront Development Plan lays out height, density, & open space criteria.
It seems to me a developer would start there, and design within those constraints.
What part of no massive tall office towers on the Waterfront edge is unclear to Chiafaro?
As far as the building design, it rather looks like a circus tent to me, though the Yin’y curves are rather nice compared with the hard Yang’iness of moat of the new building.
It would be wonderful to have the dilapidated parking garage renovated to something new with great street scape businesses/restaurants/residences, however has there been a traffic and shade study? The proposed structure is much too large for the area considering the already gridlocked traffic at the nearby lights and the cover of shade to the Greenway.
This guy is so unreasonable and has tried to shove this monstrosity down the throats of the neighborhood for years. Unfortunately, Marty (how high and big do you want it?) Walsh is hungrily on board for the tax dollars.
Looking closely at the models of it, .. it appears there will be more streetscape and openness, and sunshine at the waterfront WITH the Tower. Note the inviting landscaping down to the water’s edge.
This is a spectacular use of that real estate .. especially compared to a parking garage that is nothing other than ugly.
The design is a little awkward. It appears as from Metropolis, the 1927 film. It looks foreign to the city’s pervasive red, brown and stone-sided theme. But is uniqueness a crime? The building says “look at me. I’m not the same as all the other buildings. Variety is here. Get use to it.”
The thing about Boston is we like Boston. Enhancement is OK. Is this OK? It is… and modestly so. We need to go tall if we want to be respected in the modern world. The taller the better.
Who cares about what the rest of the world thinks of Boston’s skyline? If tower height was so important, Dubai would be the most fantastic place on earth.
One of the most exciting development projects in New England and New York. I love it!
I like the newer design, gives a modern look to a staunchly old English Bostonian look most of us are so used to! Come on, Boston, let’s get with it and get modern!
The Garage, outside being ugly it is quite unsafe, dark and dreary inside, not to speak of the long dark walk from the financial district. I know, I speak from experience, I parked there for many years while working on State Street at a very well known law firm!
The building looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie. But I think it’s amazing!
What’s amazing is the people who support this project on this comment section never post about anything else in the North End. Plants?