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Built in 1983, Copley Place has become an iconic destination for high-end shopping in Boston. Comprising two floors dedicated to retail uses, four office buildings and two hotels, the aging mall has entered a phase of renovations and expansions that will eventually result in refurbished interiors, a 5,600-square-metre expansion for various commercial uses, a 5,000-square-metre addition to anchor tenant Neiman Marcus and, directly above, a new 191-metre residential building known as the Copley Place Tower.
Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects and developed by Simon Property Group, the glassy tower will add 109 ultra-luxury condos and 433 luxury apartments, with approximately 70 of those units marketed as affordable housing. At 52 storeys above ground level, the edifice will become one of Boston's tallest while overcoming an engineering challenge. Indeed, the mall is located atop the notorious Interstate 90, also known as the Mass Pike.
As a result of the underground highway, the current foundation work faces significant spatial constraints, with only a limited section of solid ground to work with. The remaining part of the building is being built on a platform above the highway, and made possible by the acquisition of air rights managed by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. This construction technique explains why the shopping centre's expansion work will be completed by the summer of 2016, while the tentative completion date for the Copley Place Tower is currently set for 2019.
Upon completion, residents will benefit from direct access to the retail facility, a 7th floor Sky Lobby and deck, a lap pool on the 6th floor, as well as a garage with car and bike parking. In the meantime, additional images and information can be found in our Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Leave a comment at the bottom of this page or check out the associated Forum thread.
