So this is something just floating around in my mind for several months now- I have long maintained that the indisputable best view of Boston is approaching Charlestown from the Tobin Bridge. Downtown, the Mystic, East Boston, Cambridge, the Seaport, Bunker Hill- it's all there. There really is only one other skyscraper observatory in Boston (I'm not counting the Customs House), the one currently being renovated, which is superfluous to name. The Bunker Hill Monument has a little view of Charlestown, but it is messed up by tiny windows and a low capacity so it is not really a viable observation deck.
Meanwhile, the Tobin Bridge has this odd bulge left from when the bridge was stripped of its manual toll-collecting facilities:
With tolls:
Without tolls:
So why not build an observation tower around the bridge, utilizing this extra space? It would include stairs and an elevator climbing the 130 or so feet to the top, in the same place that the toll access building once stood. They could make it free or charge admission- maybe the lower deck would be free and the upper would be a restaurant. Obviously, some kind of sound barrier would have to be implemented to shield visitors from the "kachunk kachunk" of the cars going by, I don't know much about sound insulation technology, but someone in the field could probably come up with something. Patrons would enjoy a beautiful view of the Lower Mystic region, as well as a panorama of downtown.
Of course, the bottom of the tower would sit within the Auto terminal, so a path (with maybe a foot bridge over the channel) would have to be established to connect it to the navy yard and Charlestown.
This would create a little attraction connected to the Navy Yard/Constitution historical site, drawing more visitors and locals (or at least me) to Charlestown. It would make something fun and human out of what is seen purely as a utilitarian infrastructure hulk. And it would result in some pretty cool skyline shots.
Would this ever get built? Almost certainly not. This is Boston, for Christ's sake, not Las Vegas. But I still wanted to share this idea with the community and see what everyone thinks. I think the biggest challenge would be building a unique tower without detracting from the simple beauty of the bridge. But how tall should it be? What should be on it? How would people get there? Let me know.
Meanwhile, the Tobin Bridge has this odd bulge left from when the bridge was stripped of its manual toll-collecting facilities:
With tolls:
Without tolls:
So why not build an observation tower around the bridge, utilizing this extra space? It would include stairs and an elevator climbing the 130 or so feet to the top, in the same place that the toll access building once stood. They could make it free or charge admission- maybe the lower deck would be free and the upper would be a restaurant. Obviously, some kind of sound barrier would have to be implemented to shield visitors from the "kachunk kachunk" of the cars going by, I don't know much about sound insulation technology, but someone in the field could probably come up with something. Patrons would enjoy a beautiful view of the Lower Mystic region, as well as a panorama of downtown.
Of course, the bottom of the tower would sit within the Auto terminal, so a path (with maybe a foot bridge over the channel) would have to be established to connect it to the navy yard and Charlestown.
This would create a little attraction connected to the Navy Yard/Constitution historical site, drawing more visitors and locals (or at least me) to Charlestown. It would make something fun and human out of what is seen purely as a utilitarian infrastructure hulk. And it would result in some pretty cool skyline shots.
Would this ever get built? Almost certainly not. This is Boston, for Christ's sake, not Las Vegas. But I still wanted to share this idea with the community and see what everyone thinks. I think the biggest challenge would be building a unique tower without detracting from the simple beauty of the bridge. But how tall should it be? What should be on it? How would people get there? Let me know.