The 625-foot, 56-story tower in Downtown Crossing officially broke ground in September, and construction should continue through 2014, with a 2015 opening planned. It's slated to have 450 condos as well as 231,000 square feet of retail.

It looked for a bit in 2013 like the five-building, solar-powered, apartment-office-and-retail mega-complex was moving forward after years of financing and legal delays. And then it stalled again in the early fall as developer John Rosenthal went looking for city tax breaks to move forward. The city's thinking about it.

Construction commenced in December on Harvard's 1.4 million-square-foot Allston expansion with the groundbreaking at Barry's Corner. The 350,000-square-foot development will include 325 apartments as well as 45,000 square feet of retail and a parking garage fit for 225 cars, all in properties standing between six and nine stories and surrounded by fresh outdoor space. Construction will last through 2014.

The city in late October finally approved the stalled 52-story addition to Copley Place. The 625-footer will include 433 apartments and 109 condos as well as a street-friendly retail base. Developer Simon Properties wants to start construction by 2015, so ground could be broken this year.

The city in November O.K.'d the six-building redevelopment of the Government Center Garage into a behemoth of residences, offices and retail sure to reconnect the West End and downtown. We're talking 812 residences; 1.1 million square feet of office space; 196 hotel rooms; and new restaurants and shops, many along the Greenway. The developer hopes to break ground on the first residential tower, a 480-footer, this year. (Earlier rendering courtesy of developer HYM.)

Three times now developer Boston Properties has said it's going through with the tower. In the past it's been met with community opposition to its size and scope; and just recently it met with a spot of Cambridge City Council skittishness over selling 8,556 square feet of Ames sidewalk for $2 million. Well, that was worked out in December; and it looks like the 200,000-square-foot, 22-story tower is a go. (The most recent rendering is included.)

Developer Boston Properties and TD Garden operator Delaware North unveiled plans in the fall for a trio of spires around—and connected to—the arena, including a 600-foot, 45-story residential building with 497 units. It has the tax-breaking imprimatur of the outgoing Menino administration, but continues to face local opposition.

Take it easy: We only pinpointed a future Greater Boston casino-resort at Suffolk Downs because we can only pinpoint one thing at a time. We know the other contender to host the gambling den is in Everett. The state is expected to decide before the summer on which spot gets the casino-resort.