1400 Boylston Street | Star Market & Gulf | Fenway

393b40 said:
Sure if you're a SimCity mayor... but what you're suggesting is probably pretty complicated with different owners etc.
Click to expand...

They own all the property, presumably, as DAVE's proposal has the same footprint, just a different sized park, and more low-rise where there's currently proposed park/an existing parking lot... No SimCity required.
 
Are they unable to build over the gas station site due to contamination? I'd rather see a tower there, another tower where the Star Market currently sits, and then put the pocket park in the middle on what's now the Star Market parking lot. It would certainly preserve some Pierce views too, probably more than the current proposal. The whole area just feels too wide open, and a building right on the corner of Boylston and Park Drive would help mitigate that. Do we really need 4 parcels of green space surrounding a 5 way major intersection?

Similarly to with The Fens, there's too much park-to-city ratio and it's creating an urban dead zone that really feels more like a barrier between neighborhoods. Another park right at this intersection is just plain silly.

1654712802196.png
 
DZH22 said:
Are they unable to build over the gas station site due to contamination? I'd rather see a tower there, another tower where the Star Market currently sits, and then put the pocket park in the middle on what's now the Star Market parking lot. It would certainly preserve some Pierce views too, probably more than the current proposal. The whole area just feels too wide open, and a building right on the corner of Boylston and Park Drive would help mitigate that. Do we really need 4 parcels of green space surrounding a 5 way major intersection?

Similarly to with The Fens, there's too much park-to-city ratio and it's creating an urban dead zone that really feels more like a barrier between neighborhoods. Another park right at this intersection is just plain silly.

View attachment 25118
Click to expand...

I'm not sure there's much that this site can contribute to either resolving or worsening that problem. The Muddy River is the barrier, and I don't think we want to re-bury it.
 
Equilibria said:
I'm not sure there's much that this site can contribute to either resolving or worsening that problem. The Muddy River is the barrier, and I don't think we want to re-bury it.
Click to expand...

Yes, but you can still bring the urban footprint right up to Park Street without having to add more green space directly across from the Muddy River. The current proposal just makes the spacing worse. The current proposal is what needs to be fixed, not the Muddy River.
 
DZH22 said:
Are they unable to build over the gas station site due to contamination? I'd rather see a tower there, another tower where the Star Market currently sits, and then put the pocket park in the middle on what's now the Star Market parking lot. It would certainly preserve some Pierce views too, probably more than the current proposal. The whole area just feels too wide open, and a building right on the corner of Boylston and Park Drive would help mitigate that. Do we really need 4 parcels of green space surrounding a 5 way major intersection?

Similarly to with The Fens, there's too much park-to-city ratio and it's creating an urban dead zone that really feels more like a barrier between neighborhoods. Another park right at this intersection is just plain silly.

View attachment 25118
Click to expand...

It's not exactly an apt comparison to say there's plenty of green space across the street when its designed wholly different from the new proposed space. Not many people use the green space around the Muddy River - its a negative space directly open to Park Drive connecting LMA to Fenway, and serves as an extra-large median essentially. This proposed park, while there's nothing hugely special about it, is none of that. There is intentional space-making through topography and plantings that separates the people from the sight and noise of the street.

Samuels did a similar job in programming and designing 401's green space. When you're there, it doesn't feel like you're at the intersection of two overbuilt roads. I can see this park being 401's sister with a similar (seems to be even better and more intentional) design and use.

I'll second DAVE's proposal. A low-rise on that parking lot that matches the height of the 5-story apartment buildings would fit in great. Bonus if you can integrate programming on the ground floor that interfaces directly with the park. A little extra in costs, but I'm not convinced you wouldn't make your money back on it.

I really don't think the park is the issue here. The massive building with little variation is bothering me more. Hopefully they provide meaningful feedback as they did with the upcoming 401 lab building, which (in a rare occurrence) actually improved the design.
 
stefal said:
It's not exactly an apt comparison to say there's plenty of green space across the street when its designed wholly different from the new proposed space. Not many people use the green space around the Muddy River - its a negative space directly open to Park Drive connecting LMA to Fenway, and serves as an extra-large median essentially.
Click to expand...

I think this is a good assessment and an important distinction to make between the Muddy River and what's proposed. This stretch of the Muddy River doesn't supports any activities other than walking or running the perimeter.

But as @DZH22 points out, there is yet another city park directly right across the street! Ramler Park sits opposite on Peterborough street and is designed to facilitate exactly what this proposed green space would be for; gathering, picnicking, etc. There's 100% no need for additional deadening green space here.
 
theSil said:
I think this is a good assessment and an important distinction to make between the Muddy River and what's proposed. This stretch of the Muddy River doesn't supports any activities other than walking or running the perimeter.

But as @DZH22 points out, there is yet another city park directly right across the street! Ramler Park sits opposite on Peterborough street and is designed to facilitate exactly what this proposed green space would be for; gathering, picnicking, etc. There's 100% no need for additional deadening green space here.
Click to expand...

Ramler is tiny and virtually invisible to the intersection (I pass here along Park every day and didn't know it existed until recently).
If they put some restaurant/drinking anchor tenant in the ground floor that opens onto the park, it would be a nice twin to 401. Or if was more food-truck oriented to set it apart.
Actually I wish they'd just transplant Tasty Burger up Boylston to some pavilion type building here like the Trillum.

Way under-baked now but maybe it'll improve with iteration.
 
The yellow cladding is pretty gross, theres plenty of other colors they could have gone with imo.
 
stick n move said:
The yellow cladding is pretty gross, there's plenty of other colors they could have gone with imo.
Click to expand...
I think they're probably reacting to the Harlow across Kilmarnock? It seems like this color palette was already articulated there (though this "yellow" looks more vibrant for better or worse).
 
This is giving me flashbacks to Parcel 12/1001 Boylston, where the colors in the original renders quietly disappeared as time went on. I fear this is going to end up a whole lot more landscraper-y if it's a single color.
 
I know it's been mentioned before, but it's crazy they're sticking with over 400 parking spaces here. Traffic in the fenway is already absolutely nuts, and double so during games--encouraging more driving there will make it even worse. I'm sure it's a concession to residents worrying about losing more street parking, but it'll just serve to worsen an already bad problem in a neighborhood perfectly set up to be more walkable and bikeable than it currently is.
 
stick n move said:
From the pnf:
Click to expand...
I don't much care for the first view, viewed from the Riverway. The render looks incredibly fat next to the slender Pierce building. It should compliment the other side of the intersection, to appear like a gateway to the next part of the city. It fails miserably at this function.
 
They should include a rule as part of the new zoning code that new buildings can't be wider than they are tall. Do we really need a 500' long wall ANYWHERE in the metro? This type of massing is what the NIMBY's should really be complaining about, but instead it's their misguided height-aversion that helps lead to these landscrapers in the first place. Yuck. Blech. Ptooie. Crap. Garbage. Enough already. Boston deserves better.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top