Developer Proposes Height Increase for Haymarket Hotel

Since being awarded the right to build the Haymarket Hotel at 111 North Street in the North End with a height of 83 feet, with a gross square foot print of 140,000 feet, the developer Harbinger Development has changed the height of the structure to 103 feet, raising concerns from local residents.

Some of the controversy raised by the North End/Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA) and other organizations is the new proposed height of the project conflicts with the historic Blackstone area.

NEWRA members have fought to keep the hotel no higher than it needs to be.

The developer, after being selected, raised his proposal another floor on what was to be a little building to add two more floors to the hotel according to NEWRA members.

The Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) claims the new proposed 10-story (163 feet high) building exceeds the Joint Development Guidelines height limit, nearly doubling the allowable height, which is not acceptable to them.

MHC is apparently concerned that the proposed project’s negative impacts to the Blackstone Historic District can only be mitigated through project design with a significantly lower building type a more sympathetic design.

The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) contends that the developer has to go back to the BRA with a Planned Development Area (PDA) approval. The PDA will enable rezoning of the project area.

The Blackstone Historic area is bound by Union, Hanover, Blackstone and North Streets. Some of the buildings in the area date back to the early 1700s.

NEWRA claims the hotel is just one of many tall buildings going along the Greenway and members need to be on the lookout for them.