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They just spent one billion dollars to plant 30 trees and build a playground on a corner of the plaza

I just realized the thesis PDF link in the article is now broken but it's been sitting in my Downloads folder for years, so I'll try uploading it here.

All great City Hall Plaza musings converge into this:

Nobody is providing counterarguments because is unnecessary to respond to the pictures you've posted via argument - to everyone else in this thread, the photos self-evidently argue against your points. You have uploaded snapshots that we all recognize because we've all been there - to a...

Agreed. Dr. Rosen, I assure you, the (totally representative) photos are not helping your case.

The only other information I can find is that the entire stretch from Columbus to Berkeley is Tax Parcel 0501004000 owned by the MBTA: I also had always assumed it was some kind of power substation for the T/Amtrak. Nice brickwork and wooden door, though.

Here's a General Infrastructure comment and question... we have a number of bridges over the Pike which have somewhat extreme grades. While basically ignorable in a vehicle, they present challenges for pedestrians and cyclists (particularly with disabilities), cause cars and trucks to accelerate...

This is the most obvious statement to literally any Bostonian, but this would be a big improvement. The (recently "restored") Fielder footbridge is a pathetic main gateway from the Public Garden to the Esplanade, especially when compared to more recent designs like the Appleton bridge at Charles...

Sadly Brutalism never did a fantastic job at that - I was inside City Hall yesterday, and noticed spots on the ceiling with crumbled concrete and exposed rebar, deeply inside the building (not at an obvious wear point like near windows). Most Brutalist buildings are infinitely more likely to...

As a sweaty commuter, I agree with Suffolk 83's assessment. I know our situation is not as bad as I've witnessed firsthand in Seattle, but yes, it's bad, and South Station is a great example. There're semi-permanent encampments in and around the main station, stretching all the way down the...

Eh, you have a point, and there is more development happening soon like C-Mart and the corner of East Berkeley and Washington - but the nearby AC Hotel didn't go as high as zoning permitted, there's still a lot of parking lots all down Washington, and the Tufts garage on Herald is crumbling...

Regarding the likelihood of Parcel 21 becoming a tower if not a park, as I opined in the Air Rights thread: As of a year ago there were basically empty lots on solid ground right on the other side of Marginal from these parcels, and they are actively under development into something that seems...

I know I've been pretty consistently negative about City Hall/the plaza for a long time, but this update does nothing to change my feelings about it and I totally agree with the other posters that this completely sucks. How many thousands of people would WANT to "activate" this horrible, barren...

Relocate the HVAC units from the center area of the roof, remove the entire roof above the vendor area, replace with a slightly domed or pitched glass ceiling that drains water towards gutters on the edges. People entering the main hall immediate get a gorgeous view of the new tower extending...

Some tangential contextual things for this new development: Prime yourself with the old "A Civic Vision for Turnpike Air Rights in Boston" for a 2000-era Menino perspective on the air rights situation. See specifically page 49 for their studies on alternate routing for Marginal/Herald (they...

There are also a few that may be confusing to visitors or casual users: Fenway - not the best stop for Fenway Park (which is Kenmore), or even much of the neighborhood itself. Perhaps rename Kenmore "Fenway/Kenmore" per the common neighborhood name, but I'm not sure about Fenway station itself...

I understand this argument but find it to be unpersuasive. It is currently a vacant department store and maybe a future sporting goods store. How many affordable apartments or condos are there in THOSE previous or future site conditions? Even if you don't happen to agree with the above...

Looking at OpenStreetMap and OpenRailwayMap, not much looks to be under it - unlike some of the Prudential Center complex, it's a comfortable distance from the Green Line tunnels on Boylston and Exeter, as well as the Pike and train tunnels a block south. This makes perfect sense, since...

Hmm, somewhat addressing my traffic concern, they seem to show the uphill part of Albany getting a road diet to 2 lanes, which may help. Their rendered sidewalk and streetlights are kind of overlayed on a traffic lane, at least. The intersection to the north of Kneeland really should have a...

The Parcel 25 thread devolved into chaos and was locked so I'll post this here - I noticed Google Maps has a marker on this site called "Moody Nolan Tower" With a URL to this portfolio: http://moodynolan.com/portfolio/106148/ In addition to the front and back photos posted above, they have a...