33 Arch Street
Encyclopedia
33 Arch Street is a contemporary
highrise in the Financial District
and Downtown Crossing neighborhoods of Boston, Massachusetts. The building was completed in 2004 after three years of construction which began on June 5, 2001. It is tied with the State Street Bank Building
as Boston's 19th-tallest building, standing 477 feet (145 m) tall, and housing 33 floors. The 33rd floor is 392 feet (119 m) above grade and the top of the cooling tower screen is 429 feet (131 m) above grade. It was designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects.
and features a glass canopy to mark the entrance .
The building has views of Boston Common, the Charles River
, City Hall Plaza
, and Boston Harbor. 33 Arch Street offers over 600,000 square feet (56,000 m2) of office space and has 850 parking spaces in its underground parking garage.
The building is a unique wing shaped to maximize the use of its tight footprint . The building strikes a balance with its surroundings and neighboring buildings through the use of the granite stone facade used to add to continuity of the urban streetscape. Yet, it is distinct from its neighbors by the use extensive use of metal and glass in its exterior.
The building facade features grey granite, glass and aluminum cladding.. Twenty floors cantilever
over adjacent retail
space and garage which is connected to parking on first six levels.. The roof has a distinctive top that sets it apart from nearby flat roofs against the skyline. It features curved penthouse and roof fins.
The building uses four levels of external bracing transfer the enormous loads of the high building into the small base. The bracing continues through the parking levels to the foundation; perimeter and internal moment frames act as the lateral system above the braced levels. The building was the first to be built in downtown Boston under new Safety Guidelines-Subpart R for steel.
When the building was completed, it had a hard time finding tenants due to an office space glut and stood vacant upon completion . By 2005, 56% of the office place was rented and the average rent on a monthly parking space was $350 . Tenants included the primary tenant, Digitas, LLC, as well as the Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Education and DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP, one of the world’s leading law firms, on the buildings top two floors.
In March 2010, 33 Arch Street was awarded the LEED Gold designation from the U.S. Green Building Council. In November 2010, the building was selected as BOMA's 2010-2011 Outstanding Building of the Year in the 500,000-1 Million Square Feet category.
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
highrise in the Financial District
Financial District, Boston, Massachusetts
The Financial District of Boston, Massachusetts, United States is located in the downtown area near Government Center and Chinatown.Like many areas within Boston, the Financial District has no official definition. It is roughly bounded by Atlantic Avenue, State Street, and Devonshire Street...
and Downtown Crossing neighborhoods of Boston, Massachusetts. The building was completed in 2004 after three years of construction which began on June 5, 2001. It is tied with the State Street Bank Building
State Street Bank Building
State Street Bank Building, also known as 225 Franklin Street, is a high-rise building located in the Financial District, Boston, Massachusetts. The building stands at 477 feet with 33 floors, and was completed in 1966. It is tied with 33 Arch Street as the 19th-tallest building in Boston. The...
as Boston's 19th-tallest building, standing 477 feet (145 m) tall, and housing 33 floors. The 33rd floor is 392 feet (119 m) above grade and the top of the cooling tower screen is 429 feet (131 m) above grade. It was designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects.
Details
The entrance to the building stands directly opposite the Boston Stock ExchangeBoston Stock Exchange
The Boston Stock Exchange is a regional stock exchange located in Boston, Massachusetts. The third-oldest stock exchange in the United States, it was founded in 1834...
and features a glass canopy to mark the entrance .
The building has views of Boston Common, the Charles River
Charles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
, City Hall Plaza
City Hall Plaza (Boston)
City Hall Plaza in Boston, Massachusetts, is a large, open, unadorned public space in the Government Center area of the city. The architectural firm Kallmann McKinnell & Knowles designed the plaza in 1962 to accompany Boston's new City Hall. The multi-level, irregularly-shaped plaza consists of red...
, and Boston Harbor. 33 Arch Street offers over 600,000 square feet (56,000 m2) of office space and has 850 parking spaces in its underground parking garage.
The building is a unique wing shaped to maximize the use of its tight footprint . The building strikes a balance with its surroundings and neighboring buildings through the use of the granite stone facade used to add to continuity of the urban streetscape. Yet, it is distinct from its neighbors by the use extensive use of metal and glass in its exterior.
The building facade features grey granite, glass and aluminum cladding.. Twenty floors cantilever
Cantilever
A cantilever is a beam anchored at only one end. The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and shear stress. Cantilever construction allows for overhanging structures without external bracing. Cantilevers can also be constructed with trusses or slabs.This is in...
over adjacent retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
space and garage which is connected to parking on first six levels.. The roof has a distinctive top that sets it apart from nearby flat roofs against the skyline. It features curved penthouse and roof fins.
The building uses four levels of external bracing transfer the enormous loads of the high building into the small base. The bracing continues through the parking levels to the foundation; perimeter and internal moment frames act as the lateral system above the braced levels. The building was the first to be built in downtown Boston under new Safety Guidelines-Subpart R for steel.
History
The builders had proposed a transparent glass building but ran into opposition from the historic Old South Meeting HouseWhen the building was completed, it had a hard time finding tenants due to an office space glut and stood vacant upon completion . By 2005, 56% of the office place was rented and the average rent on a monthly parking space was $350 . Tenants included the primary tenant, Digitas, LLC, as well as the Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Education and DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP, one of the world’s leading law firms, on the buildings top two floors.
In March 2010, 33 Arch Street was awarded the LEED Gold designation from the U.S. Green Building Council. In November 2010, the building was selected as BOMA's 2010-2011 Outstanding Building of the Year in the 500,000-1 Million Square Feet category.
Design and Construction Team
- Architect: Elkus/Manfredi Architects, Ltd.
- Structural Engineer: Weidlinger Associates, Inc.
- MEP Engineer: Cosentini Associates, Inc.
- Developer: Congress Group Ventures
- General Contractor: Bovis Lend Lease LMB/Congress Group Construction Joint Venture
- Interior Construction: Spaulding & Slye Construction, a member of the Jones Lang LaSalle group
- Curtainwall: Gordon H. Smith Corporation
- Drywall: T.J. McCartney, Inc.