Berklee Expansion Plans | Back Bay

A little blurb on the president's expansion plans, from the Winter 2010 issue of Berklee Today:

The State of the College

Regarding facilities, (president Roger) Brown said, "We've bought some buildings that will change the face of Berklee over the next 20 years." He spoke of properties at 155 and 168 Massachusetts Avenue and hopes of making the latter an eight-story dormitory building. He also cited changes to the block of Boylston Street between Masachusetts Avenue and Hemenway Street and the new Liberal Arts Department building at 7 Haviland Street.

Bown also discussed the Giant Steps Campaign, the college's first capital campaign. "We have a goal to reach $50 million. We have now raised $39 million and have $11 million more to go. It's tough in this economy, but we'll get there."
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FYI: the capital campaign began in April 2008, so they should reach their goal by this time next year. And of that $50 million, $15+ million is earmarked for facilities.
 
Boylston's 1100 block makeover essentially complete:

4359884581_7b37d3f2cd_b.jpg
 
Sidewalk upgrades? I think new sidewalks are always welcome, although I don't like the change in grade.
 
kz1000ps said:
Boylston's 1100 block makeover essentially complete:

4359884581_7b37d3f2cd_b.jpg
Click to expand...

There was a sign in the window by the saxophone the other day:

Wanted: 8 ft tall bass player and drummer for jazz trio.
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As for the haters, I agree it isn't very pretty. It's better though. Plus remember it was engineered by the city to deal with an atrocious design flaw circa 1900. It's Harold Brown's fault as much anyone. He owned most of the street for some 35 years without doing jack shit. Berklee pushed for completion to mitigate the safety element. They somehow got tagged for all the negatives though (here and in RL.) associated with the Mayor's Office/BRA declaring "more seats like down the street!" as the solution for a 3' grade change.
 
It will always be a pig because the pike across the street makes this stretch inherently unwelcoming, a cut-through corridor.
 
Ron, just because you don't use a product, it doesn't make that product useless.
 
I don't dislike the design at all. It is an improvement from what was there before. What was the alternative, street-level seating? That block is so affected by traffic that it would have been revolting.

If you actually visit that block, you'll see that the risers cut off every couple of stores which can be annoying (you have to go back into the sidewalk to get from store to store) but it will allow for outdoor seating which is preferable. Who doesn't want to eat a $5 foot-long while watching the cars go by on the Pike?
 
People sit outdoors at The Other Side Cafe on Newbury, which is much more exposed to Pike traffic than this block of Boylston.
 
^ That's true, but it's only the people who smoke. Based on personal observation.
 
I've said it before and I'll say it again: the cars, trucks, buses, fire trucks and ambulances on Boylston and Mass Ave are infinitely more damaging to that block's ambience than the highway or railroad line.

But a larger issue as far as outdoor seating is concerned is that the newly enclosed patios will keep Fenway Park goers (who completely overwhelm the block on gamedays) from crowding patrons, something that was an issue with Crazy Dough's old setup. On the other hand, I don't see how that dink new sidewalk will handle the crush of people.
 
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