Placemaking Network

Congress Square/Quaker Lane Redevelopment

Construction is underway on Related Beal’s and Arrowstreet’s additions and renovations to six buildings at the corners of Water Street, Devonshire Street, and Congress Street into a new 13-story boutique hotel and a mix of offices, residential units, retail and restaurant spaces. The conversion will bring 24-hour activity to an area historically dominated by financial institutions. In their Boston Planning and Development Agency filing, Related Beal says, “From their original conception in the late 19th century as bank buildings, the existing buildings have conveyed an image of grandeur and security. For the last 40 years, these buildings have been restricted to private use and turned inward, cut off from the surrounding neighborhood and streets. The design for Congress Square restores these buildings and Quaker Lane to a destination within the heart of downtown Boston.” Quaker Lane will be converted from an underutilized service way into a European-style pedestrian area lined with new lobby entrances and storefronts opening to outdoor dining areas; with suspended cable lighting between buildings, cobble pavers, sculptural seating and landscaping. Speakers Stephen Faber, executive vice president of Related Beal, and Scott Pollack, principal of Arrowstreet, will present the details of this project and the exciting transformation of its public realm.

For those who qualify, 1.5 LUs are available.

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