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Re: Congress Street Garage Development
Looks great!!
Cueing "congestion" NIMBYs in 5...4...3...2...
Looks great!!
Cueing "congestion" NIMBYs in 5...4...3...2...
Bulfinch Crossing | Congress Street Garage | West End
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atlantaden
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Re: Congress Street Garage Development
Love, Love, Love all the glass!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After my extreme disappointment after seeing the facade of 120 Kingston, this works just fine for me!!
Love, Love, Love all the glass!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After my extreme disappointment after seeing the facade of 120 Kingston, this works just fine for me!!
Re: Congress Street Garage Development
Exactly 600'? We already have an exactly 600' building (1 IP). We already have 5 buildings between 590'-614'. So now downtown is going to have 7 between 590'-625'? We don't need that. We need a little more variation at the top. Tower looks good, but from 700'+ all the way down to the middle of our current plateau? Let me be the first to say FUCK THAT. I'M FUCKING PISSED. That's all.
Exactly 600'? We already have an exactly 600' building (1 IP). We already have 5 buildings between 590'-614'. So now downtown is going to have 7 between 590'-625'? We don't need that. We need a little more variation at the top. Tower looks good, but from 700'+ all the way down to the middle of our current plateau? Let me be the first to say FUCK THAT. I'M FUCKING PISSED. That's all.
atlantaden
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Re: Congress Street Garage Development
Be careful what you wish for! In this town, it seems that changes in renderings usually, almost always, result in a much worse building than was originally disigned!!
Be careful what you wish for! In this town, it seems that changes in renderings usually, almost always, result in a much worse building than was originally disigned!!
Equilibria
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Re: Congress Street Garage Development
Actually, in the proposal they explicitly say that they targeted 400'-600' because it is "compatible with current downtown building heights" or something to that effect.
Urbanity is about more than building height (and architecture for that matter). It's about density and street activation. Boston is quite a beautiful city from many angles, and it doesn't need a 700' building - even one as beautiful as what was originally proposed here - to stay that way.
Actually, in the proposal they explicitly say that they targeted 400'-600' because it is "compatible with current downtown building heights" or something to that effect.
Urbanity is about more than building height (and architecture for that matter). It's about density and street activation. Boston is quite a beautiful city from many angles, and it doesn't need a 700' building - even one as beautiful as what was originally proposed here - to stay that way.
Re: Congress Street Garage Development
It like it!
As you might imagine, the Globe's Facebook post is full of people demanding more parking and open space.
It like it!
As you might imagine, the Globe's Facebook post is full of people demanding more parking and open space.
Re: Congress Street Garage Development
Look at the skyline view. It adds nothing beyond expanded mass. It's like the city is getting 2 separate buzzcuts, one for the largest proposals at the top (stuck at 600'), and one for every other building being built (stuck at 300'). The attitude of "skyline compatibility" is why we have an unbreakable plateau.
Look at the skyline view. It adds nothing beyond expanded mass. It's like the city is getting 2 separate buzzcuts, one for the largest proposals at the top (stuck at 600'), and one for every other building being built (stuck at 300'). The attitude of "skyline compatibility" is why we have an unbreakable plateau.
tmac9wr
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Re: Congress Street Garage Development
Was it clear on whether or not these were the designs they were submitting? Or are these place holders?
Either way, it's great to see this project alive and kicking.
Edit: It appears this is the actual design...I like it. Nothing amazing (I loved the original version), but it's very nice.
Was it clear on whether or not these were the designs they were submitting? Or are these place holders?
Either way, it's great to see this project alive and kicking.
Edit: It appears this is the actual design...I like it. Nothing amazing (I loved the original version), but it's very nice.
Last edited:
Equilibria
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Re: Congress Street Garage Development
I just checked back at the original massing proposal (on p.18 of this thread, before the design competition). That one seemed to be proposing this same thing, but with a crappy version of this East Parcel plaza plan and a spire to take the office tower the last 100 feet. Also, the tower was to be clad in precast concrete.
If HYM had proposed a 700 foot building by tacking a spire onto one of the corners of this thing, would you still be unhappy? That's how a lot of buildings achieve height these days. The Freedom Tower has a 1400' roof, after all.
The Globe article said it "was designed by..." if that means anything...
I just checked back at the original massing proposal (on p.18 of this thread, before the design competition). That one seemed to be proposing this same thing, but with a crappy version of this East Parcel plaza plan and a spire to take the office tower the last 100 feet. Also, the tower was to be clad in precast concrete.
If HYM had proposed a 700 foot building by tacking a spire onto one of the corners of this thing, would you still be unhappy? That's how a lot of buildings achieve height these days. The Freedom Tower has a 1400' roof, after all.
The Globe article said it "was designed by..." if that means anything...
Re: Congress Street Garage Development
Generally I don't count spires in my height calculation. The only Boston buildings that jump categories due to spires are the State Street building (pushes it over 500') and the Old Hancock (pushes it over 150m). I wouldn't mind a slanted roof, or roof that ends in a point tacking on the additional feet. I just don't count a stupid stick. Plenty of Boston buildings already have sticks that don't count (1 Financial, 1 Beacon, Pru) and nothing as inconsequential as those should EVER count towards a building's height.
Generally I don't count spires in my height calculation. The only Boston buildings that jump categories due to spires are the State Street building (pushes it over 500') and the Old Hancock (pushes it over 150m). I wouldn't mind a slanted roof, or roof that ends in a point tacking on the additional feet. I just don't count a stupid stick. Plenty of Boston buildings already have sticks that don't count (1 Financial, 1 Beacon, Pru) and nothing as inconsequential as those should EVER count towards a building's height.
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Re: Congress Street Garage Development
I wonder how many of them actually live in the city? Let alone live near that part of the city...
I wonder how many of them actually live in the city? Let alone live near that part of the city...
tmac9wr
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Re: Congress Street Garage Development
I've already tried to post to a few people bitching about parking that this project will inclue 1,100 parking space...I'm sure it'll probably get shouted down though.
I'd be willing to bet almost none. The people that are shouting for parking are probably nervous they're going to lose a place to park for Celtics/Bruins games.
I've already tried to post to a few people bitching about parking that this project will inclue 1,100 parking space...I'm sure it'll probably get shouted down though.
I'd be willing to bet almost none. The people that are shouting for parking are probably nervous they're going to lose a place to park for Celtics/Bruins games.
Shepard
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Re: Congress Street Garage Development
This is a great proposal which actually treats this now-barren stretch as the actual crossroads that it is. For example, the plan here for the pedestrian plaza extension of Canal Street to meet a new Haymarket headhouse is inspired. They could have filled that entire east parcel with one big floorplate a la Fan Pier, but chose to split it up. I'm very excited for this to get going!
This is a great proposal which actually treats this now-barren stretch as the actual crossroads that it is. For example, the plan here for the pedestrian plaza extension of Canal Street to meet a new Haymarket headhouse is inspired. They could have filled that entire east parcel with one big floorplate a la Fan Pier, but chose to split it up. I'm very excited for this to get going!
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Re: Congress Street Garage Development
I believe 600' is the maximum that complies with the Greenway zoning. IIRC, the previous proposal that was taller was met with a lot of concern because it didn't comply. They are actually trying to please everyone this time and submit a viable proposal. Would you rather have this or 10 more 700' studies that will never go anywhere.
I believe 600' is the maximum that complies with the Greenway zoning. IIRC, the previous proposal that was taller was met with a lot of concern because it didn't comply. They are actually trying to please everyone this time and submit a viable proposal. Would you rather have this or 10 more 700' studies that will never go anywhere.
Re: Congress Street Garage Development
Why? Did you think you were in another city for a minute? I expect 5-10 more years of frustration before they even begin to demolish that garage.
Why? Did you think you were in another city for a minute? I expect 5-10 more years of frustration before they even begin to demolish that garage.
Shepard
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Re: Congress Street Garage Development
I think this has a real shot. No new infrastructure, compliance with every special zoning regulation, a street level improvement that even the strongest NIMBY couldn't fault, no residential neighbors, and a very tactful phased approach.
Whether the project can be off the ground financially and economically is another matter, but at the very least the developers wouldn't be filing this if they didn't think it could.
I think this has a real shot. No new infrastructure, compliance with every special zoning regulation, a street level improvement that even the strongest NIMBY couldn't fault, no residential neighbors, and a very tactful phased approach.
Whether the project can be off the ground financially and economically is another matter, but at the very least the developers wouldn't be filing this if they didn't think it could.
Re: Congress Street Garage Development
You're a hot mess!
This is looking great, I'm excited that Haymarket Square will kind of be a square again as well. Too bad the project doesn't extend over the adjacent ramps parcel for complete awesomeness.
You're a hot mess!
This is looking great, I'm excited that Haymarket Square will kind of be a square again as well. Too bad the project doesn't extend over the adjacent ramps parcel for complete awesomeness.