Mayor Walsh and world-renowned Chef Ming Tsai
Surrounded by the sounds of a jazz string trio, the visual drama of large-scale construction equipment, and more than two hundred attendees including Massachusetts Governor Charles D.Baker and Boston Mayor Martin J.Walsh, Cottonwood Management today introduced Boston and the U.S. and international real estate community to Echelon, its new lifestyle concept, here in Seaport.
At the site previously known as Seaport Square Parcels M1&M2, Cottonwood Management broke ground for its new project and for its new Echelon lifestyle brand with a new 1.3 million square-foot, three-tower premier mixed-use development located in the heart of Seaport. Echelon elevates residential living as a new chapter in the evolution of the Seaport District,based upon unparalleled amenities, extraordinary residential terraces and outdoor spaces,and world-class architectural design to match the energy and appeal of Boston’s hottest new district.
“Boston’s Seaport is one of the most exciting neighborhoods in the world right now and is the perfect starting place for Cottonwood to establish the Echelon lifestyle brand,” said Alexander Shing, Chairman and CEO of Cottonwood Management. “Echelon Seaport will anchor the Seaport community with a new level of design, service, and lifestyle amenities.Our world-class team is delivering an intelligent approach to an engaged urban lifestyle with the highest standards of quality and design.”
Echelon Seaport is the first installment of Cottonwood’s Echelon innovation and luxury lifestyle brand, which will soon include a New York City Echelon-concepted project, located steps from the Empire State building on Fifth Avenue.
During their remarks at the groundbreaking, both Governor Baker and Mayor Walsh noted the Seaport’srise to global prominence, as it continues to attract international brands and investment.
This project is a welcome addition to Massachusetts’ global community and the City of Boston’s thriving seaport district,” said Governor Charlie Baker. "As state and local officials work collaboratively with Cottonwood Management on developing this site over the next several months, we look forward to the positive impact it will have on the community.”
"This project paves the way for more people to see the Seaport as a place to not only work in and visit---but also a place to live in and call home," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "I look forward to the Seaport continuing to become an innovative, welcoming neighborhood for all."
The groundbreaking ceremony was followed by an upscale celebratory unveiling of the Echelon vision and brand, complete with an Echelon inspired cocktail and demonstration by Chef Ming Tsai, a James Beard award-winning chef and owner of nearby Blue Dragon restaurant.
It’s amazing what the Seaport has done in the past four years Blue Dragon has been open”, said Ming Tsai. “We are excited to welcome Cottonwood’s Echelon Seaport as both a neighbor and as part of the development of our neighborhood into an international destination.”
Boasting 887,000 square feet of 733 luxury residential condominiums and apartments, Echelon Seaport will feature two signature outdoor pools, an indoor pool, expansive sun decks, engaging courtyards, and oversized private terraces. Answering the call for new distinctive public spaces to shape the path of the future of Seaport, Echelon Seaport’s three towers will meet in the middle at a destination piazza, featuring an architecturally striking landmark bridge, outdoor seating on multiple levels, distinctive artwork,beautiful tree canopies, and more than125,000 square feet of luxury restaurants and retail lining the multiplepassageways and streets leading to the central courtyard.
Residents of the Echelon lifestylecan expectthe finest and the most diverse set of residentialamenities, which will be announced over coming months as the lifestyle condominium sales center prepares for a Fall 2017 opening. The condominiums will be branded by the iconic Regent Hotel Group, establishing a premium white-glove level of service for all residents, by a benchmark of five-star luxury hotel service and quality known around the world.
“We have always enjoyed a strong brand presence in the US market as a result of our original properties in New York City, Boston, Chicago, and Beverly Hills,” said Steven Pan, Chairman of Regent Hotels Group.“We have long intended to return to Regent cities in the US, and are happy to find the right partnership with Cottonwood Management.”
Designed by internationally-renowned Kohn Pedersen Fox and Boston-based CBT Architects, the 3.5-acre developmentat Seaport Boulevard andB Streethas been designed with diverse heights and building materials to reflect Boston’s eclectic skyline and to create a neighborhood-oriented, active, urban streetscape.
“Our design for the project transforms a larger site into a series of three, smaller-scaled towers, where each is given a subtly differentiated architectural character,” said James von Klemperer, KPF President and Design Principal. “The buildings enliven the adjacent streets with active retail, finely crafted details, and smaller scale visual moments of surprise. The central courtyard features several tiers of active programming, resulting in a memorable ‘urban village’ space, KPF is proud to be a contributor alongside Cottonwood Management and CBT Architects, to the latest addition to the City of Boston.”
The building’s exterior mixes glass with masonry to reflect the contemporary vision of the master plans as well the characterof the neighboring Fort Point Channel. The design is rich in texture and detail, reflecting KPF’s expertise in creating new landmarks and innovative, memorablemixed-use developments around the world.
“Echelon Seaport’s design honors the Seaport’s rich history and expansive future,” said Phil Casey, Principal at CBT. “In collaboration with KPF Associates, we are honored to help create Cottonwood Management’s vision for community by incorporating the Seaport’s distinct culture and Harbor surroundings throughout residents’ daily experience of space.”
The project began pre-construction in March 2017, concurrent with the opening of Cottonwood’s new East Coast headquarters office, located in Bostonat101 Seaport Boulevard, the award-winning new PricewaterhouseCoopers building. 101 Seaport will also be the address of Echelon’s upcoming residential lifestyle condominium sales center, which will be led by The Collaborative Companies later this fall.
For more information, visit www.echelonseaport.com
About Cottonwood Management
Headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Boston and New York, Cottonwood Management is a privately-held real estate asset management and development company with over $2 billion in assets under management. Building on its entrepreneurial, private equity roots, Cottonwood combines in-house structured finance capabilities with operational expertise to unlock the full value of real estate opportunities. Its structured finance and real estate teams are comprised of seasoned private equity, finance, and real estate professionals with national and international expertise in acquisitions, asset management and development. In addition to Los Angeles, Boston and New York, the company manages real estate assets in other major US cities including San Francisco, Seattle, San Jose, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Houston. For more information please visit www.cottonwoodmgmt.com.
