Samuels & Associates

Time Out Market Fenway Now Open The 25,000 square foot Time Out Market is now open as part of the revamp on The Landmark Center in Fenway. The food hall, located in the former Best Buy location features 15 eateries by local chefs and 2 full-service bars. The next phase of the Landmark Center renovation call, now under review, would construct a new 14-story, 506,000-square-foot office and lab building at the corner of Brookline Avenue and Fullerton Street with 17,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, and renovate Landmark Center’s existing 978,200-square-foot office and retail component. 

Construction on Washington Village Expected to Kick Off This Year Since approval nearly 3 years ago, Washington Village has been one of South Boston’s most anticipated projects. With Samuels & Associates joining the development team late last year, it appears the project is finally set to start construction before the end of 2019. Peter Sougarides, Principal at Samuels & Associates discussed the neighborhood changing development at a CREW Boston luncheon last week. While most recently Samuels success has come in Fenway, their roots can be traced back to Dorchester/South Boston where they undertook their first project, The South Bay Center. Nearly 30 years later they are back in Southie looking to further revitalize this formerly industrial section of the neighborhood that is ideally located just a few minutes from downtown, with easy transit access. Having spent roughly 5 years working on master planning and zoning for their Fenway endeavors along with gathering and addressing neighborhood input, the Samuels team was more than prepared for a project of Washington Village’s size. Sougarides expressed the importance of working with local residents to understand their feedback on development. These discussions led to the creation of an urban village featuring over 1500 residential units with around 80 shops and restaurants. Samuels also just opened a 1-acre park at 401 Park Drive as part of the Fenway Center redevelopment to bring more green space to the neighborhood. With this thinking in mind, Samuels entered the Washington Village project by first taking a step back and setting out to determine what the area really needs. With almost 700 residential units plus around 100,000 square feet of retail planned the development team wants to look at how they will attract a variety of residents and create a place that others from outside the neighborhood will also want to visit. Sougarides stressed the importance of getting the retail right along with a need for great restaurants and new niche fitness concepts. A final, very important aspect of the development will be a large amount of open and active outdoor space. These programmed spaces will bring the community together and also draw in others from outside South Boston. When asked about parking for the project, a hot button issue in Southie, Sougarides mentioned this was one of the questions they are still working on resolving. The neighborhood is requesting around .7 or .8 spaces per unit however in their experience they have not seen that high demand in transit-oriented urban developments. Sougarides expects the first stages of the project to come in around this higher ratio with data on decreased demand then used to justify a lower ratio of closer to .4 or .5 spaces by the end of the project. The big question on everyone's mind is, of course, when will construction kick off.  Sougarides told the crowd they expect to begin work on the first building, low-rise residential to include around 200 units of housing, by the end of this year. The rest of the project will then continue along Old Colony Ave. based on market demand.  With Boston’s growing population Sougarides and his team see the demand for these new units however they will closely monitor the market to determine size/type of units and what amenities they need to bring in residents/buyers.

Construction Nearly Complete for The Brynx: First Units Expected to Open This Month Final touches are wrapping up for The Brynx in Jamaica Plain as first units in 221 South Huntington Avenue are expected to open by the end of this month. The second stage of the project, 201 South Huntington will follow shortly after and open around July 1st. In total, the project will feature 149 apartments, a mix of studio, 1, and 2 bedrooms ranging in price from $2460 through $3920. Resident amenities will include garage parking with automated car stackers, a fitness center with indoor rocking climbing wall, and a large treetop outdoor patio.

NPC Approved for Dot Block During Raucous BPDA Meeting Although the updated plans for the Dot Block were not up for public debate at the BPDA meeting on April 11th, a group of disgruntled citizens were on hand to speak in opposition of the project. Chairman Timothy Burke's gavel got quite a workout as he tried to silence the crowd who claimed the $200M, project set to clean up a long-blighted industrial area, will displace Dorchester residents. Despite the interruptions, the NPC was approved, even receiving positive feedback from a Board member who is a neighbor to the project. The newly approved plans call for an increase in residential units from 362 to 488, 66 of which will be IDP units. The increase in units allows for deeper levels of affordability than required and 33 of the IDP units are designated for Neighborhood Diversity Preference. Changes were also put in place to decrease the retail/restaurant square footage to 23,000. With smaller spaces the development team hopes to be able to welcome more local, small businesses to the project. The final major change to the plans was to the parking. The previous plan called for an above ground parking garage which has now been moved below grade allowing for significantly more green/open space, around 1.3 acres in total. A spokesperson for Samuels and Associates, who joined the project team in December of 2018, told BLDUP via email:  "After many months of review and feedback, we are pleased to have earned BPDA approval to move forward with revised plans for the Dot Block project.  The current proposal improves upon the project originally approved by the BPDA in 2016, adding more housing opportunities, connecting neighborhoods together and providing more open space." A construction start date is yet to be determined.  

DotBlock Under Official Review The proposed mixed-use development in Dorchester is under official review. The development will transform a collection of vacant parcels located at the juncture of Dorchester's Savin Hill, Jones Hill, and Meeting House Hill neighborhoods. In total, approximately 487 residential units will be built at DotBlock, a mix of apartments and condos, across five mixed-use buildings. DotBlock will include approximately 37,000 square feet of retail with underground parking for 360 cars. Among DotBlock's residential amenities will be a pool and fitness facility and around 15,000 square feet of green space.

Construction Continues for The Brynx in JP Renovations and the additions to the historic Goddard House along South Huntington Avenue in JP are nearing completion while interior work is ongoing for the new 6 story building being added to the project. In total, The Brynx will feature 149 apartments along with parking for 65 cars and 160 bikes. Resident amenities will include a roof terrace overlooking the Emerald Necklace and fitness center.  The additions to the historic building, designed by Shepley Bulfinch, are meant to complement the original building while bracing the older structure to provide structural reinforcement. Construction is set to be complete in the spring.

Washington Village Secures $37.5 Million in Financing The Washington Village development has secured $37.5 million in financing via Webster Bank. The upcoming redevelopment of five acres in South Boston’s Andrew Square will be transformed into a mixed-use development spanning six blocks. Eight buildings will be constructed containing 656 residences including both apartments and condominiums, 98,600 square feet of retail space and parking for 560 cars. Residences will include studios, one-bedrooms, two-bedrooms, and three-bedrooms. 110 residential units at Washington Village will be designated affordable.

Samuels Parcel 12 Proposal Would Unite The Fenway & Back Bay The block of Massachusetts Avenue between Newbury and Boylston Street is NOT one of the areas that makes Boston a walkable city. It's an unpleasant corner over the highway where walkers and bikers shuttling between The Fenway & Back Bay cross an on-ramp to the Mass Pike. The proposal submitted to the city earlier this week from Samuels and Associates would make drastic improvements in this area as part of their 545K mixed-use project.  The Parcel 12 project would feature two buildings, an office tower and another for hotel/residential use.  A podium below will also include retail and restaurant space. Samuels proposal would also reopen a pedestrian tunnel to the Hynes Convention Center MBTA station and provide sidewalk improvements to the area.The project is currently under review and the development team hopes to start site work next year.

Pierce Boston Living Up to Luxurious HypePierce Boston, a 30-story, 378-foot-tall tower that is Massachusetts’ tallest tower west of the Back Bay, officially opened to residents in the beginning of March and has lived up to the hype. The building features 109 condominium residences, 240 apartment residences and over 20,000 square-feet of dining and retail space across its’ first two floors.The tower is located in the heart of the growing, active Fenway neighborhood, and features sweeping views of the surrounding cityscape. Packed with amenities, Pierce Boston is part of a massive transformation in The Fenway. What was once considered a more affordable area of the city is becoming a highly developed urban epicenter and one of Boston’s best neighborhoods. Luxury residences are continuing to appear in The Fenway with Pierce Boston leading the way.The project completion date remains on schedule for late 2018 using Touchplan, a construction software that allows developers to plan, implement, and monitor projects in their entirety. The innovative software gives developers the ability to see the full spectrum of their project down to every last detail. Touchplan has let developers keep their projects on or ahead of time leading to lower costs and more efficient construction.

DotBlock Construction to Start in 2018Despite delays, this past winter on pre-construction demolition, the mixed-use Dot Block project should begin construction in 2018. The project will bring 362 units and 37,000 square feet of retail space to the 4-acre block of Glover’s Corner in Dorchester.Catherine O'Neill of Atlas Investment Group said that they planned to pull a demolition permit at Inspectional Services Department and the buildings on the four parcels should be coming down “soon.”

Pierce Boston, one of Massachusetts’ tallest residential towers, officially opens to residents Pierce Boston, a 30-story, 378-foot-tall tower that is Massachusetts’ tallest tower west of the Back Bay, officially opened to residents today. The tower, featuring an angular profile clad in glass, is located at the gateway to Boston and is now prominently visible from the Massachusetts Turnpike and other key points. Pierce Boston features 109 condominium residences, 240 apartment residences and over 20,000 square feet of dining and retail space across its’ first two floors. The tower is located in the heart of the growing, active Fenway neighborhood, and features sweeping views of the surrounding cityscape and countryside. “Pierce Boston’s residents are going to love living in The Fenway,” said Jed Lowry, Vice President at Pierce Boston co-developer Landsea, in a prepared statement. “So much is happening in The Fenway, and Pierce Boston is the perfect home base, with everything you need to enjoy an active, urban lifestyle in one of Boston’s best neighborhoods.” Apartments are located up to floor 18, and condominiums are located on floors 19 through 29 underneath the 30th floor Levity Lounge, a space exclusive to condominium owners that will include a private dining room, a library, expansive outdoor and indoor seating areas, private sky cabanas for purchase and a sky top pool. Nathálie, a wine bar by the team behind Downtown Crossing’s Haley.Henry, will open on Pierce Boston’s ground floor this Summer. As of the end of 2017, 70% of Pierce Boston condominiums have been sold, and 20% of apartments have been leased.

Wine bar opening at Fenway’s new Pierce Boston luxury tower The proponents of Downtown Crossing’s haley.henry wine bar, located on the ground floor of the 45 Province condominium tower, will open a second wine bar dubbed nathálie on the ground floor of the new 30-story Pierce Boston, the Fenway neighborhood’s tallest tower. Between 50 and 60 wines will be served at nathálie, emphasizing female wine producers and old world varieties, per Eater Boston. Fit out of the 1,200-square-foot space, which will also include a 200-square-foot outdoor patio, is expected to commence in March. nathálie is expected to open this Summer, and will feature a variety of seating options including a bar, high-tops along windows, a lounge area and banquette seating. “Where haley.henry is a very masculine, tinned fish/wine bar, nathálie will be the dynamic, invigorating daughter that brings a whole new twist to Fenway,” said haley.henry and nathálie owner Haley Fortier in a prepared statement. “We are very much looking forward to establishing some amazing relationships by providing a unique wine bar experience for this part of the city.” Pierce Boston is set to open in February, and features residences including 109 condominiums and 240 apartments as well as 30,000 square feet of exclusive retail across the first two floors. At the top of the tower is a Levity Lounge exclusive to condominium owners, which includes the highest situated outdoor pool in the City of Boston.