Amazon Office II/SeaPAC | 1 Boston Wharf Rd. (Seaport Sq Parcel L5) | Seaport

This seems like it will be a pretty timeless design.

They put a lot of emphasis on the ground floor design and the interaction with the pedestrian realm - it seems like a mini one-story Winthrop Square Great Hall is going in, and there's activation along most of the streets and the central green space.

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stefal said:
This seems like it will be a pretty timeless design.

They put a lot of influence on the ground floor design and the interaction with the pedestrian realm - it seems like a mini one-story Winthrop Square Great Hall is going in, and there's activation along most of the streets and the central green space.

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+1. EVERY building should respect the street like this one does. It should be a freaking automatic. This is a city of PEOPLE. The Era of the Fortress should hit the dumpster like Urban Renewal..
 
stefal said:
This seems like it will be a pretty timeless design.
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I really like how this leans away from the street rather than looms over it like the new, cantilevered buildings in Kendall.
 
Classic Amazon. They're known for generally good urban design and pedestrian feel with the buildings they commission.
 
Sorry, late to the party... I'm really loving how they've managed to fit all the BOH loading and garage entry into a relatively compact corner facing onto Boston Wharf Road and the rest of the base of the building is wrapped in retail space. I especially appreciate how they're having the office lobby open INWARD to an interior 'paseo', kindof like how the 75 Arlington in Back Bay has its main office lobby access via the atrium it shares with 10 St James. (Though in that specific example, the two buildings have really high-end retail occupancy including a rug shop and a high-end furniture store that I never see people in and/or never seem to be open when I walk by.) I do worry about the effect that the decline of retail long since before the pandemic will have on the final product.

The architecture is top-notch and will have some nice looking neighbors across Congress St to compete with!

I also want to rag on the Crystal City Amazon 💩 tower, but actually, I really like the angular facades of the buildings around it... Am I a bad person?

stellarfun said:
Showing what Boston is missing out on when it comes to Amazon.

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This is Amazon's new building for Crystal City VA.. Phallic porn architecture, and looks to be immensely impractical from a space utilization standpoint.
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BCDC (now with SeaPAC detail):

Box

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Maybe incorporate that into the title, too? "Amazon Office II/SeaPAC | 1 Boston Wharf Rd. (Seaport Square Parcel L5) | Seaport"
 
stoweker said:
isn't the USPS parking lot still there? Not sure if they sold it and it's planned for anything or still there for storage?
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I doubt they give either up. One is used for employees and the other is used for driver training. Harder to redev because it's over the Pike.
 
I was assuming that the USPS lots are untouchable as anything other than parks or similarly low impact redevelopment.
However, it seems like SeaPAC is the last of the sea east of Summer St.
 
The 100 acre development open space plan that was released earlier this year provisions the USPS lots with developments on them. The planning with it was pretty detailed, and less conceptual than other plans, so it has some level of reality with it. They also mentioned USPS in the special thanks, so someone reached out for some form of future plans, likely.

Phase 1 is essentially underway, and as for phase 2:

The remainder of the park network, which falls on property currently owned by USPS, will be constructed in a second phase. The timing of this phase depends on when USPS decides to sell their land, which could be a number of years away. This phase includes Wormwood Street Park, the Active Park, and Medallion Street Park.
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They note if it commences after 2026, additional planning will take place. At the rate USPS has been participating in relocation discussions, it is safe to say it will definitely be after 2026, unless some multi-billion dollar firm decides to relocate a la Amazon HQ2.

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And the full plan with the USPS lots developed, though no heights/sizes of the buildings noted.
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Only way I see it happening is if the Postal Service also sells the South Station land as well and goes somewhere else.
 
The USPS moving out of downtown/Seaport Boston is inevitable, its just going to take a decade or two. The real estate is too valuable, the buildings will eventually need rehab / replacement.

If the USPS still has processing presence in "downtown" Boston in 2040 I will be shocked.
 
393b40 said:
The USPS moving out of downtown/Seaport Boston is inevitable, its just going to take a decade or two. The real estate is too valuable, the buildings will eventually need rehab / replacement.

If the USPS still has processing presence in "downtown" Boston in 2040 I will be shocked.
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Where would you put them? Everett? Revere? Unless the mail sorting becomes obsolete, they are going to still need workers to get there.
 
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