Massive Boston Flagship Apple Store gets Greenlighted
Apple hasn't yet given up building their flagship store demolishing an existing two-story building, built at the turn of the century, at 815 Boylston street in Boston. Previously, their design was rejected by the Back Bay Architectural Commission. In response, Apple was rumored to be in contact to sign the lease for 360 Newbury street where a Virgin Megastore currently resides.
Apple has submitted revised designs to the Boston Architectural Comission which has been conditionally accepted, and has subsequently advanced to the next stage of planning. Apple has made powerful allies in their quest for the property including Mayor Menino of Boston and the Boylston Street Business Committee, which no doubt helped them apply some pressure.
The revised design still includes a large glass cube as the basis of the design but now includes a recessed entrance and stainless steel columns along the glass façade to break it into sections to better fit with the older architecture of the neighborhood. The design also features a solid glass spiral staircase wrapped around a glass elevator in the middle of the store. The façade will be decorated simply with a suspended glowing Apple logo.
This would be Apple's first store in Boston proper and one of the largest Apple stores in the country at 22,116 feet. For perspective the recently opened 5th Avenue store in New York is only 10,000 feet. Apple is also apparently looking into seeking the permits to make the Boylston store its second 24/7 store following the aforementioned 5th Avenue store.
(Source: The Boston Globe)