[ARCHIVED] Harbor Garage Redevelopment | 70 East India Row | Waterfront | Downtown

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BostonSkyGuy said:
The difference in what you listed is that those are garages. There's never going to be a garage built that anyone on this site will like.
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Nonsense. Boston's MotorMart Garage is more than a credit to its surroundings. In fact, I'll bet more than half the folks on this board who have walked by it didn't even realize it was a garage.

Miami Beach is an object lesson in how to build good above-ground garages.
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They're concrete. Folks feel a duty to hate concrete.
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It does seem that way. I guess I enjoy virtually anything that offsets the tyranny of brick, brown, and beige in the Financial District (I'll draw the line at the precast crap being erected at the Seaport, though).

The muted nature of the towers is an overlooked blessing as well. I wouldn't want some flashy, splashy building like the Intercontinental Hotel on this site.
 
I can see how some may like these building in an architectural fetishist sort of way, but you have to admit that they suck from any kind of urbanist perspective.
The question is, can you make them more urban (more interesting and denser at the street level) without ruining what you like about them architecturally?
 
There's clearly the opportunity to build something along the Greenway streetwall that would help integrate this block into the city. Perhaps another structure with shops and restaurants along the water would be desirable - the residents' pool and such could be moved to the roof, and cease to be a patch of conspicuous private exclusivity along what should be a public waterfront.
 
Joseph T. Baerlein , co chairman of the Harbor Towers Condominium Trust , noted that Harbor Towers residents take up about 400 parking spaces in the garage that Chiofaro wants to redevelop under leases that won't expire until 2018 and 2019. The heating and cooling systems for Harbor Towers also are located in the garage, he said.

Thousands of employees of Enron, Polaroid, and numerous other companies that had iron-clad, life-time pension plans suddenly found themselves holding a worthless piece of paper. How many of us have signed contracts with health-clubs or whatever...only to see those contracts null and voided when new owners took over. If you think that 400 parking spaces leased in this very valuable piece of property till 2018 can't be voided by some legal maneuver or another then think again. Frankly, I don't know how the residents of Harbor Towers can afford to live there considering the legal costs billed to the Condo Association and the past special assessments...and future assessments which are coming down the pike. It'll be interesting to see the trade offs that are made between residents and Chiofaro. The Harbor Tower residents need to remember the saying "pigs get fat and hogs get slaughtered," during their negotiations.
 
Chiofaro should just volunteer to fix their crappy buildings so no one gets assessed, if they will support whatever development he proposes.
 
ablarc said:
Nonsense. Boston's MotorMart Garage is more than a credit to its surroundings. In fact, I'll bet more than half the folks on this board who have walked by it didn't even realize it was a garage.
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Alright, this one I agree with. In generalizing I forgot about the MM Garage, which I agree blends in with the area well. Infact, even alone that building is great and I have no complaints about it what-so-ever.

I meant more along the lines of garages like the one at the Aquarium, Government Center, etc. where they're just eyesores. Would anyone object to garages that have the look and feel (at street level/surrounding area) of the MotorMart Garage? I doubt it. The fact is they don't care to build garages that are asthetically pleasing and fit into the urban enviornment. That's why when someone wants to build a tower, they always look to tear down garages.
 
ya that is true BostonSkyGuy, that is the only thing that really gets torn down in Boston anymore. With limited open space, and all the historic buildings that can't be torn down, the only option is to tear down garages so it makes sense.
Also where is MotorMart Garage located (address)??? I think I know what you are talking about I am just unsure if I am thinking of the right building.
When it comes down to it, this does seem like a great project but I really don't know how it is going to be built with the troubles they will have with the people living in HT and also Chiofaro is gonna have to deal with Menino, so it seems like thinks aren't looking to great for this project.
 
TheBostonBoy said:
Also where is MotorMart Garage located (address)??? I think I know what you are talking about I am just unsure if I am thinking of the right building.
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It's across from the Boston Park Plaza Hotel.

Here is a picture for those who aren't familiar with it.

home.jpg
 
i know boston isnt florida.... but down there they build towers with the first 8 stories being a parking garage. usually those towers are fat down the bottom and get dramatically skinnier after the first 9 or so floors.... why cant you build a building with a seem less transition in boston? all the towers here are "fat" as all of you bitch about so often....sure the garage floors need ventilation, but you could disguise that couldnt you? why doesnt anyone think outside the box?
first floor retail and entrances.... 2-10 or whatever parking garage.... rest of it office/hotel/residential.
 
Go figure one of the most hansom buildings in Boston is a garage. I guess that is just proof that modernists don't know what they are doing.
 
vanshnookenraggen said:
Go figure one of the most hansom buildings in Boston is a garage. I guess that is just proof that modernists don't know what they are doing.
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And the facade is precast concrete. (even the detailed emblems)
 
Bobby Digital said:
i know boston isnt florida.... but down there they build towers with the first 8 stories being a parking garage.
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Some of the newer towers (proposed) seem to have this. I always thought that this was the way to go. I love when they incorporate transporation (SST) or parking WITH a tower/building. It kills two birds with one stone for lack of other words, and it allows people to have cars if they wish. Especially residential towers, it makes sense to have the first few floors of the building be parking--doesn't it?

why doesnt anyone think outside the box?
first floor retail and entrances.... 2-10 or whatever parking garage.... rest of it office/hotel/residential.
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My guess is that part of it is that with height being so taboo in this city, developers are afraid to waste space that could go to condos, office space, etc. with parking. Instead of making an 800 foot tower with parking on the first say 8-10 floors, they're being forced to make 400-500 foot buildings (max, for the most part) with no parking because the parking in that situation would waste valuable space.

The city wonders why there's a real lack of fluidity in certain parts (the Waterfront for example) and it's because they aren't flexible in areas where it seems boneheaded not to be.
 
vanshnookenraggen said:
Go figure one of the most hansom buildings in Boston is a garage. I guess that is just proof that modernists don't know what they are doing.
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there are a number of very hansom (pun?) converted buildings in the mews on the flat of beacon hill. the modernists should go see...
 
The reason you don't see above ground parking taking up the bottom levels of towers here is because most buildings here are limited in their height or by FAR....above ground parking therefore decreases the amount of leasable or sellable space allowed, whereas, below grade parking doesn't.
 
Yea it sorta slipped my mind that you could just build underground garages.... i guess it depends on the site and whats under it.... wonder if theres a limit to underground parking even w/o something under it... ie a subway..... is FAR an acronym for something?
 
Bobby Digital said:
is FAR an acronym for something?
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Floor Area Ratio, which is the usable square footage of a building divided by the square footage of the lot it's on.
 
Ron Newman said:
Underground parking on wharves probably isn't a good idea.
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Why not? If they can build tunnels under water, why not garages?
 
I think Rowes Wharf has 5 levels of underground parking. Independence Wharf has underground parking and Russia Wharf will have underground parking.

And with Russia Wharf they also have to deal with the Silverline tunnel that runs underneath the building.
 
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