đź”· Open Thread

So it's long overdue but a big thank you to all the diligent photographers and commentators on aB, I've really appreciated your knowledge, efforts and perspectives. We moved out of the city and my interest in anything urban has imploded, so this is likely a sign off.

Again, many thanks, and be well.
Patrick
 
Took the family down to do a Newport Rail Explorers tour this weekend, and stumbled on this random, giant condo tower in Portsmouth. Just sits there in the middle of nowhere with nothing else around. I guess it's part of some luxury club, but it's also just so random: https://goo.gl/maps/tyKrN1PjgzxMf24Z6
 
Arenacale said:
Took the family down to do a Newport Rail Explorers tour this weekend, and stumbled on this random, giant condo tower in Portsmouth. Just sits there in the middle of nowhere with nothing else around. I guess it's part of some luxury club, but it's also just so random: https://goo.gl/maps/tyKrN1PjgzxMf24Z6
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That'll be a magnificent-looking lighthouse in the middle of Mt. Hope Bay when the neck of Portsmouth is submerged under water from sea level rise. 🧜‍♂️
 
Arenacale said:
Took the family down to do a Newport Rail Explorers tour this weekend, and stumbled on this random, giant condo tower in Portsmouth. Just sits there in the middle of nowhere with nothing else around. I guess it's part of some luxury club, but it's also just so random: https://goo.gl/maps/tyKrN1PjgzxMf24Z6
Click to expand...

I went to elementary school in that area (St. Philomena's) and still have a lot of ties to the region. That building has been up there for at least a decade now, but I still can't get over how it really stands out like a sore thumb each time I'm crossing the Mount Hope Bridge. Wildly out of character.

I think that it continues to have hard times - it's been plagued by lawsuits, vacancy (google "unsold units carnegie tower"), and battles with the community. The vacancy doesn't surprise me. Between extortionist unit costs - tower units were mostly in the millions Ranging from around $900k for smaller, low level units to over $15m for the penthouse) and ridiculous fees ($75-100k initial club membership, and $1k monthly association fees) - all but 2 of the 79 condos in the tower were unsold 3 years after the tower opened. The vast majority (68) were eventually turned back over to the lender in lieu of foreclosure. Not sure what occupancy is today, but I don't think it's good despite of massive price cuts and no longer requiring owners to buy into the club membership.

I can't believe they ever thought the tower would be a good idea (I think the other homes in the club do fairly well). It's like they tried to draw from two different types of markets and picked all of the worst characteristics of each. "Hey! You know how you'll pay a premium to live in a high-rise in the heart of a city like Boston or New York? And You know how you'd also love to have that oceanfront home with stunning views? Well we've taken the lack of space and privacy of the city, moved it away from all of the amenities you loved, and are charging you as much as/more than single family homes in more desirable waterfront locations!" Don't get me wrong, I'd kill for a condo in the Millennium Tower, and I'd love a home on the waterfront in Newport. But this tower has zero access to the things that make the MT appealing (shopping, dining, jobs, etc.). Even mediocre suburban strip retail is 15 or so minutes away at best. And while the Mt. Hope Bay is beautiful, this spot is kind of a nomans land and is hardly comparable to the waterfront properties closer to the ocean.

What's worse, is that the Carnegie Tower is held up by Providence development opponents to fight any/all condo development in the city. Fane Tower in particular. They say that the Carnegie Tower is proof that luxury condos won't sell in RI. It's unfortunate because anyone on this forum can see that Carnegie Tower is not at all an apples to apples comparison to a downtown Condo development on transit lines, near employment centers, colleges, hospitals, shopping, dining, etc. But the comparison works when it comes to scaring the uninformed/those unwilling to do a little critical thinking.
 
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Lrfox said:
I went to elementary school in that area (St. Philomena's) and still have a lot of ties to the region. That building has been up there for at least a decade now, but I still can't get over how it really stands out like a sore thumb each time I'm crossing the Mount Hope Bridge. Wildly out of character.

I think that it continues to have hard times - it's been plagued by lawsuits, vacancy (google "unsold units carnegie tower"), and battles with the community. The vacancy doesn't surprise me. Between extortionist unit costs - tower units were mostly in the millions Ranging from around $900k to smaller, low level units to over $15m for the penthouse) and ridiculous fees ($75-100k initial club membership, and $1k monthly association fees) - all by 2 of the 79 condos in the tower were unsold 3 years after the tower opened. The vast majority (68) were eventually turned back over to the lender in lieu of foreclosure. Not sure what occupancy is today, but I don't think it's good in spite of massive price cuts and no longer requiring owners to buy into the club membership.

I can't believe they ever though the tower would be a good idea (I think the other homes in the club do fairly well). It's like they tried to draw from two different types of markets and picked all of the worst characteristics of each. "Hey! You know how you'll pay a premium to live in a high-rise in the heart of a city like Boston or New York? And You know how you'd also love to have that oceanfront home with stunning views? Well we've taken the lack of space and privacy of the city, moved it away from all of the amenities you loved, and are charging you as much as/more than single family homes in more desirable waterfront locations!" Don't get me wrong, I'd kill for a condo in the Millennium Tower, and I'd love a home on the waterfront in Newport. But this tower has zero access to the things that make the MT appealing (shopping, dining, jobs, etc.). Even mediocre suburban strip retail is 15 or so minutes away at best. And while the Mt. Hope Bay is beautiful, this spot is kind of a nomans land and is hardly comparable to the waterfront properties closer to the ocean.

What's worse, is that the Carnegie Tower is held up by Providence development opponents to fight any/all condo development in the city. Fane Tower in particular. They say that the Carnegie Tower is proof that luxury condos won't sell in RI. It's unfortunate because anyone on this forum can see that Carnegie Tower is not at all an apples to apples comparison to a downtown Condo development on transit lines, near employment centers, colleges, hospitals, shopping, dining, etc. But the comparison works when it comes to scaring the uninformed/those unwilling to do a little critical thinking.
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The story on that is way better than I could have hoped. What an absolutely terrible idea for a development. I agree, a condo tower in downtown Providence would actually be an appealing proposition, but this thing in the middle of nothing, and miles away from even downtown Newport? Nope.
 
Does anyone know why an 8' chainlink fence going up around parts of the Fens? Noticed it across from the Gardner museum. Maybe I missed a thread where it was talked about here.
Hope it's not permanent... it's quite the eyesore...
 
Bananarama said:
Does anyone know why an 8' chainlink fence going up around parts of the Fens? Noticed it across from the Gardner museum.
Click to expand...

It's preparation for the second phase of the Muddy River Restoration Project. Dredging and shoreline restoration from the Fens through Olmsted Park... so prepare for much more (temporary) fencing over the next couple of years.
 
Arenacale said:
So, you have maybe the most recognized call sign in all of public television, an iconic logo that has has been seen on screens worldwide, and more goodwill than just about any organization possible. But marketing needs to justify their existence, therefore: https://www.boston.com/news/media/2020/08/31/wgbh-is-now-gbh
Click to expand...

GBH1-850x478$large.png


That looks so...off. Jarringly asymmetrical. The whole bloody logo design doesn't work anymore with the wide open cavity at upper left. You don't even have to have familiarity with the old logo to immediately be drawn to the fact that something was hastily torn off the corner and you're now more focused on what that was than the "brand". What an incoherent mess. Your identity is so legendary you're unwilling to change the logo to something more modern and instead are forced hands-tied into breaking it. But conversely your identity is so passe you need to take an icepick to it for sake of the short-attention span demographics who *surely* are the missing revenue link during pledge month. Jesus Christ...has the idiot who came up with this ever thought in their head how to try to explain that in plain English to a room full of loyal contributors? How'd they think that would go over? :oops:

Also: how inane a self-important Marketing droid to you have to be to come up with a whole campaign against proud east-of-Mississippi "W" signing, anyway? Dammit...all those loser "K" affiliates out on the Frontier lands that backfill 60% of their broadcast schedules with Boston Proud-produced programming need to be reminded *constantly* every half-hour that they're on the inferior side of the river! This aggression shall not stand! 🤬

It's just not going to feel the same when the 70's warp-drive music kicks in behind ^that^ amputee.
 
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F-Line to Dudley said:
GBH1-850x478$large.png


That looks so...off. Jarringly asymmetrical. The whole bloody logo design doesn't work anymore with the wide open cavity at upper left. You don't even have to have familiarity with the old logo to immediately be drawn to the fact that something was hastily torn off the corner and you're now more focused on what that was than the "brand". What an incoherent mess. Your identity is so legendary you're unwilling to change the logo to something more modern and instead are forced hands-tied into breaking it. But conversely your identity is so passe you need to take an icepick to it for sake of the short-attention span demographics who *surely* are the missing revenue link during pledge month. Jesus Christ...has the idiot who came up with this ever thought in their head how to try to explain that in plain English to a room full of loyal contributors? How'd they think that would go over? :oops:

Also: how inane a self-important Marketing droid to you have to be to come up with a whole campaign against proud east-of-Mississippi "W" signing, anyway? Dammit...all those loser "K" affiliates out on the Frontier lands that backfill 60% of their broadcast schedules with Boston Proud-produced programming need to be reminded *constantly* every half-hour that they're on the inferior side of the river! This aggression shall not stand! 🤬

It's just not going to feel the same when the 70's warp-drive music kicks in behind ^that^ amputee.
Click to expand...

Honestly, it's the typeface that's killing me. If they had chopped the W off the original logo it would have looked (mostly) fine, the generic humanist throws off the proportions, not to mention it gives me the vibes of a generic Christian TV network logo. Maybe it's how the G and the H are tricking me into seeing a hidden cross because they're so close together now.
 
Is there a way to get a "dark mode" setting for this site? The white is sort of blinding.

Also, the banner says archboston.org but the address is actually .com??? Did something change a long time ago?
 
The crack lab boys at Canadian Pacific have found a way to increase Storrowing densities five-hundredfold. . .



(I only hit repeat on the vid 7...8 times tops, I swear. :ROFLMAO: )
 
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F-Line to Dudley said:
The crack lab boys at Canadian Pacific have found a way to increase Storrowing densities five-hundredfold. . .



(I only hit repeat on the vid 7...8 times tops, I swear. :ROFLMAO: )
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Meanwhile, in the cab: "Say, Jimmy, did you hear something? Nah, me neither."
 
Unless I missed it, I'm surprised I haven't seen any talking of Michelle Wu formally announcing her run for mayor on here. Politics usually becomes a dumpster fire on this site, but the stances between Walsh and Wu on housing are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Incumbent mayors in Boston have always won, but lately anything in politics has seemed possible - a Kennedy lost in MA last month, and she has a lot of support from her time serving on city council.

Any foresight as to what the development process would look like under a potential mayor Wu?
 
stefal said:
Any foresight as to what the development process would look like under a potential mayor Wu?
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Not me, but golly, I'd like to figure out a way to get this its own thread.
Sure, most political discourse in the USA is a dumpster fire.
I'd like to think we have a more cigarette in the recycling style, moderator, pictured, right.
(believed to be watering can, not gasoline)

1600289215073.png
 
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F-Line to Dudley said:
GBH1-850x478$large.png


That looks so...off. Jarringly asymmetrical. The whole bloody logo design doesn't work anymore with the wide open cavity at upper left. You don't even have to have familiarity with the old logo to immediately be drawn to the fact that something was hastily torn off the corner and you're now more focused on what that was than the "brand". What an incoherent mess. Your identity is so legendary you're unwilling to change the logo to something more modern and instead are forced hands-tied into breaking it. But conversely your identity is so passe you need to take an icepick to it for sake of the short-attention span demographics who *surely* are the missing revenue link during pledge month. Jesus Christ...has the idiot who came up with this ever thought in their head how to try to explain that in plain English to a room full of loyal contributors? How'd they think that would go over? :oops:

Also: how inane a self-important Marketing droid to you have to be to come up with a whole campaign against proud east-of-Mississippi "W" signing, anyway? Dammit...all those loser "K" affiliates out on the Frontier lands that backfill 60% of their broadcast schedules with Boston Proud-produced programming need to be reminded *constantly* every half-hour that they're on the inferior side of the river! This aggression shall not stand! 🤬

It's just not going to feel the same when the 70's warp-drive music kicks in behind ^that^ amputee.
Click to expand...
Not too many stations go by their full call letters anymore unless it’s something cute like “KINK” or “WIGY.” Having the “K” or “W” is passé.

In most countries, call letters are illegal, it’s about the branding with the kids now. Most stations aren’t going to base their target demo on whether or not a station is either “K” or “W.” It’s only an identifier to make the FCC feel happy. The kids don’t remember KXKS in the West or WXKS in the East. They remember “Kiss FM.” That’s how GBH stays a top biller. One of the many reasons anyways.
 
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