January 7, 2014

Boston Garden Development
New Development at TD Garden

(Photo courtesy of Boston Globe)

BRA approves $950m complex at TD Garden, Back Bay high-rise Boston Globe

Casey Ross—The Boston Redevelopment Authority on Thursday approved several massive development projects, including a hotel and condominium high-rise in the Back Bay, a dormitory for Emerson College, and a large complex of buildings that will dramatically alter the face of the TD Garden.

The $950 million complex at the Garden will consist of three towers, the tallest reaching 600 feet or about 60 stories. The buildings will contain a 306-room hotel, 668,000 square feet of offices, nearly 500 residences, and stores and restaurants. A new Star Market will be built underground, along with 800 parking spaces.

 

They're back: Boston-area parking space savers unwelcome, yet out in full force Metro

Morgan Rousseau—Parking space savers recently made their winter season debut, popping up not only in Southie, where the art of place saving seems to be a neighborhood pastime, but throughout the rest of the city and Greater Boston area.

Boston allows residents to use space savers for up to 48 hours after a snow emergency has been lifted. After that, the items are collected by the Department of Public Works. The city does not ticket people who leave space savers out beyond the grace period.

 

A Monthly List for Mayor Walsh North End Waterfront

Karen Cord Taylor—Mayor Walsh has a lot to learn and a lot to do, so I’m here to help. He’ll have big problems to solve, but residents and neighborhood associations are concerned more about the seemingly little problems of daily living in Boston than they are with big matters.

Here’s a month-by-month list of the small problems Mayor Walsh can tackle that won’t take up much of his time, but will make life better for all of us.

 

Callahan Tunnel Closure Begins Friday, December 27 MA Transpo Blog

The $19.3 million rehabilitation of the Callahan includes the replacement of the deck, curbing and wall panels. McCourt Construction is the contractor for the closure scheduled from December 27, 2013 at 11pm through March 12, 2014. The contractor may earn $71K per day for each day finished early for up to four- weeks for a total of $2 million; there is a loss of $71K per day for each day late beyond March 12.

 

Brussels -- Europe's Most Congested City Contemplates Going Car-Free Atlantic Cities

Feargus O’Sullivan—If the city’s new mayor gets his way, Central Brussels will soon be essentially car-free. Socialist Party mayor Yvan Mayeur, sworn in last month as mayor of the Brussels City district, wants to turn the Belgian capital's central axis into a pedestrian zone.

 

"Streets"

Walking

Bicycling

Transit

Cars/Parking

  • Callahan Tunnel Closure Begins Friday, December 27 MA Transpo Blog
  • Massachusetts Ranked Top 10 States with Best Drivers BostInno
  • Op-Ed: Sorry, but Massachusetts drivers aren’t the worst - We’re actually good at driving, so back off Boston Globe
  • State makes preparations made for Callahan Tunnel closure on Friday -- readies 3-month plan for Callahan bypass Boston Globe
  • Callahan Tunnel closure prompts DOT to open a Logan Airport lot at Suffolk Downs Biz Journals

Transportation financing/Government

  • Former MBTA pension fund chief recommended $25 million hedge fund investment that went bust Boston.com
  • Boston Mayor: Walsh Sees Transportation Department Resignation and More BostInno
  • Mayor-elect to require residency for top staff Boston Herald

Parks

Development projects

  • BRA approves $950m complex at TD Garden, Back Bay high-rise Boston Globe
  • Boston Redevelopment Authority cuts secret deals with developers at the expense of affordable housing Boston Globe
  • The state of S. Huntington development JP Gazette
  • BRA scuttles meeting prior to Marty Walsh’s term Boston Herald
  • Judge to BRA: Not so fast there with that restaurant at the end of Long Wharf Universal Hub
  • Boston’s South Station Boston Globe

Land Use/Planning

  • Hook Lobster Presents Early Stage Development Plans on Northern Avenue Parcel North End Waterfront
  • Proposed Redesign of Union Street and the Blackstone Block North End Waterfront
  • Meeting Report: Causeway Street Redesign Project Update North End Waterfront
  • Somerville's old Winter Hill Star Market may become new grocery Wicked Local
  • While Longmeadow group requests bike lanes on town streets, 1 selectman prefers discussing 'biggest thing facing this town ... the casino' Mass Live
  • Charlestown: BRA Approves New Sullivan Square Guidelines BostInno

Out-of-state

  • CO
    • I-70 remake at heart of plan to revive Denver's Swansea neighborhood Denver Post
  • NY
    • Next Year, Peds and Cyclists Won't Have to Fight for Scraps on Pulaski Bridge StreetsBlog
    • New Layer of Red Tape From FHWA Threatens to Delay NYC Bike Projects StreetsBlog
    • New York transport czar an advocate for bikes, transit, pedestrians Globe and Mail
    • In a Noisy Brooklyn Park, the Best New Feature May Be a Wall Atlantic Cities
  • NH
  • CA
    • With WalkFirst, SF Takes a Data-Driven Approach to Pedestrian Safety SF StreetsBlog
    • Decycling: Can L.A. Be A Bike City? Huffington Post
    • In a Car-Culture Clash, It¹s the Los Angeles Police vs. Pedestrians NY Times
    • New Calif. law: Keep 3-foot gap between bike, car USA Today
  • IL
    • As city cycling grows, so does bike tax temptation AP

National trends

  • How A Giant Mall Parking Lot Turned Into A Park And A Walkable Community Fast.co
  • The Most Walkable Cities and How Some Are Making Strides Governing.com
  • Power Shift-Winter Bike Share LOE.org
  • 11 Reasons Why Bicycling in the U.S. Is Exceptionally Dangerous Atlantic Cities
  • Engineering Establishment Poised to Endorse Bike Boxes and Bike Signals DC StreetsBlog
  • Wi-Fi Doesn't Just Enhance Amtrak--It May Actually Encourage New Riders Atlantic Cities
  • Win Your Holiday Arguments: Jaywalking LA StreetsBlog
  • No-show? No refund, Amtrak says in new policy Boston.com
  • The Top 14 Bike Stories Of 2013 Fast.co
  • Should You Really Feel 'Car Culture' Guilt for Using Uber? Atlantic Cities

International news

  • A surprising boost in cycling infrastructure in Toronto - Letters Boston Globe
  • The Economist explains: Why does cycling thrive in some cities and not in others? Economist
  • Congestion Charging on the Horizon for China's Cities StreetsBlog
  • Boris to build bike lanes in London, to " de-Lycrafy the bicycle" Tree Hugger
  • Whitby driver filmed with hands behind head BBC
  • Brussels -- Europe's Most Congested City Contemplates Going Car-Free Atlantic Cities