Bulfinch Crossing | Congress Street Garage | West End

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

How did the Hancock ever get built???

And is 52 stories really a skyscraper? What's the average number, say for a regular city, not Boston?
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Hancock threatened to pull out of Massachusetts if they didn't get their way.

Now there is no one left to threaten to pull out. (Except maybe Fidelity or State Street, but neither seem to be in the market for a new headquarters)
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

The builders should also threaten to abandon the project entirely if they don't build it as is. That should give Menino a kick in the butt.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

^^To which the Mayor would proclaim, "Rejoice, people of Boston! I have saved you from the evil shadows!"

Sure, we'd be stuck with the garage, but the devil you know...
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

The Mayor race is going to be throw all the best laid plans to the wind. We'll see what happens this summer as the polling begins in earnest.

If the mayor feels support from the North End eroding, he'll pull the plug on this project. Do you think he cares about urban design? Sustainability? World-class architecture? Moving Boston forward? Reinvigorating the city through the urban street scape? Do you think he frets over things like the facade materials and the statement this project makes architecturally about Boston? Do you think he cares remotely about any of the things that we talk about on this forum?

It's an election year, he cares about one thing - getting elected.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Oh, another thing, these politicians think it's so cool to have a Facebook page, so why not have us all comment, all the time, about the city there? He'll hear loud and clear, because right now it's not a forum that is being utilized by the other special interests in this city.

Go ahead and comment - politely - and it may even make a difference.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

pelhamhall said:
The Mayor race is going to be throw all the best laid plans to the wind. We'll see what happens this summer as the polling begins in earnest.

Do you think anyone (the mayor, the other candidates, the voters) cares about urban design? Sustainability? World-class architecture? Moving Boston forward? Reinvigorating the city through the urban street scape? Do you think they fret over things like the facade materials and the statement this project makes architecturally about Boston? Do you think they cares remotely about any of the things that we talk about on this forum?

It's an election year, the candidates care about one thing - getting elected.
Click to expand...

Fixed that for you.
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

vanshnookenraggen said:
Looking at the sight plan again I fear for the smallest section of the new development, the part over the subway station, which is going to be surrounded by 6 lane highways on 2 sides and highway on/off ramps on the 3rd, not to mention the entrance/exit to the parking garage on the 4th side. It would go a long way to take out a lane or two for expanded sidewalks and bike lanes as well as making New Sudbury St two way.
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The part of the Greenway it'll face is only the bussway, two lanes, the eventual YMCA, and two more lanes. When/If everything gets completed, the traffic on the Greenway side will be pretty minimal. Even as it is right now, not a lot of traffic goes southbound on the Greenway at that point. Norhtbound's a different story, but that'll be blocked by the YMCA (again, hopefully).

I think you're right on reducing Sudbury though. I'd make it unidirectional again, but cut down the number of lanes and add on street parking. Hell, I'm sure the cops would love the extra spots (the feds might have an issue with it though). New Chardon already has on street parking and huge sidewalks, so I'm not sure there are any options over there.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

So which of Mark Paul's views will be threatened by the project? The charming view of the garage, or of City Hall? More obnoxious NIMBY children. Newsflash: in order to offset the cost of demolishing the garage and making the site suitable for construction, height is necessary. For most people, this is a simple concept. They claim there is widespread support for demolishing the garage; then there must also be widespread support for its financially-feasible replacement. Unless, of course, the NIMBYS of the North and West Ends (how exactly do West End NIMBYS have a problem with this again?) betray themselves as the true Bostonians that they are: absolutely terrified of change.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Like the man a few posts prior said. Write an email to that Lady, I've written two this last month.
 
Re: Gov't Center Garage Redevelopment

Justin7 said:
Again, PLEASE write a short (or long if you'd prefer) email in favor of this project. NIMBYs are noisy but they are not exceptionally numerous. Twenty+ letters from aB members will make a difference. Take a few minutes out of your day.
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Please listen to Justin7 here. I should have mentioned this, but I actually got a personal detailed response from Kristin after submitting my letter. It will get read, and it will make a difference.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

The city government does have a legitimate interest in determining the size of a development that is currently proposed to include city-owned (and utility-owned) land. The developer might be well-advised to phase his project so that the first part of it is built entirely on his own land.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Raymond Properties built a condo tower (Trinity) right next to Boston Public Library overlooking Copley Square, in spite of the Back Bay mafia/community group opposition.

Raymond Properties got the monstrous, blockish Flagship Wharf built in spite of the uber-sensitive Navy Yard/Charlestown mafia/community group opposition.

Ted Raymond donates the right amount of money to the right people at the right time.

Ted Raymond doesn't piss the mayor off, in fact, he acts like he respects and supports the mayor. Once this little election thing is out of the way, Ted Raymond will get two towers built here, each about 10 stories shorter than what is now proposed. As was probably decided a year ago. The BRA highlight support or opposition as it sees fit.

If Chiafaro owned this garage he wouldn't even be allowed to demolish it, let alone propose a replacement. But Ted owns it, so he gets shiny new towers.

And he should, it's a slam-dunk, incredible, wonderful proposal from top-notch, world-class developers. It's almost a shame that they would be slandered by being considered just a Menino Stooge developer, but that's how the game is played.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

And in all that bickering, nobody supported or attacked or even discussed my suggestion that the developer would initially be better off proposing to build only on his own land.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Ron, there is likely no need for him to build only on his own land when he can leverage the property of others.

Plus, I think there is another factor here. It has oft been observed that the Mayor is, uh, sensitive to his legacy. I doubt his wife will allow him another term beyond the next, so the Mayor has the 4 years to make his mark without regard to public opinion. He just needs to clear this last hurdle.

If "Tommy's Tower" was a manifestation of the Mayor's desire to leave his signature on the skyline, why on earth (after November) would he cut one inch off something like this project? He won't. And if the market ever picks up enough for some "soaring" ambitions to be financed, you might actually see some interesting things. (But not Donny's.)
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

I said this only because the presence of a newly renovated police station on the city-owned parcel presents an unnecessary stumbling block to the development. If he can build a quality development on his own land, and people like the result, the city will be more likely to sell him that parcel for a second phase.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Ron Newman said:
And in all that bickering, nobody supported or attacked or even discussed my suggestion that the developer would initially be better off proposing to build only on his own land.
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The concept of phasing this project is explained in some detail on the developer's site, and in their materials. Check out the .pdfs of the presentations on this page. Their slide deck (used for meetings) show a phased approach to this project.

Ron Newman said:
If he can build a quality development on his own land, and people like the result, the city will be more likely to sell him that parcel for a second phase.
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Good point. But also consider, a member of the IAG (present at the meeting PaulC and I attended last week) suggested that Raymond "include" the YMCA site in his plan, as it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that the Y cannot afford to develop the site because of the cost associated with building on a ramp parcel. The problem is, the site was given to the Y as the result of legislation.

What urban residents need to understand is that there will be trade-offs in any large scale development project. The developer can only afford to cough up so much tribute to the impacted communities. Raymond can build a school (if the City deems it necessary); Raymond should be required to replace the police station and NStar substation if they are displaced/destroyed as a result of his project.
 
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Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Just sent off my letter...I'll let you guys know if I hear back.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

I also sent a quick letter and will let you all know her response.
 
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