Back Bay/South End Gateway

$1 billion development atop Back Bay Station wins key approval following shadow compromise

After reaching a compromise with Old South Church regarding shadows cast on the historic building, Boston Properties has received a key city approval for the 1.37-million-square-foot Back Bay/South End Gateway mixed-use development atop Back Bay Station, bringing the $1 billion project one step closer to reality. Boston Properties has agreed to pay $3 million towards a preservation fund for Old South Church, Trinity Church and other surrounding historic buildings, as well as $3 million into the City of Boston’s affordable housing fund. The church had originally sought a $19 million settlement from Boston Properties in light of concerns that shadows from the development would darken the church and exacerbate water damage.

The settlement between Boston Properties and Old South Church came on the eve of the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA)’s vote to approve the project, which passed with unanimous approval. The Back Bay/South End Gateway project will now go before the City of Boston’s Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) for review; following ZBA approval, Boston Properties will be able to proceed with construction of the project. The Back Bay/South End Gateway project will feature approximately 582,500 square feet of office space, approximately 61,800 square feet of retail space and approximately 600 residential units across three new towers and a one-level vertical expansion of Back Bay Station. The existing station will also be modernized as part of the project, and an additional 90 affordable housing units will be developed off site.

Back Bay/South End Gateway project poised to improve public transit experience

By Matthew M. Robare

The Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) recently held a Citizens’ Advisory Committee meeting to present the latest progress on the Back Bay/South End Gateway project, which was first proposed by Boston Properties last March and is undergoing active review by the City of Boston. Article 80 Large Project Review for the project is now underway, and both a Draft Project Impact Report and Draft Environmental Impact Report have been filed. The proponent is also working to amend the existing Planned Development Area zoning, which currently includes just sections of the site, to include the entire project site in order to enable the development of over 1.2 million square feet.

The proposed Back Bay/South End Gateway development

In response to public comment, developer Boston Properties has increased the size of the proposed public plaza at the Clarendon Street entrance and removed a two-story addition on the existing Back Bay Station along Dartmouth Street. In order to accommodate the development, the existing bus pick-up and drop-off area along Clarendon Street would be converted into an 11,000 square foot public plaza serving as a grand gateway to Back Bay Station and the new 34-story Station East building. Bus service would be permanently moved to a new Stuart Street entrance to Back Bay Station, which would be conveniently located in the lobby of the new 26-story Garage West building steps to Copley Square and next to the upcoming 40 Trinity Place hotel tower. Within the existing station, new elevators and stairs would be built to access the Orange Line, and new redundant elevators would be built to access the Amtrak and Commuter Rail platforms.

The pick up/drop off area for the route 39 bus will be moved to Stuart Street in order to accommodate the new public plaza on Clarendon Street.

The new Clarendon Street public plaza

The approximately 1.2 million square foot Back Bay/South End Gateway project would construct three new skyscrapers and expanded retail space at Back Bay Station. At the corner of Dartmouth and Stuart Streets would be Garage West, a 606,000 to 618,000 square foot steel and glass retail and office tower that resembles boxes stacked off-center. On Garage West’s ground floor would be a new entrance to Back Bay Station. At Clarendon and Stuart Streets would be Garage East, a 220,000 square foot residential tower with 220 units. Along Clarendon Street would be Station East, a 387,000 square foot, 360-unit residential building. Adjacent to the existing Back Bay Station entrance on Dartmouth Street would be Station West, a 30,000 square foot retail low-rise. The existing Back Bay Station would also be improved and modernized as part of the project:

The concourse from the new Stuart Street entrance to the main station will be bright and clean-looking.

A view of the Garage West tower from the corner of Dartmouth and Stuart Streets, featuring the new Stuart Street entrance to Back Bay Station.

A Project Notification Form has been submitted for the Back Bay Station Redevelopment, now known as the Back Bay/South End Gateway Project. Boston Properties hopes to begin construction of the project in mid-2017.

According to today's Boston Globe report, market conditions and demand for office and residential space will dictate the project's groundbreaking date. Likewise, it has not yet been determined whether residential units will be apartments or condominiums, or whether affordable housing requirements will be fulfilled on site or elsewhere. 

Additional project information is posted below; the following is a link to the Project Notification Form. The following are additional project architectural renderings:

Boston Properties has submitted a Letter of Intent to the Boston Redevelopment Authority to construct an air rights development over the existing Back Bay Station and neighboring parking garage. Per the letter, the project will be a "mixed-use office, retail, restaurant, commercial and residential development of approximately 1.4 million square feet...in and over the existing Garage and Station." The following is a link to the full Letter of Intent. More information about the proposed project is posted below.