If it's any consolation to you guys, Boston's a paragon of permissiveness to height compared to where I am now--Portland, OR. We have people in our downtown fighting against six stories because they'd "ruin neighborhood character", even when there are taller buildings everywhere. It's tooth-and-nail against the NIMBYs, here, and the relative vacancy of the downtown here--and its general sense of poor health--is reflective of it.
PLAN: Downtown
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stick n move
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It does look like portland has done a wonderful job with their south waterfront redevelopment looking from the outside in. Its not finished yet but judging by the direction theyre headed with the latest batch of low rise apartments that have gone up its going to come out great imo.
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On the ground, it's quite different. It's not entirely dead, by any means, but it is separated from the rest of the city by I5, and it's far enough from the rest of downtown that the vibe is more "special development district" than being meaningfully representative of the pace or normalcy of development generally speaking in the city.
stick n move
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-From the globe
“When it comes to development, Boston has a reputation as a city that can’t get out of its own way.
A thicket of zoning regulations, “overlay plans,” and community process seemingly without end has often meant delays measured not in months but years — even as financing windows that were wide open one year shut down tighter than a drum the next. (Just for fun, Google Fan Pier and Pritzker.)
A little over a year ago, Mayor Michelle Wu brought the city’s planning process under the direct control of City Hall for the first time in decades.
Now, at a time when Downtown Boston still has too many empty office buildings, too many vacant storefronts, and not nearly enough housing, those city planners have — well, a plan — a Big Picture plan for jumpstarting development. It may not be perfect, and it’s still riling lots of folk who do live downtown, but it starts with the premise that big isn’t necessarily bad, especially downtown.
“This is about the larger future of what downtown can be,” Boston’s Chief of Planning Kairos Shen told the editorial board. “Already there are more people moving downtown. It has grown from a strictly 9-to-5 district to a more livable place.”…..”
Boston’s downtown has nowhere to go but up
But only if the pearl clutching can be overcome.
“When it comes to development, Boston has a reputation as a city that can’t get out of its own way.
A thicket of zoning regulations, “overlay plans,” and community process seemingly without end has often meant delays measured not in months but years — even as financing windows that were wide open one year shut down tighter than a drum the next. (Just for fun, Google Fan Pier and Pritzker.)
A little over a year ago, Mayor Michelle Wu brought the city’s planning process under the direct control of City Hall for the first time in decades.
Now, at a time when Downtown Boston still has too many empty office buildings, too many vacant storefronts, and not nearly enough housing, those city planners have — well, a plan — a Big Picture plan for jumpstarting development. It may not be perfect, and it’s still riling lots of folk who do live downtown, but it starts with the premise that big isn’t necessarily bad, especially downtown.
“This is about the larger future of what downtown can be,” Boston’s Chief of Planning Kairos Shen told the editorial board. “Already there are more people moving downtown. It has grown from a strictly 9-to-5 district to a more livable place.”…..”
Boston’s downtown has nowhere to go but up - The Boston Globe
But only if the pearl clutching can be overcome.
www.bostonglobe.com
citydweller
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Let's make downtown great again
This is an oddly inaccurate picture. 1 Lincoln at 350'? Millennium Tower is too low, Ritz Carlton Towers too low, 1 Beacon too high, One Boston Place too low
This is an oddly inaccurate picture. 1 Lincoln at 350'? Millennium Tower is too low, Ritz Carlton Towers too low, 1 Beacon too high, One Boston Place too low. Hard to figure where they came up with these numbers.
-From the globe
Boston’s downtown has nowhere to go but up
But only if the pearl clutching can be overcome.
Boston’s downtown has nowhere to go but up - The Boston Globe
But only if the pearl clutching can be overcome.www.bostonglobe.com
This is an oddly inaccurate picture. 1 Lincoln at 350'? Millennium Tower is too low, Ritz Carlton Towers too low, 1 Beacon too high, One Boston Place too low. Hard to figure where they came up with these numbers.
The Downtown NIMBY's sent out an email today asking for members of the downtown community to voice opposition to the PLAN Downtown initiative.
I have taken the opportunity to rewrite this in support! Spread the word!
Dear Mayor Wu, Chief Shen, Public Officials, and Stakeholders,
I write to express my strong opposition to the City of Boston’s latest PLAN: Downtown zoning proposal, which would allow for 700-foot towers throughout key sensitive character areas of Downtown Boston outside of the Financial District — disregarding years of community engagement and threatening our parks and the irreplaceable historic character of Downtown. This proposal, which now removes height limits across key corridors, reflects a disturbing reversal of Mayor Wu’s stated commitment to collaborative, transparent planning, and her call as then City Councilor to reform BRA-era approaches and tactics. No shadow studies, impact analysis, or on-site affordable housing guarantees accompany this sweeping zoning proposal — just a rushed push for high-rise luxury towers that will further erode the fabric of our neighborhood and City.
I stand with the broad coalition of stakeholders who have jointly objected to the City’s surprising and ill-advised zoning proposal, one that undermines years of good faith efforts to produce smart, thoughtful development that balances affordability, vibrancy, and preservation. The coalition offered reasonable compromises, and Mayor Wu personally assured all of us that our voices would be part of shaping the future of Downtown. Instead, we have been sidelined once again. We urge you to oppose this zoning proposal as written, demand accountability from the City’s Planning Department, and insist on a process that respects community vision, protects our historic legacy, and gets this right — not just for Downtown Boston, but for the entire City.
Sincerely,
[enter name / address]
PLAN: DOWNTOWN - Broad Coalition of Downtown Boston Stakeholders Objects to City’s Surprising Zoning Proposal — Downtown Boston Neighborhood Association
Latest zoning proposal once again disregards community feedback and now calls for 700-foot towers in historic area of Downtown Bostonbosdowntown.org
I have taken the opportunity to rewrite this in support! Spread the word!
They are asking folks to email the following addresses:
sean99090900
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Thanks chief, I'll get on it
sean99090900
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These people are shameless lmao
Was anyone able to attend? I couldn't make it, but I've heard that the pro-PLAN Downtown forces were able to muster enough turnout and inspired testimony in favor of PLAN to significantly suppress (if not neutralize) the NIMBY opposition.
At this point, in theory it's just a question of which Planning Dept. Board mtg. agenda it will be placed on. The narrative has always been that the Planning Dept. (aka BPDA aka BRA for those who still cherish the ancient nomenclature) project managers never advance an initiative onto the Board agenda unless they're very confident that the Board is ready to give approval--so if it appears on the July Planning Dept. Board mtg. agenda, we should take it as a very favorable omen.
At this point, in theory it's just a question of which Planning Dept. Board mtg. agenda it will be placed on. The narrative has always been that the Planning Dept. (aka BPDA aka BRA for those who still cherish the ancient nomenclature) project managers never advance an initiative onto the Board agenda unless they're very confident that the Board is ready to give approval--so if it appears on the July Planning Dept. Board mtg. agenda, we should take it as a very favorable omen.
Let me guess: despite your fiery exhortation on May 30 that "everybody on this forum can and must participate in this meeting," you didn't actually attend last night's PLAN Downtown meeting.
Thus, to deflect, you drop this gratuitously cynical hot take, which will age about as well as Dewey Defeats Truman if/when the Planning Dept. Board approves PLAN Downtown in a month... thanks for playing, bro!
Bananarama
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You can watch a recording of the meeting here: https://bpda.app.box.com/s/h0e4bhgfnaolgvacp11ohyzz1te7ukks
I'd estimate the comments were about 60:40 in support of the plan.
I'd estimate the comments were about 60:40 in support of the plan.
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