Draft Project Impact Report - Boston Redevelopment Authority

Exeter Residences/888 Boylston
3.4 Open Space, Pedestrian Ways & Amenities
3.5 Parking
The Prudential Center is distinctive in Boston for its expansive network of interior
shopping arcades, an amenity that will be expanded by 888 Boylston. Both new
buildings are designed to integrate with, and take best advantage of the strong
existing pedestrian network at each location.
The Exeter Residences will significantly improve the pedestrian experience along
Exeter Street. The proposed retail use at the base of the tower and residential lobby
will help activate the street and a new monumental stair and elevator to the plaza
will open up Exeter Street to the heart of the Prudential Center. This new connection
enables pedestrians to move from Exeter Street to East Ring Road at mid-block.
The 888 Boylston building will bring new retail opportunities to the Boylston Arcade,
and will add an additional lobby and connection to the street to the network. The
retail space layout offers the potential to draw both food court tenants, full-scale
restaurants and both small and large retail tenants to both the Boylston Arcade and
Boylston Street. The option of retail space on the third and fourth floors also allows
for a larger retailer or department store use in the building.
The existing plaza at this location is a two level construction admitting some sun to
Boylston Street at the beginning and end of the day but offering little in the way of
urbanity to either the street or the Prudential Center. By lining the plaza with new
retail all on the same level, the street edge achieves continuity and will receive an
increased level of activity. The proposed plaza design responds to both scoping
comments and a new synergy with the Hynes Convention Center which has
proposed a restaurant facing the plaza. Visibility of the retail and office lobby from
the street will be a consideration in plant selection.
All new parking supporting the Exeter Residences and 888 Boylston will be located
within the current garage limits, resulting in no change to the existing garage
footprint. Further, no changes to the existing access points into and out of the
garages are proposed as reflected in Figure 4-20 and 4-21 within Chapter 4. In
addition the parking modifications are not expected to notably change travel patterns
and access routes within the garage.
The parking for the Exeter Residences of up to 132 spaces will be established through
the introduction of managed parking areas and reconfiguration of the existing
residential parking nests within the Prudential Center North Garage. Generally,
access to and from the nests will remain the same. Parking nests will be integrated
\\Mabos\projects\09916.00\docs\Permits\DPIR\Text\DPIR Chapter 3 Urban
Design.docx Urban Design 3-11