Community Benefits
This updated proposal is a transformative project by Mark Development proposing a new hotel at 560 Commonwealth Avenue, which includes a $15 million public realm investment that will create a real “square” in Kenmore Square and dramatically enhance the pedestrian and bicycle experience. Based on community feedback, the project was altered to move away from the closest residential neighbor, Kenmore Tower, to create a new public plaza and improve the pedestrian, bicycle and traffic flow in Kenmore Square.
This updated proposal is a transformative project by Mark Development proposing a new hotel at 560 Commonwealth Avenue, which includes a $15 million public realm investment that will create a real “square” in Kenmore Square and dramatically enhance the pedestrian and bicycle experience. Based on community feedback, the project was altered to move away from the closest residential neighbor, Kenmore Tower, to create a new public plaza and improve the pedestrian, bicycle and traffic flow in Kenmore Square.
About the project:
Mark Development spent an extensive amount of time reviewing the scoping determination and public comments that were provided following the initial public submission to the Boston Planning and Development Agency in Spring of 2018. The team heard the concerns of the community members: the proposed hotel was too close to Kenmore Tower, the traffic and pedestrian environment was generally unsafe and could only get worse, and the public realm was completely insufficient. As a result, Jeff Speck, renowned urban planner was hired to provide a vision to truly transform Kenmore Square and address these real concerns. The effect is a dramatic investment to create safe and enjoyable pedestrian experience in Kenmore Square, new traffic patterns, usable public realm components and a new 28 story, 389 room hotel building, accommodating a four-star caliber hotel, with ground floor retail.
This newly designed proposal represents a dramatic improvement to the public realm, creating a vibrant pedestrian experience and meaningful changes that connects the neighborhood, truly creating a square in Kenmore Square.
Learn More HereThis updated project seeks to actively capitalize on Kenmore Square’s superb proximity to sports venues, cultural destinations and Downtown Boston accessed by foot, bike or the MBTA Kenmore or Yawkey Stations with Green Line trains and many bus routes. The new hotel with the dramatic public realm component will perpetuate the ongoing transition of Kenmore Square from a busy confluence of vehicular traffic and pedestrians traveling through, to a reconfigured square with dramatically improved and more accessible pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular paths. The transformation of Kenmore Square will continue with this collaborative project that includes a significant capital investment to establish more public space, substantial sidewalk improvements and landscape features, in addition to vibrant uses for area residents and visitors to enjoy the iconic, thoughtfully designed building, creating a “place” in Kenmore Square.
Press:
2019 01 29 IAG Presentation_novideo.pdf
Letter of Intent Filed: May 26, 2017
Project Notification Form Filed: March 9, 2018
Draft Project Impact Report Filed: TBD
Permitting and Community Engagement: The updated proposal will be subject to Large Project Review under Article 80, requiring a submission of a Draft and Final Project Impact Report. Multiple meetings will occur along with a public comment period.
Comment Period: Ends TBD
Impact Advisory Group Meeting: Wednesday, March 28th
IAG Meeting #2: Tuesday, January 29, 2019
IAG Meeting #3: Monday, May 13, 2019 at BU 565 Commonwealth Avenue, room 106
Public Meeting: April 23, 2018 at 565 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston University Classroom #1
Public Meeting #2: Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at 6pm at BU 610 Commonwealth Avenue, 1st Floor
Construction Start: 2020
Occupancy: Spring 2022
Process:
Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA): Large Project Review (Article 80), Planned Development Area approval
Contact Tim Czerwienski (Project Manager): tim.czerwienski@boston.gov 617.918.5303
Boston Zoning Commission: Zoning Map Amendment, PDA Development Plan
Boston Civic Design Review: Schematic design review
Boston Public Improvement Commission
Boston Transportation Department: Transportation Access Plan, Construction Management Plan, Street and Sidewalk Occupancy Permits
Boston Water & Sewer Commission
Boston Inspectional Services Department: Building and Occupancy permits
Boston Fire Department: Life safety systems permits and approvals
April 29, 2019 Update
Our first public meeting for the updated project will be held on Wednesday, May 8th at 6pm at Boston University 610 Commonwealth Avenue, 1st Floor. We encourage all interested community members to attend and learn more about this updated project.
January 29, 2019 Update
January 29, 2019 Update
The BPDA hosted our first IAG meeting tonight, the first opportunity to unveil our new team, Studio Gang as the architect of record, Jeff Speck, renowned urban planner and Landscape Architect, Reed Hilderbrand and the brand new vision for the hotel at 560 Commonwealth Avenue. The changes include moving the proposed building away from our residential neighbors in Kenmore Tower, and most notably, creating 30,000 of new public realm for the benefit of the entire community to enjoy. The new proposal reconfigures streets to make Kenmore Square safer and more accessible for pedestrians and bicyclists, and improved traffic patterns to respect the square.
Changes summarized here.
April 24, 2018 Update
The BPDA hosted our first public meeting for the two proposed hotels in Kenmore Square. It was the first opportunity for the development team to present the proposed development program, schematic design and public realm improvements and the first chance for the community to view and comment on the project. This is the very first step in the community participation process and many good questions and concerns were raised at the meeting. The development team took copious notes and will be studying all of the concerns raised at the meeting, including traffic, emergency vehicle access, public realm, shadows and construction safeguards. The BPDA will incorporate the feedback from the community in to their “Scoping Determination” which will dictate to our team what areas need to be studied and detailed in a comprehensive report called a Draft Project Impact Report (DPIR). Following the scope, our team of architects, engineers and other professionals will take time to study every area of interest and we will draft the DPIR and submit back to the BPDA and city agencies. That completed report will be sent out to all members of the Impact Advisory Group and will be available on this website as soon as it is submitted. We expect to submit the DPIR sometime in the late summer or early fall of 2018.”
March 29, 2018 Update
The Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) hosted our first Impact Advisory Group (IAG) Meeting at the Buckminster Hotel on Wednesday March 28th. Our joint development team was represented by our architects from CBT and Group One. Many excellent questions were raised by members of the IAG and the general public. We took copious notes of areas of interested and where further study is required. The project will be scoped by the BPDA and will be required to respond to the questions of the interested constituents in a more comprehensive submission, which will be available on this site once submitted. Areas of interest and further study included:
- Construction Management Plan
- Viewpoints from adjacent buildings
- Traffic and impacts on MBTA
- Shadows
- List of participating public agencies
- Deliveries and loading