Apple amends designs for Boston flagship shop
After two months of delays, Apple Computer today presented several building designs for its first Boston, Mass. flagship retail store at a hearing before the Back Bay Architectural Commission, reports Boston.com.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based Mac maker is looking to demolish a small building at 815 Boylston St. and replace it with a new structure that features a glass façade, according to the report.
At an advisory meeting in March, Apple faced some opposition from commissioners who suggested the company replicate or preserve the existing façade.
"In its latest filings to the city, Apple has proposed several designs that would add vertical columns and divide the façade in nine sections," according to Boston.com.
Apple is said to have delayed its previous two hearings because it wasn't completely ready to present its new designs. "They spend a lot of time with these signature stores, and they don't rush into anything," said Stephen V. Miller of McDermott of Quilty & Miller LLP, a Boston firm representing the Mac maker.
Apple's current proposal calls for the existing 16,587-square-foot building to be razed and replaced by a new structure with a full basement that measures about 22,116 square feet.
In all, the company wants to build three retail floors with a glass spiral staircase in the center of the store; the basement will reportedly be reserved for support services and equipment.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based Mac maker is looking to demolish a small building at 815 Boylston St. and replace it with a new structure that features a glass façade, according to the report.
At an advisory meeting in March, Apple faced some opposition from commissioners who suggested the company replicate or preserve the existing façade.
"In its latest filings to the city, Apple has proposed several designs that would add vertical columns and divide the façade in nine sections," according to Boston.com.
Apple is said to have delayed its previous two hearings because it wasn't completely ready to present its new designs. "They spend a lot of time with these signature stores, and they don't rush into anything," said Stephen V. Miller of McDermott of Quilty & Miller LLP, a Boston firm representing the Mac maker.
Apple's current proposal calls for the existing 16,587-square-foot building to be razed and replaced by a new structure with a full basement that measures about 22,116 square feet.
In all, the company wants to build three retail floors with a glass spiral staircase in the center of the store; the basement will reportedly be reserved for support services and equipment.
Comments
Originally posted by ecking
Basically a mini version of the 5th avenue store.
Actually the 5th avenue store is 10,000 square feet. So this would have more combined floor space.
As a Boston resident living mere minutes away from the proposed location, I fully support Apple. The current building they want to demolish is a water-damaged, ugly-ass, piece-of-shit dump from the early 20th century, with no architectural significance, presently hosting a Copy Cop. And there's a FedEx Kinko's halfway down the street at Copley, so it's not like eliminating this location would do anyone any disservice.
The location is near the Prudential Center, and right across the street from where they're building the luxury, fancy-schmancy Madarin Oriental hotel/residences, which virtually guarantees that people with deep pockets will be streaming into the store at all hours of the day -- that is, when we college students are done hoarding the glass spiral staircase.
One third of Boston's entire population is made up of hip, young college students who want iPods and MacBooks and whatnot. This city was practically erected for an Apple Store to grace it.
Build it! Now! PLEASE!!
They say you can't fight City Hall, and Mayor Menino was very enthusiastic about this proposed store -- I hope to the Lords of Kobol that City Hall will tell the losers at the Back Bay Architectural Commission where they can stick it.
Construction can't begin a moment too soon...
*yearns*
Originally posted by m01ety
Gods of Procedural Bureaucracy -- may you please makes this project happen, and soon!
As a Boston resident living mere minutes away from the proposed location, I fully support Apple. The current building they want to demolish is a water-damaged, ugly-ass, piece-of-shit dump from the early 20th century, with no architectural significance, presently hosting a Copy Cop. And there's a FedEx Kinko's halfway down the street at Copley, so it's not like eliminating this location would do anyone any disservice.
I was about to say the same thing. Apple is not trying to tear down a gorgeous, old, historic building. It is a hideous, dilapidated Copy Cop!! As it is, it is a complete eyesore. ANYTHING Apple could do would be a billion times improvement.
I have NO idea where this community group gets off.
Originally posted by Placebo
Whoa, flagship store in Boston? Sweet!
Indeed! And according to today's Boston Globe (a follow-up story to yesterday's article, which gave birth to this AI news entry), Apple has conditional approval!
They get to demolish, and the new design is in the right direction. While further changes are still required, it looks like this is happening! Yay!
It will have a suspended, glowing Apple logo, like the glass cube in NYC, a spiral glass staircase (which, to me, implies a glass elevator as well, although this was not explicitly stated)... And Apple may be considering making this another 24/365 store, it seems.
Good news all around.
Originally posted by monkeyastronaut
i hope they add a glass waterslide instead of a spiral staircase and a glass firepole too.
And the waterslide ends in a glass trampoline.
Originally posted by ecking
And the waterslide ends in a glass trampoline.
Well, assuming ElastiGlass? has been invented already... Only a matter of time, eh? After all, we've got bulletproof glass, transparent aluminum, see-through concrete... Who know's what's next!
Originally posted by Ireland
Actually the 5th avenue store is 10,000 square feet. So this would have more combined floor space.
I can imagine MIT students swarming on this store... man, this will be cool.
Originally posted by m01ety
... And Apple may be considering making this another 24/365 store, it seems.
Jumpin' Jiminy, why the hell can't they get their act together and make a massive 24hr Apple Store here in L.A.? This is not exactly a small market, either! Oh, and make the glass earthquake-proof, Steve.
Originally posted by SpamSandwich
I can imagine MIT students swarming on this store... man, this will be cool.
I highly doubt that.
Technically, since CambridgeSide is right on the border of Boston and Cambridge, Boston already has a store... I frequent CambridgeSide, and I've always thought of it as "the Boston store", really... But it's not flagship, and flagship's better.
Originally posted by m01ety
I highly doubt that.
Technically, since CambridgeSide is right on the border of Boston and Cambridge, Boston already has a store... I frequent CambridgeSide, and I've always thought of it as "the Boston store", really... But it's not flagship, and flagship's better.
It's true that CambridgeSide is "technically" in Boston, but I'm glad to see plans for a store more in the center of the city. That's been lacking here in Boston.
I've been waiting to see an Apple store go up near Boylston or Newbury streets. It's a prime shopping strip and seems to line up quite nicely with their target market.
I'm happy to hear that it's going to be a flagship location and even happier that after the store opens, I'll be a short 10 minute walk from an Apple store!
Originally posted by Corkurk
It's true that CambridgeSide is "technically" in Boston, but I'm glad to see plans for a store more in the center of the city. That's been lacking here in Boston.
I've been waiting to see an Apple store go up near Boylston or Newbury streets. It's a prime shopping strip and seems to line up quite nicely with their target market.
I'm happy to hear that it's going to be a flagship location and even happier that after the store opens, I'll be a short 10 minute walk from an Apple store!
Fully agreed! CambridgeSide is nice, but since I live right near the Pru, walking over to the flagship will be far more convenient than having to wait for the E Line to get me out to Lechmere... Especially since many trains simply end at Government Center or North Station, and then you have to wait forever for one that goes all the way out to Lechmere.
Originally posted by m01ety
Fully agreed! CambridgeSide is nice, but since I live right near the Pru, walking over to the flagship will be far more convenient than having to wait for the E Line to get me out to Lechmere... Especially since many trains simply end at Government Center or North Station, and then you have to wait forever for one that goes all the way out to Lechmere.
Yeah the E line tends to suck. But at least it's better than the busses that they used while doing all the renovation work past Haymarket. That was terrible.
Sorry to derail the thread, but I had to take the opportunity to vent about the T for a second.
Originally posted by AppleInsider
the basement will reportedly be reserved for support services
so the nerds are confined to the basement? Makes sence I guess, at least it isnt mom and dads basement
Originally posted by m01ety
Well, assuming ElastiGlass? has been invented already... Only a matter of time, eh? After all, we've got bulletproof glass, transparent aluminum, see-through concrete... Who know's what's next!
They just need to add Glass water, AquaGlass? to go along with the glass slide and ElastiGlass? trampoline.
why the hell can't they get their act together and make a massive 24hr Apple Store here in L.A.?
LA has four nice sized Apple stores spread from Pasadena to Santa Monica. The two closest are about a mile apart, the two furthest are 22 miles apart. While NY has a much higher density of people per square mile and only has two Apple stores.
LA is not very people centric, not a 24 hour city, and no particular area has the density (foot traffic) to support a huge 24 hour store.
Originally posted by m01ety
Fully agreed! CambridgeSide is nice, but since I live right near the Pru, walking over to the flagship will be far more convenient than having to wait for the E Line to get me out to Lechmere... Especially since many trains simply end at Government Center or North Station, and then you have to wait forever for one that goes all the way out to Lechmere.
No kidding, I live near Boylston & Mass Ave., and I just applied to the the CambridgeSide location, but I am dreading having to take the T there regularly. The MBTA seems to bearly be interested in supporting the E line, not to mention the fact that it takes about 20 minutes to get there if you take the E line straight out.
I've lived in Boston for 3 years and have been waiting for an Apple Store in Back Bay the whole time!