11-21 Bromfield Street | DTX | Downtown

akmags said:
Wait, isn't Bromfield a pedestrian only street? How can they get away with adding the carport if cars are not allowed down there to begin with?
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Bromfield isn't a pedestrian only street. It's only currently closed off to cars due to construction on the MT which has shut off Franklin Street.
 
Huh. So when I google image searched for this thinking I was just being hopeful I really did see an early render. It was posted on pinterest with no title and no surrounding context. It was thinner and taller which made it look really awesome. Doubt I can find it again now that this is released. Just a guess, maybe it was designed as a taller building and cut squished down boston style? Anyone with Photoshop skills wanna try seeing what this looks like if it's stretched out? Regardless ill take it. This is really cool compared to what we usually get.
 
I actually really like this interpretation of retrofuturism and I think it does a way better job at being respectful to the pedestrian realm than any of the cantilevered examples everyone's pointed out thus far. All of them have set-back bases that create these vacuous street spaces rather than designing a place you want to be in.

I'd be okay if they preserved/restored the Payless building at the corner, if only to break up the facade of the podium. Speaking realistically, this probably isn't in the cards. Also, the Jewelers Building next door has a longer, unbroken facade along Washington Street than this building - the fight over keeping the Payless building is a fight I'm willing to lose if it means we can get rid of that stupid car port.

I like the massing, but I'll agree with those who think the facade makes it look dated, though I don't particularly hate Lake Point Tower - in my layperson's opinion, I think it holds up pretty well. I experienced it in person recently and the worst part was the sheer blank podium at street level (and the dated facade materials).

Keep it curvy - anything to keep the building from deflecting more high altitude winds down to street level.
 
Beton Brut said:
Saving the Payless building would be a tricky and costly gesture that makes little sense architecturally, and would probably make little difference urbanisticly. With that said, Bromfield deserves better than to serve as a driveway. Here's hoping they get that right...
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I really can't disagree with this strongly enough. Saving the Payless building facade would make all the difference in the world from that sterile, bland and featureless glass wall they want to throw up.

I'm also in favor of saving the low level buildings on either side and building on top of them as well.
 
This glass wall is far from featureless. Repetitive absolutely but featureless it is not there is a repeating pattern of gold and black metal strips going up the base with large clear glass windows on the first two levels of the podium.

OneBromfield2016-03-29_BCDC-14BA.jpg
 
Is there anything that can realistically be done to mitigate traffic crossing Washington, clogging up Bromfield and killing that streetwall?

Could they add a couple stories to the parking garage across the street and build a gerbil tube?
 
Suffolk 83 said:
3. Does this mean we're going to have a bunch of rich assholes running(driving) us off the pedestrian only Washington st?
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This is my concern as well. There is constantly cars in the pedestrian zone as is. It got honked at just last week for being a pedestrian in the damn pedestrian zone. Its BS that with the tens of thousands of blocks in Boston we can't get any true pedestrian ways and this building could make it much worse and more dangerous.
 
This building is horrible. Adding above ground parking in this location is insane. The tower portion looks like it contracted a nasty disease.
 
I'm still confused why they think they can get away with the Bromfield carport, but more confused why they even proposed it as opposed to having access from Province. I hope the BCDC sets them straight tonight.
 
She's a big, sexy curvy blonde bombshell! Looking forward to seeing all her golden blonde sexiness standing tall overlooking downtown Boston.
 
Franklin St between Hawley & Washington was not and will not be a general traffic street. Before it closed, it was a designated cabs & commercial vehicles only street (as it leads into the restricted area of Washington). Lots of cabs & commercial vehicles use Franklin and that's a problem in itself, but after it reopens, it will be a flush-curb woonerf with the same restrictions.

I don't think Midwood or the architect actually understands how the traffic flow would work or they just made a mistake with the arrows. The only way that a regular (non commercial) car can access the building is by Province St & then turning onto Province Ct. That's why there's a car tunnel there. Bromfield is one-way and the only way to access it is via the restricted Franklin St & Washington St at that point. Bromfield until Province St is effectively a restricted access zone because you can only get there from the restricted access zone of Washington.

See this diagram I just drew:

ztJilx6.png
 
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datadyne007 said:
I don't think Midwood or the architect actually understands how the traffic flow would work or they just made a mistake with the arrows. The only way that a regular (non commercial) car can access the building is by Province St & then turning onto Province Ct. That's why there's a car tunnel there. Bromfield is one-way and the only way to access it is via the restricted Franklin St at that point. Bromfield until Province St is effectively a restricted access zone because you can only get there from the restricted access zone of Washington.
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Right, and that's what confuses me. If you're doing swanky apartments and condos, you can't possibly have enough traffic going in and out to require a drop-off lane like this. This is the sort of thing you normally see at hotels.

Also, are they using a car elevator to access the garage? It sort of looks like it.
 
Equilibria said:
Right, and that's what confuses me. If you're doing swanky apartments and condos, you can't possibly have enough traffic going in and out to require a drop-off lane like this. This is the sort of thing you normally see at hotels.

Also, are they using a car elevator to access the garage? It sort of looks like it.
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Yes. Those are car elevators.

And yes. This is a full-blown hotel-style porte cochere. Cabs could easily drop off right on Bromfield and regular cars can either park via Province Ct. (I think its clever putting the car elevators there and not on Province St.) or drop off passengers on Province St.
 
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Will anyone be at the BCDC meeting tonight? I can't make it but it's important that our objections to the carport are relayed to Midwood.
 
can someone point me to the link of the presentation? I apologize if this has already been shared. Thanks!
 
The podium is fine (other than the unfortunate car cave) and has a nice 5th Avenue-ish vibe to it. The Payless is an acceptable loss. The cantilevered, biomorphic tower is great though it would be better with a smoother, more minimal skin.
 
Data, I'm sure Midwood is expecting the city to make an exception and allow non-commercial traffic down the end of Franklin. It already allows commercial traffic so I'm sure in their minds it can be easily made fully open (not in my mind or anybody else who walks thru DTX)
 
On Skycraper City they list the heights of the buildings in the thread titles once known.

be cool if we adopted that practice.
 
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