Hope you all read this

[kaydup]

I caught wind of this a bit back, and ya know what it has been talked about And I think it SUCKS BIG ASS

From the herald....

Remake would rock Lansdowne: Concert hall is center of air-rights plan

by Scott Van Voorhis

Tuesday, August 13, 2002

A small group of corporate heavy hitters, said to be teamed with concert king Don Law and clubmeister Pat Lyons, want to remake the face of Lansdowne Street, the mecca of Boston's rock scene for decades, the Herald has learned.

Under a sketchy plan one developer said he would submit by tomorrow, the team would level a string of rock clubs, dance palaces and bars that face Fenway Park to make way for a large concert hall and upgraded smaller venues. The new entertainment venues would be part of a massive $150 million to $200 million development that John Rosenthal said would sprawl over the Massachusetts Turnpike toward Kenmore Square.

Rosenthal, who owns a parking garage on Lansdowne Street with Lyons, said he expects to hand in a detailed but preliminary proposal to the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority by tomorrow's deadline for air-rights proposals over that part of the Pike. Along with the 3,500-seat concert hall and new clubs would be a more than 20-story residential tower.

Tweeter Center operator Clear Channel Communications, a national radio and concert giant, would run the hall, Rosenthal said. He said the hall would fill a vacant niche in the city's year-round venues, as it would be smaller than the Wang Center but larger than the 2,000-seat Orpheum.

Neither Law nor Lyons responded to calls about the project yesterday.

Rosenthal said yesterday that Lyons, Law and Clear Channel have indicated serious interest in taking part in the project. While a formal business agreement still needs to be worked out, Lyons, Law and Clear Channel have drawn up letters outlining their plans to work with him, Rosenthal said.

The interest of Lyons and Law - who have ties to City Hall and Mayor Thomas M. Menino - are convincing some insiders that Rosenthal and his project may have an inside track in the Hub's heavily politicized development world.

Such City Hall support, in turn, could make the difference between yet another grand vision that goes nowhere and a bold but realistic plan that someday gets done, observers say.

``Development in Boston has always been a very political process,'' noted Larry Moulter, former FleetCenter chief and a friend of Rosenthal. ``Here you have a unique opportunity to put a brush to the canvas in a way that hasn't occurred in the city.''

While Rosenthal is competing with several other developers to win the right to build over that part of the Pike, the developer's allies - and his Lansdowne Street property - should give him a key advantage, according to one City Hall insider.

``I would think he's the odds-on favorite to win,'' the source said.

Rosenthal's residential tower, the cornerstone of his plan, would rise over the garage and part of the Pike opposite Fenway Park. Lyons is a limited partner in the multilevel garage.

Rosenthal said he also hopes that by teaming with Lyons and Law, they can dramatically upgrade Lansdowne Street's nightclubs and bars.

Under plans being eyed by Lyons and Rosenthal, most of the nightclubs lining Lansdowne Street would be demolished. Lyons owns the Modern, Embassy, Avalon, Axis and Karma, among others.

Lyons would probably keep a couple of clubs on Lansdowne but upgrade those to attract a more sophisticated audience, Rosenthal believes.

In their place would be a 3,500-seat, state-of-the-art Clear Channel concert hall, Rosenthal said. Also expressing interest in the project is the D'Angelo family, whose Twins souvenir shops can be found on Landsdowne Street and around Fenway Park. With Lyons, Law and D'Angelo joining his project team, Rosenthal said his group will pretty much control most of Lansdowne Street across from Fenway.

``There is a common vision that is largely shared by the people on Lansdowne Street, particularly Lyons, the (D'Angelos) and Don Law,'' Rosenthal said.

``There is a strong interest in joining forces with us to redevelop their properties,'' he said.

Other heavy hitters may also be poised to join Rosenthal and his new partners.

Hotel developer Peter Palandjian and concessions magnate Joseph O'Donnell are eyeing an air-rights project of their own on Lansdowne Street. The pair own the Jillians building.

However, O'Donnell, who has close ties to Menino and who came close to buying the Red Sox, may eventually join with Rosenthal and Lyons, according to one source.

Ditto for the Red Sox. The team's owners, as they draw up plans for renovating Fenway Park and take over a nearby sidestreet, may eventually join as well, observers speculate.

[nycchic24]

wow they are gonna tear down Avalon, axis, etc?!

interesting.. they can't get a new stadium built in boston (anywhere) but they will be able to win approval to tear down and rebuild a whole block (in a residential area at that too!)

"money talks... money talks... dirty cash i want you..."

and if they get this apporved.. i bet ya it will be tore down and rebuilt before the big dig is finished.

[teamj5]

Originally posted by nycchic24

"money talks... money talks... dirty cash i want you..."

Sean Cusick has a remix of this song on a recent groovetech set and it is SO fucking good. I have been listening to it for the past few weeks now...good shit !!!!!

[djsmitty]

wtf is this!?!?!? "attract a more sphisticated audience"!?!?!? This could definatly be a bad thing for boston nightlife...avalon and axis are the only venues in boston the bring in international DJ's...and they want to attract a more sophisticated audience???. you know what that means good bye anyone who's in or just out of college...f*uck this sh*t

[nyis4meatheads]

Nothing to get your panties in a bunch over...

Don't forget that a.) This rumor was printed in the Herald (or should I say the Enquirer) and b.) Nothing has been approved, and chances are it never will be. On top of that, if it ever did, but the time they actually get the permits or whatever to start building there very well be another club that takes over Avalon/Axis' spot. Unlikely to happen anytime soon... but so is this little project you just read about.

I'm not worried... plus they may actually IMPROVE those venues and make them better (bigger, better sound. lights, etc.) Could end up being a good thing.

[nycchic24]

Originally posted by teamj5

Sean Cusick has a remix of this song on a recent groovetech set and it is SO fucking good. I have been listening to it for the past few weeks now...good shit !!!!!

(although i admit ive head a new remix but dont know if THAT is the same one)

but yeah... i remember when the red sox proposed to just expand fenway a couple years ago. boy was that shot down so fast, namely bc Landsdowne is deemed a residential area

and the d'angelo bros... they are funny shits. i knew them when i used to work at LIDS (corporate offices -- used to be an asst buyer there). bc Twins used to have a huge chunk of hte business. they are the ones that created the relaxed fitted hat. ! a stupid fact for ya

[kaydup]

Originally posted by nyis4meatheads

Nothing to get your panties in a bunch over...

Don't forget that a.) This rumor was printed in the Herald (or should I say the Enquirer) and b.) Nothing has been approved, and chances are it never will be. On top of that, if it ever did, but the time they actually get the permits or whatever to start building there very well be another club that takes over Avalon/Axis' spot. Unlikely to happen anytime soon... but so is this little project you just read about.

I'm not worried... plus they may actually IMPROVE those venues and make them better (bigger, better sound. lights, etc.) Could end up being a good thing.

You are right about the herald:laugh:

But this could happen mainly because these two families have MASSIVE pull in this city. So that mean permits are easy to get. The things that may stand in their way are the residents in the area, and the Mass Pike authority. This is just stupid if you ask me, why would we need something like this? We have the Fleet center for concerts in the winter. Anything smaller fits into several places in the city. And did you think that they might just not put up a club again there? Hey peoples priorities and views change, and easy money with less headache could be a huge factor here. Why don't they try and make this an actual city were we can attract more business and people. (I don't want to get into the 2am thing again here but...)

[djresident]

i hear that this could be more fact than fiction, but as 2am pointed out this process will take years, and in that time who knows what will happen. i mean 4 years ago i'd be playing cheezy trance:tongue: