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Despite a reputation for strongly advocating against tall buildings, Boston seems to have embraced the skyscraper age, as two buildings over 200 metres in height are currently under construction in the downtown area. While the Millennium Tower recently topped off in the Downtown Crossing district, the Back Bay neighbourhood located to the east is about to become home to the city's tallest residential building. Indeed, on two parcels of land situated along Belvidere and Dalton Streets, just north of the Christian Science Plaza, developers Carpenter & Company and Pritzker Realty Group are erecting two mixed-use towers. While 30 Dalton Street will stand at 26 storeys and add 218 luxury rental units to the area, the site at One Dalton Street will become a a 61-storey, 213-metre hotel and condominium tower.
Designed through a partnership between Pei Cobb Freed & Partners and Cambridge Seven Associates, the $700-million project will feature 211 Four Seasons-branded hotel rooms on the first 20 floors and 180 condominium units on the upper 40 floors of One Dalton. At ground level, two lobbies will provide separate access for residents and hotel guests, while two restaurants with an outdoor space and the future public park ornamenting the base of the building will bring vibrancy to the street realm.
The rounded corners of One Dalton aim to recall the neighbouring Christian Science Mother Church and complement the brutalist plaza, although the blue-tinted curtain wall glass will add a strong modern touch to the development. The Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences is currently in the early construction stages, as excavation is proceeding on site, while the 30 Dalton Street Residences tower has topped off and will be complete some time next year.
When completed in 2017, the tallest of the two will become the tallest residential tower in New England at 213 metres, a mere 4 metres higher than the Millennium Tower. What do you think about the building boom transforming the Boston skyline? Tell us by leaving a comment at the bottom of this page, or by visiting our dedicated Forum threads. More renderings and information for both projects are available in our Database files, linked below.
