SJC Ruling Could Sidetrack Coastal Projects

The Supreme Judicial Court this week handed state environmental regulators a new assignment to revamp how waterfront developments are reviewed and approved, potentially affecting zoning frameworks in coastal communities from Beverly to Provincetown.

Court Strikes Down Pinnacle Approval

The Suffolk Superior Court dealt a major setback in April to The Chiofaro Co,’s proposed 600-foot mixed-use tower at the Harbor Garage site near the New England Aquarium in Boston. But the plaintiffs’ victory may only be temporary.

Judge Strikes Down Zoning for Pinnacle Tower

A Suffolk Superior Court justice struck down the city of Boston’s new waterfront zoning that would have cleared the way for The Chiofaro Co.’s 600-foot-tall, 865,000-square-foot Pinnacle skyscraper at Central Wharf.

Tearing Away Walls to Reveal the Bones of Buildings

CBT’s Maren Reepmeyer played a key role in designing Fidelity Investments’ Seaport World Trade Center at Commonwealth Pier, redesigning office space for collaboration, eliminating the aging meeting hall and adding new retail on Seaport Boulevard and outdoor public spaces on the Boston Harborwalk.

Gillette Seeks Flexibility to Redevelop Campus

As it studies future options for its 34-acre World Shaving Headquarters property in South Boston, Gillette Co. is seeking to remove some state oversight over what could be built next on portions of the prime waterfront real estate.

Waterfront Standoff Continues In Wake of Ruling

“Not in my backyard” could be the state motto in Massachusetts, where major real estate developments routinely endure costly legal challenges. The Chiofaro Co.’s proposed 600-foot mixed-use tower at the Harbor Garage site near the New England Aquarium in Boston is an example.

Battery Wharf Hotel Responds to CLF Complaint

An attorney for Boston’s Battery Wharf Hotel condo owners acknowledges some inadvertent violations of public access and programming and said the property “has been and continues to be welcoming of the public.”

CLF Says Hotel is Colonizing the Boston Harborwalk

The 150-room hotel has been charging $1,500 for wedding ceremonies on the Boston Harborwalk, installed an outdoor bar called the Battery Wharf Grille on public open space and closed off public balconies and historic exhibit space for private functions, according to Boston-based CLF.

A New Cost for Climate Change

Too often when developers fail to prepare for climate change, taxpayers are called upon to bail them out when the inevitable damage happens. But now it seems that cities across Massachusetts and even the state could increasingly be on the hook financially if they don’t take substantive steps to plan for these changes.

InterContinental Hotel Reconfigures Patio After Complaint

The InterContinental Boston Hotel installed an outdoor bar and private seating bordering the Boston Harborwalk “in the spirit of activating the waterfront,” according to its attorney, but has redesigned its patio and removed signs discouraging the public from using the area.