Draft Project Impact Report - Boston Redevelopment Authority

Exeter Residences/888 Boylston
Summary of Project Changes
Exeter Residences
888 Boylston
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Summary.docx
will lessen the impacts of those matters discussed in the cited chapters of the
NPC/PNF.
Since the filing of the NPC/PNF, the Proponent has made several changes to the
Exeter Residences and 888 Boylston in response to community and agency
comments, and as a result of additional design work by the buildings’ architects.
The Proponent has listened to the feedback from the BRA, PruPAC and other City
officials regarding the design of the Exeter Residences and has responded
accordingly. Exeter Residences is a modern residential building that compliments
the existing buildings at the Prudential Center, while taking architectural cues from
its immediate neighbors. Exeter Residences will be a part of the high spine of the
Back Bay, which includes Trinity Place and the AvalonBay residential buildings.
The current design is 27 stories (311 ft) which represents a reduction of 3 residential
stories or 29 ft from the height proposed in the NPC/PNF. The Exeter Residences
will not be visible from the Boston Public Library courtyard. The revised design has
simplified the massing and integrated the top of the building into the glass curvature
element of the previously proposed building. The façade has been redesigned to
include a repetitive window pattern more indicative of a residential building. The
northern corner of the building has been rounded to help mitigate the wind impacts.
The building is also clad in glass to take advantage of the building’s solar orientation
and sweeping views of the Back Bay, the Charles River and Cambridge. Proposed
changes to Exeter Street and Blagden Street will help to create a more pedestrian
friendly experience and mitigate wind impacts.
The Proponent also has listened to feedback from the BRA, PruPAC and other City
officials regarding the design of 888 Boylston and has responded accordingly. In
response to design and scoping comments from the BRA, PruPAC and other City
officials, the Proponent is proposing the following design modifications. The current
design is 17 stories (242 feet) which represents a reduction of 2 stories or 23 feet from
the height proposed in the NPC/PNF. The curve of the glass façade has been relaxed
to address the comments that the previously proposed design curve was too taut and
forced. A retail podium now clearly differentiates the retail from the office tower
and acknowledges the need to relate to the pedestrian scale of the plaza. The
problematic corners of previous plaza schemes have been remedied by creating a
Executive Summary 1-4