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

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It's not a bad idea in theory, but hellishly expensive and easily done wrong. Witness the ubiquitous tunnel leaks plaguing the Big Dig...
 
I believe Russia Wharf is slated to have 6 levels of underground parking.
 
I believe Russia Wharf is slated to have 6 levels of underground parking.
 
The original article says that the garage is owned by Urban Growth Property Trust. Does anyone know if this is the Interpark garage near the aquarium?
According to the guy who runs the interpark garage, interpark purchased their garage (perhaps interpark is owned by UG Property Trust...I'm trying to figure this out) near the aquarium for 87m a few years ago and were recently offered 175m. The garage is hugely successful, clearing over 30k/day and the company is not interested in selling the property for anything less than 250m.

I'm trying to figure out which garage this is. I'd walk down at lunch...but with today's heat it's probably not a good idea. I'm thinking that there are two garages...one beige, and one red brick
Anybody know?...Ron?
 
nico said:
The original article says that the garage is owned by Urban Growth Property Trust. Does anyone know if this is the Interpark garage near the aquarium?
According to the guy who runs the interpark garage, interpark purchased their garage (perhaps interpark is owned by UG Property Trust...I'm trying to figure this out) near the aquarium for 87m a few years ago and were recently offered 175m. The garage is hugely successful, clearing over 30k/day and the company is not interested in selling the property for anything less than 250m.

I'm trying to figure out which garage this is. I'd walk down at lunch...but with today's heat it's probably not a good idea. I'm thinking that there are two garages...one beige, and one red brick
Anybody know?...Ron?
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Interpark and Urban Growth are inter-related entities. I believe it is the garage with the Sel de la Terre restaurant in the northwest corner.
 
Sel de la Terre is not in a garage; it is in an office building owned by Fidelity. Legal Seafoods is also in the building. Fidelity is building a park on Central Wharf to the south of this building and in between this building and the garage in question, which is often referred to as the Aquarium garage. The Aquarium itself is to the east of the new park being constructed (and almost completed) by Fidelity.
 
The garage contains a convenience store (I think 7-Eleven) and formerly also had a Century Bank branch. I think the water side of the garage is used as classroom space for the Aquarium.
 
dirtywater said:
Sel de la Terre is not in a garage; it is in an office building owned by Fidelity. Legal Seafoods is also in the building. Fidelity is building a park on Central Wharf to the south of this building and in between this building and the garage in question, which is often referred to as the Aquarium garage. The Aquarium itself is to the east of the new park being constructed (and almost completed) by Fidelity.
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I believe the garage in question is the building just below Central St. The Fidelity Park is being built in the space just above Central St.
SNAG-01556.jpg
 
That's correct. Sel de la Terre is in the building between State and Central streets.
 
Ron Newman said:
...the building between State and Central streets.
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Imo that building deserves demolition before the garage. The views that are spoiled by that graceless lump...
 
I agree, but for all its lumpy gracelessness, it's actually still one of the better buildings - early 20th century, some details intact - lining the Greenway.
 
ablarc said:
Ron Newman said:
...the building between State and Central streets.
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Imo that building deserves demolition before the garage. The views that are spoiled by that graceless lump...
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I've never quite understood your beef with that building. Every time I'm in the area, I look and search for some flaw I may have missed, but I just can't find it.
It's not the most exciting building in the world but I think it is a nice building and it fits well into the area.
I think it is the area around it that is the problem.
Fix that and that building will be perfect for the area.
 
^ Remove it in your mind entirely, and see the void that would result. Now place into the void any building of similar footprint that you like.

Do this exercise looking towards the harbor, then do it again from the harbor.
 
ablarc said:
^ Remove it in your mind entirely, and see the void that would result. Now place into the void any building of similar footprint that you like.

Do this exercise looking towards the harbor, then do it again from the harbor.
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Are you looking for a more monumental building for the location?

This building was completely renovated in the late ninety's and one could argue that it has the nicest facade facing the greenway after Rowes Wharf.
 
TC said:
Are you looking for a more monumental building for the location?
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Sure, its placement is inherently monumental, especially from the harbor, with skyline for background. That's partly what makes it so disappointing; it dominates that view like a fat man.

Go out Long Wharf a spell to see the effect and the lost opportunity. Imagine a building like the Guggenheim Bilbao in its place: a building with artistic presence and cultural significance. The Boston Opera?

This building was completely renovated in the late ninety's and one could argue that it has the nicest facade facing the greenway after Rowes Wharf.
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Arguing that damns both this building and the Greenway with faint praise. (I guess they both deserve it.)
 
The worst thing about that building is that the side facing the Greenway is a giant ventilation duct; although the smells coming out of it are always interesting. Also, I think it's owned by Eaton Vance, not Fidelity. It says Eaton Vance Building on it, and I know that they are still in the building.
 
ablarc said:
Go out Long Wharf a spell to see the effect and the lost opportunity. Imagine a building like the Guggenheim Bilbao in its place: a building with artistic presence and cultural significance. The Boston Opera?
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So is it the building itself you don't like, the location or both? Would it be fine if it were tucked into the financial district with other buildings of the same age? Or is it just unredeemable?
I'm not arguing, I'm just trying to understand.
 
ablarc said:
Go out Long Wharf a spell to see the effect and the lost opportunity. Imagine a building like the Guggenheim Bilbao in its place: a building with artistic presence and cultural significance. The Boston Opera?
Click to expand...
So is it the building itself you don't like, the location or both? Would it be fine if it were tucked into the financial district with other buildings of the same age and size? Or is it just unredeemable?
I'm not arguing, I'm just trying to understand.
 
Once upon a time, the aquarium had dreams of relocating to the parcel in the Charlestown Navy Yard where they're finishing the condo mid-rize, and where the Spaulding Rehab hospital should start constructing its new hospital within the next year or so.

Had the aquarium moved, then the combination of its parcel with the garage, the Fidelity Park, the Fidelity building, would have made an outstanding site for something monumental and defining.
 
The Boston Opera?
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Aping Sydney? No thanks. Besides, the winds blowing off the harbor aren't the most hospitable during opera season.

But oh, to rebuild the old Huntington Avenue opera house...
 
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