Saying 'Goodbye' to the Big Dig and 'Hello' to the Greenway and the New Boston

Many often wonder if they will ever truly reap the benefits of Boston's Big Dig. With a lot of controversial issues, over-spending, and serious inconveniences, many Bostonians have thought negatively about the Big Dig. That is all about to change. Over the years, all we've seen from the Big Dig are clouds of dust, traffic backups and hundreds of construction workers. There is now a positive side to all the hassle. Such things as bike paths, green commons, beautifully landscaped parks, art exhibits, memorials, and private quarters are all part of the Big Dig's payoff, besides the dismantling of the central artery and smoother traffic flow. It has been projected that within the next several years, many beautiful and desirable features will exist in what will be the Rose Kennedy Greenway, or as, the soon to be household name, The Greenway.

Standing at the base of North Washington Street is the most noticeable aspect of this massive infrastructure development. the Leonard P. Zakim Bridge. This engineering feat, supported by cables, is a beautiful and architectural addition to Boston's scenic view. In due time (optimistically by Summer 2007's end) there will be more than a mile of green parkland (the Greenway). Such new features do not end here. In the North End there will be two blocks of parks running along Cross Street and over to North Street. A plaza nearby will feature a map of what the 'old Boston' used to look like (Boston five years ago).

As one of the countries most historical cities, Boston will be lined with bronze rails engraved with historical figures and quotes. The North End will have these bronze plaques inscribed with quotes from the North End's residents ranging from the early 17th century until today. Such features will not only add to Boston's beauty, but pleasure history buffs all around Boston. Side streets and main streets all along the central artery will be lined with trees and flowers. Ramps no longer stand in between North Street and Christopher Columbus Park, but rather another one of the Boston Museums architectural buildings. Every inch of the Greenway will have something different for condo residents.

The central portion of the Greenway is the four Wharf District blocks that go to the Boston Harbor Hotel. The outlines of the four historic wharfs (City, Central, Long and India) are identified by decorative paintings. However, the heart of the Greenway is the two blocks between State and India Street. This is where most of the activities are held, with fountains and greenery. Then there is the 31 story Russia Wharf office tower that casts a shadow on the Greenway. Although Russia Wharf is only air space at the moment, the approved plans and architectural renderings are something that everyone in the area must marvel over, and most certainly will, once the massive green, glass development is completed. Even Chinatown will have its own additions, with a park laced with bamboo and willows. Anyone lucky enough to become a resident along the Greenway, whether it be in the North End, Chinatown, Financial District or waterfront, is sure to enjoy themselves and the beauty of Boston even more, due to these incredible aesthetic and engineering improvements.

Developers of 45 Province Not Afraid of "Slow Market"

This past weekend, two of Boston's most published real estate resources,
"Boston Homes" and the Real Estate Section of the Boston Globe, both
featured the newest high-rise development to hit Boston, known as 45
Province. The 31-story mixed use building will feature one, two, and
three bedroom units, ranging from 800 to 2,600 square-feet. This asthetically pleasing high-rise is being erected in between Downtown Crossing and Boston Common, and has an anticipated completion date of Spring 2009.

The developers and marketing team for the development are by no means scared of all the "bursting real estate bubble" talk that everyone who even pretends to know anything about real estate is talking about.
Prices for the units are going to enter the market at some of the
highest prices (per square-foot) in all the city, starting at an average selling price of $900 per square-foot. The newest publications compared 45 Province to three other high-end developements, Residences at the Intercontinental, Battery Wharf, and The Mandarin Oriental, as developments that are near to setting records for units sold on a price per square foot basis. The Mandarin Oriental is the runaway leader with sale prices of $1,600 per square-foot, followed by Battery Wharf at around $1,250 per square-foot, and Residences at the Intercontinental at $975 per square-foot. While each of these developments will offer a wide array of amenities, such as state of the art fitness centers, spas, indoor pools, numerous restaurants, and spacious outdoor areas, one must wonder when the development, and therefore demand, of these massive, multi-million dollar projects will begin to slow down. Developer confidence, reflected in these selling prices, seem to hint that that time won't be in the near future.

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