Planeta Design Group

Notice of Project Change Approved for Phase 2 of Fenway Center With construction wrapping up for Bower (phase 1 of Fenway Center), the BPDA has approved an NPC for Phase 2 of the project. The change will adjust the mix of uses within Buildings 3 and 4 from a mix of residential, office, and lab uses to office/R&D/lab and life science. Parking has been reduced by 500 spaces in a fully automated garage while around 3,669 square feet of additional civic open space has been added. The project will sit on a podium to be constructed over the 8 lanes of the Mass Pike knitting the Fenway/Kenmore community together by creating a new connection between Beacon Street, Brookline Ave. and Lansdowne. Renderings: Gensler An opportunity to “Knit” the community An opportunity to “Knit” the community via connections from Beacon Street, to Lansdowne Station, to Brookline Avenue.via connections from Beacon Street, to Lansdowne Station, to Brookline Avenue.

BLDUP Sneak Peek: Bower BLDUP recently got an inside look at Bower, the first phase of the Fenway Center with Kelly Saito, Managing Partner at Gerding Edlen. It’s clear, even in its unfinished state, that this is not going to be just another luxury apartment building. While the exterior of the building features modern finishes and sharp angles biophilic design elements throughout the interior not only create an intriguing juxtaposition but will contribute to residents’ wellness. Bower features two buildings connected by a common podium. The first (the shorter building) offers 100 apartments set to open in May along with a roof terrace complete with fire pit and grills atop a comfortable resident lounge featuring skylights, a sizeable indoor planter, and other natural elements. Units offer Italian cabinetry including cabinet fronted appliances, beautifully tiled baths, ample closet space, and View Smart Windows. Bower is the first residential project in Boston to offer this technology which allows for automatic tinting throughout the day to keep residents comfortable while offering ample natural light. Not only does the View Glass provide a great resident perk, but it will also help the building conserve energy. The first building at Bower is expected to welcome residents in May. Residences at Bower feature Italian cabinetry and ample natural light via the View Smart Glass. The crown jewel of Bower, where we are sure residents will be lining up to relax is the amazing rooftop amenity space on the second/taller building set to open this summer. With 360 views of Boston including a look inside neighboring Fenway Park, the rooftop will offer a sizable swimming pool, cabanas, and lush plantings. Not only will this space look undeniably cool but the development team took an extra step to raise the deck allowing for space for a heat recovery system hidden under the trendy decor. Right below the roof deck, there is another resident lounge complete with an oversized skylight and more lush greenery. Downstairs generously sized residences again feature Italian cabinetry, this time a two-tone finish including upper cabinets in a lovely green. This building also houses space for the management office and resident fitness center rounding out a full suite of tenant amenities. The view from Bower’s roof deck amenity space At Bower’s ground levels one facing David Ortiz Way the other along Beacon Street retail/restaurant space rounds out the project. Saito tells us his team is actively in negotiations for these coveted spaces in a prime location so close to Fenway Park. A staircase and courtyard will offer a connection between Beacon Street & the lower level of the property plus a new pedestrian walkway will also connect Beacon and Bower itself to the Yawkey Commuter Rail Station. Preleasing for Bower is set to kick off sometime within the next 30 days with rents for the 312 luxury apartments expected to range from $2900 to $5800 per month.  https://www.bowerboston.com/

Interior Finishing Wrapping Up for Bower at Fenway Center Plus NPC Filed for Phase 2 Interior Finishing is wrapping up for Bower, the first phase of The Fenway Center, expected to open this coming Spring. Bower, will feature 312 apartments, 37,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and 200 underground parking spaces across two buildings. A 12,000-square-foot air rights deck and landscaped pedestrian walkway is also being added over Yawkey Station.  Residents at Bower will have access to both indoor and outdoor landscaping, an atrium, plus a pool and roof deck. Newly released renderings show sleek, modern finishes incorporating natural elements. Bower will also be Boston’s first residential project to utilize View Glass, allowing for the most natural light to reach residents without the need for pesky shades. Residents will be able to control the window tint through their smartphones, while the building owners will save on energy costs. As this first phase of the Fenway Center wraps up, a NPC has been filed for phase two of the development.  Key modifications include a shift in the proposed uses of Buildings 3 and 4 from a mix of residential, office, and lab uses to a mix of office/R&D/lab and life science. Updated plans also call for a  significant reduction of approximately 500 parking spaces while approximately 3,669 square feet of additional civic open space will be added.

Window and Facade Install Nearly Complete at Fenway Center In the shadows of Fenway Park, Phase 1 of the Fenway Center is taking shape as window and facade install is nearly complete. The first two buildings of this transformative project feature over 430,000 square feet of space and will include 312 residential units along with 37,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. The buildings will offer units sizes ranging from studio to 2 bedrooms. In total, the $600 million project will feature five new buildings, a total of approximately 550 residential units, 160,000 square feet of office space and over 50,000 square feet of retail will be built at Fenway Center,

Work Continues on Building Envelope for The Fenway Center Window and facade install is underway for Phase 1 of the Fenway Center. These first two buildings in the project will feature over 430,000 square feet of space to include 312 residential units along with 37,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. Units will range in size from studios through 2 bedrooms and construction is expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2020.  The second phase of the project will then include 3 additional buildings, a 27-story, 375,000-square-foot mixed-use office, and residential tower, a 7-story, 111,000-square-foot residential building and a 7-story, 274,000-square-foot parking garage on the air rights deck.

Construction Continues on Phase 1 of The Fenway Center Phase 1 of the $600M Fenway Center project is rapidly moving forward with the first two buildings in the project at or very near full height. These two new residential buildings will feature 312 apartments along with 37,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. A large deck and landscaped walkway will also be constructed over Yawkey Station. The buildings are designed to be highly sustainable and are expected to reach a LEED Gold certification. The first occupancy is expected here in Q1 2020.

Fenway Center to Utilize View Smart Windows Structural steel is nearing completion for the first phase of The Fenway Center. Two new residential buildings are rising that will feature a total of 312 apartments and 200 underground parking spaces. The project will also include ground floor retail and a landscaped pedestrian walked over Yawkey Station. The development team is expecting occupancy of Phase 1 in the first quarter of 2020. The Fenway Center will be one of the first projects in Boston to utilize View Dynamic Glass. This game-changing technology creates a comfortable environment for residents by bringing in more natural and light while minimizing heat and controlling glare. The 37,000 square feet of View Dynamic Glass will provide a unique amenity for the project. Matt Edlen of Gerding Edlen, the project developer told BLDUP “View is an opportunity to partner with an incredible emerging company providing a world-class technology that has not only a substantial impact on reducing building energy consumption but is designed to provide long term resiliency as it adapts with changing climate trends. It is a reflection of the core values of our entire partnership team and our continued efforts to develop impactful, highly sustainable real estate.”

Framing Begins for The Fenway Center Two tower cranes are in place and framing has started for the first phase of the Fenway Center. This part of the project will include 2 mixed-use buildings to hold 312 apartments and around 37,000sf of ground floor retail space. Construction on Phase 1 is expected to be complete in early 2020.   The $600M project will also add significant green spaces, pedestrian-friendly walkways, and an elevated streetscape,  enhance this corner of the Fenway neighborhood. Fenway Center will also feature one of the largest private solar power plants in MA, and the MBTA's first net-zero-energy train station.   

Garage Foundation Work Begins at Fenway Center Matt Edlen of Gerdling Edlen tells BLDUP via email that they have completed earthwork on the site and have started working on the garage foundation.  The $240 million Phase 1 of the project will feature 2 residential buildings totaling around 340,000 sf.  The underground garage now in process will include 200 parking spaces. Construction on Phase 1 is expected to be complete in early 2020. In total, the Fenway Center development will cost around $600 million and contain 1.1-million-square-foot of mixed-use space including approximately 550 residential units, 160,000 square feet of office space and over 50,000 square feet of retail.

Site Work Begins on Phase 1 of the Fenway Center Site work is underway on Phase 1 of the Fenway Center in Kenmore Square.  This first phase of the $600 million project is set to include two residential buildings containing 312 units and around 37,000 sf of retail space.  Construction on Phase 1 is expected to be complete in early 2020.  Three additinoal buildings will then be constructed for phase 2 including a 27 story mixed-use building, a 111K sf residential building and a parking garage.  In total the Fenway Center project will bring around 550 residential units, 160,000 sf of office space, and 50,000 sf of retail to the neighborhood.  

Fenway Center secures ground lease and construction financing, groundbreaking planned mid-January Fenway Center joint venture partners Gerding Edlen, TH Real Estate and Meredith Management have signed a $21 million long-term ground lease with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) for Phase I of the project and secured over $136.5 million in construction financing through The Union Labor Life Insurance Company, allowing construction of the project to begin after years of delays. Construction of the $240 million Phase I is scheduled to begin immediately, with a groundbreaking ceremony planned for mid-January. Starting the week of Monday December 11th, logistics for Phase I’s construction will begin to be put in place on site.Phase I of Fenway Center will take two years to construct, with completion expected in early 2020. Phase I will feature two buildings with 312 apartments, 37,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and 200 underground parking spaces. A 12,000-square-foot air rights deck and landscaped pedestrian walkway will also be constructed over Yawkey Station as part of the project. Fenway Center’s much-anticipated groundbreaking represents the culmination of years of work. The project was first proposed in 2002 by Meredith Management. “We are very pleased that this important project for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the City of Boston will finally be realized,” said Kelly Saito, a Partner at Gerding Edlen, in a prepared statement. “Fenway Center’s phenomenal location, the vibrancy of the surrounding neighborhood and the continued demand for housing in the Boston market make this a great time to start construction.” “It is extremely gratifying to achieve this milestone for the project,” said co-developer John Rosenthal of Meredith Management in a prepared statement. “I could not have asked for better partners than Gerding Edlen and TH Real Estate to bring Fenway Center to life.” “Boston is thriving and remains a target for institutional investors around the globe,” said Pamela West, TH Real Estate’s Regional Head of Multifamily Transactions, Northeast, in a prepared statement. “The city’s live/work environment has attracted companies from the suburbs and increased demand for housing and mixed-use properties, and we are pleased to join our partners on this project.” Upon full completion, Fenway Center will represent a $600 million investment in the Fenway neighborhood, generating $5.7 million in property taxes per year. The project will feature a total of approximately 550 residential units, 160,000 square feet of office space and over 50,000 square feet of retail, in addition to over 30,000 square feet of park and green space. Discussions are ongoing between Fenway Center's developers and MassDOT regarding the lease agreement for Phase II of the project. The developers are required to close the Phase II lease by December 2020.

Fenway Center developers finalizing air rights lease, construction launch expected this Fall Developers John Rosenthal and Gerding Edlen have been granted an extension through the end of September to finalize their 99-year state lease for the Massachusetts Turnpike air rights necessary to build the 1.1-million-square-foot Fenway Center, which is now expected to start construction work this Fall. Initial preparation work could commence as early as September on the $230 million first phase of the $590 million, two-phased project. The first phase will be constructed next to the Massachusetts Turnpike on existing parking lots bounded by Beacon Street, Maitland Street and Yawkey Way. The developers and the state had originally faced a June 30th deadline to finalize the lease; however, appraisals of the property took longer than expected. In an interview with the Boston Herald, State Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said the state agreed to extend the deadline to September given that the developers have been “meeting milestones and getting things done,” and that there has been “a lot of progress in recent months.” The developers will pay the state $21 million once the lease is finalized. Fenway Center will feature five buildings containing approximately 550 residential units, 160,000 square feet of office space and over 50,000 square feet of retail, in addition to over 30,000 square feet of on-site park and green space and 1,290 parking spaces.