For the Herald, a long-term lease and lots of space
We already knew that the Boston Herald, having shut down its printing presses, was getting ready to leave its hulking South End plant. Now the other shoe has dropped, as Herald owner Pat Purcell announced yesterday that the paper will move to the Seaport District in early 2012.
Two pieces of information seem significant. First, the Herald signed a 10-year lease, which, if nothing else, ought to give pause to those who perpetually predict the tabloid’s demise. Second, the paper will commandeer 51,000 square feet of space.
I’m not good at visualizing what that means, but it sounds like a lot for what has become a small operation. Is Purcell planning to expand? Or does he have additional ventures in mind? Don’t forget that he moonlights as head of Rupert Murdoch’s South Coast papers.
Memo to Tom Menino: Boston is not “a two-newspaper town” — it’s a multiple-newspaper town, with excellent papers ranging from neighborhood outlets such as the Dorchester Reporter and the South End News to specialty publications like the Boston Phoenix and Bay Windows.
Boston is a two-daily town, and it looks like Purcell intends to keep it that way for as long as he can.
The Boston Globe covers the Herald’s move as well.
[...] Boston Herald is moving its operations from the Sound End to Seaport, starting next year. Dan Kennedy notes the 50,000 square feet the Herald is leasing sounds like a lot – and that could be good [...]
This must be some of that job creation the GOP apologists know so much about.
Our small company (12 people) have 6,000 sq ft office space, so 51,000 sq ft isn’t gargantuan by any measure.
In general, office space is cheap these days. For a 10-year lease, it would be especially cheap. And my guess is the Herald took about longest lease they could, figuring that if they go out of business, any remaining years become a moot point.
150,000 sq. ft., Dan, is a square 387.3′ on a side. Cor comparison, the Hancock tower is approximately 3.5 million sq.ft.
Good point about the many important weekly/neighborhood papers. They get overlooked, but some engage in terrific city journalism.