So the challenges I see to your idea:
1) space looks tight for just the stadium as you've drawn it, gets really tight when all the warm-up fields and admin areas get included
2) site acquisition: just because the industrial areas look blighted to John Fish et al, doesn't mean they look blighted to the workers earning a living on them, and the Mayor has ruled out eminent domain (possibly the same issue goes for the site you ID'ed for the main stadium, and double so if that's where the USPS was thinking of going).
3) optics for the IOC - they care about this almost comically. Having an Olympics stadium cheek by jowl with industrial uses just doesn't look right on TV. Laugh if you will, but they care deeply about this.
Fixing problem 1 with more land acquisition could eliminate problem 3, but at the cost of exacerbating problem 2.
Having knocked these holes in your idea, I will say that comparatively, your idea looks better to me than the "Midtown" a/k/a Widett Circle concept. With all the rail yard constraints at / near Widett, I think that location was never feasible, certainly less feasible than where you've suggested.
Agreed on the challenges with this location and the issues with Widett. Like I said it was just a quick edit of the graphic which was focused on just the stadium and not the secondary facilities, but I did keep the stadium dimensions the same as the official graphic so it would fit.
You would certainly have to put together additional nearby parcels for the games and negotiate with several businesses and government stakeholders (Massport and Convention Center Authority are big stakeholders in the area and maybe add the Postal Service if that was a possibility). And across the water there would also have to be some acquisitions for beautification of the area because of the aesthetic issues you mention (which are probably less of an issue than Widett). I see one parcel across the water in particular where a waterfront park terminates on either side of a lot which must have an interesting story.
But negotiating with multiple public/private stakeholders is not really a different concern than any other potential location. As far as I have heard they still haven't worked out the details, agreements and potential costs for Widett Circle. They will probably also need new locations for the Velodrome and Tennis stadiums which could be a consideration for the area also.
Yes these are real established land owners and businesses and the area shouldn't just be viewed as expansive parking lots with just a few buildings, so they would have to tread carefully and make respectful accommodations when necessary to avoid the eminent domain issue, but it may be easier to provide friendly relocation than it would be to relocate the large food distribution center from Widett Circle and deck over the tracks. And it looks like the main parcel would be just one landowner to negotiate with.
I think compared with the cost and end result of decking over the rail tracks next to Widett Circle and still being at a relatively narrow location between the elevated I-93 and the South Boston Bypass ramp, the tens of millions of extra dollars needed there (likely public "infrastructure" money which would delay and jeopardize the whole thing) would be better spent on additional land acquisition and beautification around a waterfront location which is nearer the convention center.
The pros (for the Olympic games themselves) are that it would be
-close or closer to a lot of the transportation you are relying on.
- a bit closer to South Station (1 mile versus 1.5 miles)
- very close to the Silver Line station (less than 5 min. walk).
- Near the South Boston Bypass Road
- Near the I-90 tunnel ramps, so you get an interstate highway without the view of the interstate highway.
- Much closer to the Convention Center so you have
- venues closer together for walkability
- more compact security zone
- maybe wouldn't have to shut down I-93 (or I-90) for the opening and closing ceremonies like you would with Widett Circle.
- near the Black Falcon terminal which will be full of cruise ships.
- Closer to multiple hotels and restaurants (and Harpoon Brewery) for accommodations and additional entertainment.
- within an area that is a real focus and showcase of new development in Boston over the next ten years.
- It is already called "Summer St".
which then becomes part of your Olympic Boulevard Experience.
Seems that Summer St is better for both for the games and afterwards than Widett/Midtown and certainly better than Suffolk Downs. Even better than the Allston/MassPike realignment location that has been mentioned before because Summer St is closer to downtown and Harvard clearly has other plans for the old CSX/Mass Pike area. So any stadium there would really be delaying development (instead of being a placeholder for a soccer stadium).
Given the real necessity of using the Convention Center as part of the plans I would focus on somewhere in that Convention Center area for alternatives to Widett.
After 2024 the location potentially becomes the location for a great waterfront soccer stadium for the Revolution that would make for a destination experience like Fenway and could really benefit from the existing and planned accommodations surrounding the convention center and perhaps could be used in conjunction with the convention center for hosting other large events after the games.
Here is the view of that area from the Summer St Bridge.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.341941,-71.035798,3a,42.8y,281.54h,82.9t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1seuykt_NgMSK5Gu0Nb0zcvg!2e0
View of the parcel:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.341373,-71.042158,3a,75y,40.5h,81.09t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s9CCg3gSokpVeZLJFul6toA!2e0