Boston Landing | New Balance Complex | Brighton

This is veeeeeeery off topic but, seeing all these great new sports arenas popping up here just reminds be about that Olympics bid from a few years back. If the Olympics weren't so....demanding? unreasonable? questionably good for a city? I dont know the right terms to use, Boston really could pull something like it off. We have the arenas, and the sports history, its just that the Olympics ask too much out of their hosts. I am , very much so, not a sports person, but I cant help but feel if there was something like the Olympics, but with less baggage, Boston could absolutely crush hosting it using arenas like these.
 
found5dollar said:
This is veeeeeeery off topic but, seeing all these great new sports arenas popping up here just reminds be about that Olympics bid from a few years back. If the Olympics weren't so....demanding? unreasonable? questionably good for a city? I dont know the right terms to use, Boston really could pull something like it off. We have the arenas, and the sports history, its just that the Olympics ask too much out of their hosts. I am , very much so, not a sports person, but I cant help but feel if there was something like the Olympics, but with less baggage, Boston could absolutely crush hosting it using arenas like these.
Click to expand...

I said the same thing on Christmas. It wouldn't be effortless, but would definitely be in our wheelhouse: Boston could totally crush it hosting an Olympic-scale event.

dshoost88 said:
I'm so happy to see this development finally coming to fruition after all these years. It'll be a wonderful asset for the Greater Boston region and local athletic community.

It's amusing, actually... as a whole, Boston today is more or less a velodrome and new stadium away from reflecting the Boston 2024 Olympic Host it was originally envisioned. While the transportation concerns that helped derail the bid were merited, our built environment has begun to reflect the aspirational walkable, wellness mecca local Olympic Committee organizers had envisioned for the city. That's pretty cool.
Click to expand...
 
I kind of like where were at now, were getting all the benefits of the olympics with none of the negatives. I feel like when most of this is built out itll be pretty close to whatever an olympics would have been, but without the dismantling of temporary stadiums/expansions, the money loss/debt, the gridlock, or cutting down tons of trees on the common. Its really the perfect scenario.
 
Last edited:
Atlanta had Coca Cola, and was able to recruit Home Depot, UPS, Delta and NationsBank (now BofA). It helped to have an industry leader in a bunch of non-competing industries.

To the extent that Boston is the #2 Shoe Hub (after Portland OR's Nike+Adidas+Mizuno), we have too many mid-tier players all competing and no cross-industry diversity.

GE is a huge olympics sponsor, but was not a Boston company until 2016 (whereas the bid was withdrawn in 2015), and was not a part of Boston the way Coke was in Atlanta.

You could argue that P&G could have done more via Gillette, but Gillette doesn't loom over Boston the way that Coke does over Atlanta.

And then there's the shoe problem: New Balance is building killer facilities, so can't be pushed out, but is certainly no Nike or Adidas when it comes to being able to be a global sponsor.
 
Last edited:
stick n move said:
I kind of like where were at now, were getting all the benefits of the olympics with none of the negatives. I feel like when most of this is built out itll be pretty close to whatever an olympics would have been, but without the dismantling of temporary stadiums, expansions, the money loss/debt, the gridlock, or cutting down tons of trees on the common. Its really the perfect scenario.
Click to expand...

It almost feels like planning for the Olympics is, and in this case was, way more valuable than actually hosting them. Boston recognized alot of possible development sites and pushed forward with some transit improvement because of it. I'm also thinking about the NYC bid from a while ago that suggested building the stadium where Hudson Yards is now. While the concept and success of Hudson Yards is up for debate, it all got started becasie of planning for the Olympics.
 
Indeed, it seems like planning for massive multi-national events is more beneficial to cities than hosting them.
 
found5dollar said:
It almost feels like planning for the Olympics is, and in this case was, way more valuable than actually hosting them. Boston recognized alot of possible development sites and pushed forward with some transit improvement because of it. I'm also thinking about the NYC bid from a while ago that suggested building the stadium where Hudson Yards is now. While the concept and success of Hudson Yards is up for debate, it all got started becasie of planning for the Olympics.
Click to expand...

Yup, thats why I was in favor of the effort. American cities seem to love stagnation/status quo. Olympics is one way to force improvement. In Rio, a lot of the transportaiton projects didnt actually make it in time for the Olympics itself (whoops). But they are very useful to the people who live there, now and forever.
 
From 8/27. First time I have walked around here. Wouldn't really recommend it at the moment. The buildings had decent scale, but it was all still very linear and limited. If you haven't had a chance to check it out in person yet, maybe wait a couple more years.

Part 1 Arena thing

IMG_2365 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_2370 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_2380 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_2396 by David Z, on Flickr
 
I wish the MASSIVE garage had been buried behind something or at least within something. Even assembly style would have been better. Maybe they could convert the street facing side into condos like govt ctr garage.
 
My favorite part of that stretch currently is Kohi Coffee -- great little place. Haven't been recently, though, so not sure if they've survived COVID.
 
Last edited:
parcel comparisons for reference

1615585116886.png

1615585155143.png
 
Anyone else feel like the residential to non-residential balance in Boston Landing is way out of wack? Aside from Lantera and the two smaller developments on Hichborn, it's basically a 9-5 zone with a huge parking garage and underserviced commuter rail stop. Maybe the sports arena will help address that, and I know there are plans to extend Guest St and bring hundreds of new residential units online at Stop n' Shop, but that's likely years away from breaking ground let alone full build out.

I used to live not too far away and would run / bike through occasionally, and even during rush hour periods there were never many people out walking except for construction workers. It's a shame because it's not an unpleasant place to pass through per se, and there are a few good food / drink options there (I love Kohi Coffee).

Then again, I might have to reserve judgment until all of the Allston Yards and Braintree Street developments go in, which will bring well over a thousands new residences along that half mile stretch connecting to Boston Landing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top