BU Data Sciences Center | 665 Commonwealth Avenue | BU Central

I love it. Please tell me this is gonna happen and happen soon.
 
I really like the way the Charles is becoming lined with towers and then curves out at the west end. Allston yards will bring it back even further the opposite direction and then curve out by Harvard as well. Going to be badass when this is in full effect. This tower adds interesting architecture too. The skyline has many different faces and the one lining the Charles is shaping up nicely. The perspective here also makes it line up with the towers of the back bay having a nice effect. Boston is a small city but recent development patterns are extending the skyline much further in all directions.




 
Rover said:
Still not wild about the building but I can live with it. Really do like the ground level improvements that they're doing so there's that.
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The ground level improvements are going to make a
big difference here - the extension of the project the north on Granbury to the little (and underutilized) park gives the project a little more room to breath.
 
There's a hearing tomorrow night at the BPDA to eliminate 300 underground parking space from this project.

It's not clear to me if this is news or not; the PNF says they weren't going to include any parking, or is that wrong?

Request authorization to issue an Adequacy Determination pursuant to Section 80D-5.4(c) of the Zoning Code approving the Fifth Amendment to the Boston University Institutional Master Plan to allow building height and Project Site Area;

to eliminate 300 proposed underground parking spaces located at Site CC at 645-665 Commonwealth Avenue;

to petition the Zoning Commission for approval of the Fifth IMP Amendment;

to issue a Preliminary Adequacy Determination waiving further review pursuant to Section 80B-5.5(c)(iv) of the Zoning Code subject to BRA design review for the construction of the 350,000 square foot Data Sciences Center Project and the installation of up to 12 digital screens at Warren Towers located at 700 Commonwealth Avenue;

to approve the Data Sciences Center Project as a Development Impact Project; and to take all related actions.
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Equilibria said:
Approved with this presentation. No mention of the parking.

www.bostonplans.org/documents/plann...n-university-data-sciences-center-bcdc-pr-(3)
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Certainly better than most of modern BU structures

We'll just have to wait and see what comes out of the architects lair for the MIT version of a similar building [MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing] which will be HQ'd on Vassar St. at the site of the former MIT Cyclotron and diagonally across from the Stata Center

MIT-Schwarzman-College-Site_3.jpg
 
JohnAKeith said:
There's a hearing tomorrow night at the BPDA to eliminate 300 underground parking space from this project.

It's not clear to me if this is news or not; the PNF says they weren't going to include any parking, or is that wrong?
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That is weird. I never saw underground parking spaces included in the PNF or presentations for this project either... just some surface spaces in the back alley reconfigured/removed (Laneway).
 
What are the up to 12 digital screens to be installed at Warren Towers?
 
stellarfun said:
What are the up to 12 digital screens to be installed at Warren Towers?
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BU is replacing the current billboards along the Comm Ave facade with digital screens. It’ll be roughly the same size as what’s currently there.
 
dshoost88 said:
That is weird. I never saw underground parking spaces included in the PNF or presentations for this project either... just some surface spaces in the back alley reconfigured/removed (Laneway).
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I don't know for sure, but it sounds like some regulatory hoop. Parking spaces are probably required by some regulation and it was always the intent not to include parking, but they had to hold a hearing and vote on something.
 
Equilibria said:
Approved with this presentation. No mention of the parking.

www.bostonplans.org/documents/plann...n-university-data-sciences-center-bcdc-pr-(3)
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Bravo, BU!!! So happy that this building was approved with seemingly only minor changes, though I am disappointed in the color change from the original brighter orange louvers, to a more lighter, subdued color. I can't help but wonder if this change was done to more blend in the building with it's surroundings instead of standing out in both form and color. Whatever, very excited about seeing this new, distinctive building, along the Charles.
 
stick n move said:
This looks badass along the charles..
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I agree. From the Charles it does look badass.

Unfortunately, along Comm Ave it just looks ass.

Context is everything. Along the Charles, or along the Pike in Brighton, this would work. It just sticks out like a sore thumb along Comm Ave though. Hopefully some surrounding new buildings pop up that can save the feng shui in that area.
 
shmessy said:
I agree. From the Charles it does look badass.

Unfortunately, along Comm Ave it just looks ass.

Context is everything. Along the Charles, or along the Pike in Brighton, this would work. It just sticks out like a sore thumb along Comm Ave though. Hopefully some surrounding new buildings pop up that can save the feng shui in that area.
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I’ll never understand why “architecture enthusiasts” in Boston desire bold architecture yet only if it’s relegated to the turnpike.
 
shmessy said:
Hopefully some surrounding new buildings pop up that can save the feng shui in that area.
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as someone who went to school there and then lived there for another many years, that particular area's "feng shui" is for absolute shit and is in no need of saving.
 
bdurden said:
I’ll never understand why “architecture enthusiasts” in Boston desire bold architecture yet only if it’s relegated to the turnpike.
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Read again my last sentence in that post:

"Hopefully some surrounding new buildings pop up that can save the feng shui in that area."

Standing on its own on that area of Comm Ave is like topping a Papa Johns pizza with onion rings.

It would be a far better scene if that street gets filled in around it with other tall, imaginative architecture to give it context.
 
chrisbrat said:
as someone who went to school there and then lived there for another many years, that particular area's "feng shui" is for absolute shit and is in no need of saving.
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My bad. "Save" was the wrong word to use.

Replace with "Create".

.
 
^The plan for this building and area attempts to do just that. I suggest going back to the plans and taking a look at the ground floor interactions this will have with the street and it’s neighbors. This building doesn’t intend to stand alone, siloed off from its surroundings. The goal is outlined in the plans to make this an extension of the campus and create some place-making.
 
bdurden said:
^The plan for this building and area attempts to do just that. I suggest going back to the plans and taking a look at the ground floor interactions this will have with the street and it’s neighbors. This building doesn’t intend to stand alone, siloed off from its surroundings. The goal is outlined in the plans to make this an extension of the campus and create some place-making.
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That's great, but streetwall-wise it's going to need some help from new surrounding buildings for better context. Right away, however, it will stand out in a disjointed way. To me (it's just opinion) this looks great from the river and awkward from Comm Ave. I look forward to seeing what new buildings will hopefully go up along that streetwall.

The street project with the bike lines/islands, etc. along Comm Ave has been impressive and I hope the architecture follows suit.
 
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