🔷 Open Thread

Throwback to archboston 22 years ago, when it was Skyscraperguy

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More vintage web stuff. This comes from what may be the earliest Boston architecture/skyscraper website, Sky Boston, which I believe is where the SkyscraperGuy forum launched from.

Here's a Skyscraperpage-style png of all Boston towers 500 feet or taller from 2003

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And here's what that website looked like

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Link to the archive page:
 
dhawkins said:
I don't neccassarily agree with the current politics behind it but maybe the possibility of the JFK building getting sold will have a silver lining? I like the building but City Hall Plaza does suffer because of the federal security issues. The programming of the building needs to change to engage the plaza. The GSA / Tip O'Neil building could use redevelopment as well.

The Architect's Newspaper

GSA’s Public Buildings Service (PBS) Commissioner Michael Peters said the idea is to reduce federal building space not part of the Department of Defense by “at least 50 percent.”
Some of the buildings GSA may have to sell off include prized midcentury works by legendary architects. The John C. Kluczynski Federal Building in Chicago by Mies van der Rohe is a GSA property, and so is the John F. Kennedy Federal Building in Boston by Walter Gropius.
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Nothing definitive yet but they are on the list - GSA, tear down the Tip O'Neil bldg, plan for a North station expansion for south station tunnel connection (much needed mobiliztion space too) for tunneling) Reddit conversation Save the JFK building but with a different program.
 
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TallIsGood said:
I had the last comment on the first thread in that pic! Throwback!
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Amazing. Do you remember why everyone jumped ship so quickly from Skyscraperguy to ArchBoston? AB lauched in March '05 and SSG was virtually dead by April, so whatever the issue was it basically meant this site cannibalized the other one in record time.
 
kz1000ps said:
Amazing. Do you remember why everyone jumped ship so quickly from Skyscraperguy to ArchBoston? AB lauched in March '05 and SSG was virtually dead by April, so whatever the issue was it basically meant this site cannibalized the other one in record time.
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This site was the replacement. It didn't cannibalize anything. I believe the person who ran Skyscraperguy stopped supporting the website for one reason or another (some combination of time and money). Archboston was launched to keep the forum going.
 
DZH22 said:
This site was the replacement. It didn't cannibalize anything. I believe the person who ran Skyscraperguy stopped supporting the website for one reason or another (some combination of time and money). Archboston was launched to keep the forum going.
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Ah okay. 20 years out it seemed like SSG was perfectly healthy right up until it wasn't but I totally get the abandonment issue. Good thing we've never dealt with that again, amirite?!
 
kmp1284 said:
Ricardo Scofidio

www.nytimes.com

Ricardo Scofidio, Boldly Imaginative Architect, Is Dead at 89

With Diller Scofidio + Renfro, he brought a conceptual-art sensibility to cultural landmarks like Lincoln Center and to innovative public spaces like Manhattan’s High Line.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
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When I was living in NYC and the band was slowing down I started doing Postmates and I delivered food to him but he only used his first name on the order so I had no idea who I'd be delivering to. He has/had a condo right by Cooper Union and the second the door opened I saw a wall of books that my brain said "that looks like an architect's bookshelf".... my instincts were bang on and I quickly realized who I was face to face with. RIP.
 
kz1000ps said:
Amazing. Do you remember why everyone jumped ship so quickly from Skyscraperguy to ArchBoston? AB lauched in March '05 and SSG was virtually dead by April, so whatever the issue was it basically meant this site cannibalized the other one in record time.
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As DHZ said SSG dropped off and the site was dying so this was the replacement.
 
I remember that the group had become afraid that the forum would just disappear because of a sudden barrage of intrusive ads and pop ups indicating that we were now using free ad-based software, and they wanted the features available on other forums. The Admin wouldn't or couldn't do that so Briv just started a new forum
 
Awesome thanks guys. Leave it to the people with the May 2006 join date to remember that ancient history.
 
I know it's a bit early to be thinking about Christmas, but I hope Wu is looking into large tree vendors. I'm not sure that our friends in Nova Scotia are going to be feeling very generous this year.
 
statler said:
I know it's a bit early to be thinking about Christmas, but I hope Wu is looking into large tree vendors. I'm not sure that our friends in Nova Scotia are going to be feeling very generous this year.
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I think Canadians in particular have been very understanding that the current administration is not reflective of all parts of the US (see their targeted response to tariff policy). MA in general and Boston in particular is not exactly championing federal actions.
 
TallIsGood said:
I had the last comment on the first thread in that pic! Throwback!
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I wish this group had control of the site. I cannot say we are any safer now than we were then. It seems that a couple of the mods don't participate anymore and some of the categories like the awards need an update; they are years out of date. A great site like this that has had members for over 20 years should not just suddenly disappear one day
 
Scott said:
I wish this group had control of the site. I cannot say we are any safer now than we were then. It seems that a couple of the mods don't participate anymore and some of the categories like the awards need an update; they are years out of date. A great site like this that has had members for over 20 years should not just suddenly disappear one day
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At a minimum, with the recent influx of spam, I agree we at least need to make sure there's an active Mod team. At least 3/5 have been inactive for more than a year - has there been any thought given to expanding the team?
 
Stlin said:
At a minimum, with the recent influx of spam, I agree we at least need to make sure there's an active Mod team. At least 3/5 have been inactive for more than a year - has there been any thought given to expanding the team?
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Some people have asked, but it's up to the admin, @SkyriseCities, who has seemingly not been here since August of 2023.
 
vanshnookenraggen said:
Some people have asked, but it's up to the admin, @SkyriseCities, who has seemingly not been here since August of 2023.
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I don't want to step on any toes, but it appears that problem is solvable as it looks like they're still active on the other sites they operate like UrbanToronto & Skyrise Cities - has the mod team tried to reach out via those platforms?
 
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