Comment period for 251 Causeway tower closes Monday (10/28)

The RMR Group of Newton has submitted a Project Notification Form (PNF) for redeveloping the southwest corner of Causeway and North Washington streets which includes a 447 foot tower. The window for public comment on the proposal closes on Monday, October 28th.

• Read the Project Notification Form
• Submit your comments

Notable claims from the PNF:

1. The development will result in 23 fewer vehicle trips to and from the location on weekdays.
2. The tower will cast virtually no new shadows on the North End

Vehicle Trips

The PNF acknowledges that, using standard calculations, 420 residential units, 300 hotel rooms, and a restaurant would typically generate 646 vehicle trips during the morning and evening peaks combined. That's far more than the 249 trips that the existing development generates today. But the authors say that in Boston, only 10-33% of trips are actually made in vehicles (10% of restaurant trips, 24% of residential trips, and 33% of hotel trips) and therefore, they can conveniently slash their own estimate down to 226 from 646 accordingly.

The project is also adding 150 new parking spaces - which is curious for a project if they really expect to have fewer vehicle trips to/from the site.

PNF claims that 150 new parking spaces, 300 room hotel, 420 residential units, and restaurant will result in fewer vehicle trips to the location.

Shadows

3D models of shadows that would be cast by the tower show negligible impact on the North End. New shadows from the tower are shown in blue.

6pm on the summer solstice - New shadows shown in blue

3pm on the spring equinox - new shadows shown in blue.