BU Development Thread

Acquired, not built. Like most buildings in that stretch of Comm Ave, it was likely an auto showroon. Not positive though.

As BU president John Silber once said: "BU has been acquired, not built."
 
Thanks. But now I'm curious why a car dealer would have had a grand staircase (or, for that matter, what a car dealer did with upper floors at all)
 
I know for sure it was an auto showroom.

During that time, cars was definitely more for the elite and have more status to it (like really nice cars now). So it make sense to do things like grand staircases. The reason why it looks like a giant cement building now with no windows and so on is because student back in the 70's found it be a great target to vandalize as was part of the climate of that era. It's too bad that it is taking so long to finally restore it now that people won't be so inclined to break things.
 
todays drive-by
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@ 70mph
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"The $3.5 million renovation is included in BU?s fiscal year 2011 budget. Making the project LEED-certified has barely added to the bottom line. While initial investment may be higher than other non-LEED projects, key additions?like top-quality heating and cooling systems and high-tech insulation?save money over time. "


Hilarious. When Student Village 2 was under construction they said they refused to apply for LEED certification because it was too costly, but they PROMISED it would meet guidelines, just that nobody could test if it was true.
 
I don't see the humor (partly because I don't see LEED that big of a deal, any building will drain power and have some footprint to the environment, LEED certification won't make anything "carbon neutral" or any of that crap). LEED on that little building would be a lot cheaper than a doing it for a tower. At the same time, it is in BU interest that StuVi to be that costly in the utility bills, so I would presume that BU would meet some of such guidelines.
 
LEED is a brilliant marketing shakedown to get all the trend following lemmings to empty their pockets into the USGBC's coffers. I'm so disappointed that the brain trust from BU's school of business hasn't been able to figure this out and cry foul. But then again, even Harvard is a diploma mill nowdays, so I suppose it's a lot to ask of universities to contain some intelligent thought.

I'm sure in a few years some developers will form a group to certify people as being 'alive' and demand that the trendy morons pay them and go through a lengthy process to receive a medal certifying that they are in fact 'alive'. The media will declare it an imperative that everyone rush out to pay all the fees and complete the paperwork to be certified as being alive, because darn-it how can anyone know they are alive until they are certified by that supposedly independent, yet profit driven, certification authority! Hell if a person isn't certified, and wishes to opt out of the process, as being 'alive' Brad Pitt might just have to adopt their 'orphan' kids as a compliance incentive.
 
Lurker said:
LEED is a brilliant marketing shakedown to get all the trend following lemmings to empty their pockets into the USGBC's coffers. I'm so disappointed that the brain trust from BU's school of business hasn't been able to figure this out and cry foul. But then again, even Harvard is a diploma mill nowdays, so I suppose it's a lot to ask of universities to contain some intelligent thought.

I'm sure in a few years some developers will form a group to certify people as being 'alive' and demand that the trendy morons pay them and go through a lengthy process to receive a medal certifying that they are in fact 'alive'. The media will declare it an imperative that everyone rush out to pay all the fees and complete the paperwork to be certified as being alive, because darn-it how can anyone know they are alive until they are certified by that supposedly independent, yet profit driven, certification authority! Hell if a person isn't certified, and wishes to opt out of the process, as being 'alive' Brad Pitt might just have to adopt their 'orphan' kids as a compliance incentive.
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This post tops the aB crazy meter. Congratulations.
 
Lurker said:
LEED is a brilliant marketing shakedown to get all the trend following lemmings to empty their pockets into the USGBC's coffers. I'm so disappointed that the brain trust from BU's school of business hasn't been able to figure this out and cry foul. But then again, even Harvard is a diploma mill nowdays, so I suppose it's a lot to ask of universities to contain some intelligent thought.
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The fact that didn't went through the super expense for filing for a tower (they said this little building is marginal) is a sign that they are aware. They just can't come out and say that think LEED is BS. Imagine how much they will be roasted for that in such a stand. It is not like BU have alot of "green" cred that allows them to make such a statement and be treated with legitimacy. Quite the opposite actually, we earlier talked about the culture here.
 
I think it's safe to say that BU has made significant efforts to reduce their carbon footprint in the last few years under the leadership of Robert Brown -- LEED certified or not:

http://www.bu.edu/sustainability/

I've noticed the differences when I've attended campus alumni events.
 
bdurden said:
I think it's safe to say that BU has made significant efforts to reduce their carbon footprint in the last few years under the leadership of Robert Brown -- LEED certified or not:

http://www.bu.edu/sustainability/

I've noticed the differences when I've attended campus alumni events.
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Theyve definitely made progress, but it took something like 3 years of being ranked as the least sustainable college in the country.

I mean, you'd think the money issue would have been a good incentive. I mean, how much money do you save by properly insulating a dorm and using energy efficient lighting? Now multiply the waste by the dozens of buildings they own.
 
Sounds like a rather meaningless ranking considering most of BU's inherited buildings are quite sustainable, actually.
 
bdurden said:
Sounds like a rather meaningless ranking considering most of BU's inherited buildings are quite sustainable, actually.
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It was the big picture. Lack of recycling, no compost, not using CFLs, lights on 24/7, heaters and a/c set on calendar schedule and not on real-world temperatures, badly insulated buildings, single pane windows, urinals that use 2.5 gallons per flush, etc etc

As I said, theyve gotten better. It was just that 5 years ago they did absolutely nothing, even though it's always been in their financial interest to save energy.

This isnt just BU, it's many major corporations that put their nose up at environmental hippies without realizing it affects their bottom line.
 
Not surprising they lacked a sustainable energy culture until Silber -- but that is old news. Must you always harp on it?
 
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