Bulfinch Crossing | Congress Street Garage | West End

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

^ That is my understanding as well.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

...cautiously optimistic that the Boston Redevelopment Authority will give a thumbs up to its plan later this month, clearing the way for construction to start late next year

::sigh::
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Looks like the BRA just rushed through 5 major extra projects before Menino last days.

Talk about a quick process now.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development


That is going to be here before you know it. A year away is not that bad considering that there are still many office tenants still above the garage.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Approved.

BRA ‏@BostonRedevelop 16m
BRA Board approves Gov’t Ctr Garage Redevelopment proposal. Agenda item #10 - #UrbanAgBos - gets underway next #BRABoardMtg
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

They also tweeted this picture:




proxy.jpg


Not sure I've seen that one before.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

The BRA also tweeted out this image of the open space between the eastern buildings

I would say this is looking south at that 60' building

3JfGI.jpg
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

I drink to that. I knew this was getting approved, but not as soon as today. Wow!
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

I drink to that. I knew this was getting approved, but not as soon as today. Wow!

Yeah this is a huge era-marking milestone in the life of the city. Now if they'll do the wise thing brickpave canal street and make it ped-only you'll be able to walk from state street to the new development at causeway street in a very active ped-only environment...
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Yeah this is a huge era-marking milestone in the life of the city. Now if they'll do the wise thing brickpave canal street and make it ped-only you'll be able to walk from state street to the new development at causeway street in a very active ped-only environment...

It may seem hasty -- but I think this year has truly been the Capstone of the Menino Era

In my adult lifetime there have been 3 Mayors [White, Flynn, Menino] who together have essentially Revived Tired, Old and Historic Boston of the 1960's -- and launched the New Improved Boston into one of the most Vibrant and Dynamic Global Cities -- no hyperbole -- of these Menino has made the greatest contribution.

Kevin "I love to be the Mayor of this Shhhhhhitty" White -- stopped the decline of the core and began the turn around with Quincy Market

Ray "the Pope's Umbrella Man" Flynn began the reconquest of the waterfront with Rowe's Wharf extended down to the revitalized South Station

Tom "Mumbles" Menino -- launched the Seaport / Innovation District which will become one of the most important Zip Codes in the US and a contender with Kendall Sq.for planetary importance -- also has laid the foundation for breaking the brick ceiling on tall buildings and began the re-redevelopment of the mistakes of the Government Center Era

The Olympics which I believe will come to Boston in 2024 will be seen as the "Memorial" to the Menino Era --20 years ago bringing the Olympics to Boston would have been inconceivable -- today it is much more than a serious proposal
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Glad to see this approved and cannot wait until they start construction.

This has to be one of the best projects proposed for this city over the last 20 or so years. It's really going to go a long way to improving that area of Boston.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

When do the shovels hit the ground?
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

When do the shovels hit the ground?

617 -- THE LAST development is to be the "East Parcel"

East -- requires the reconstruction into a self contained Western half garage with buildings surrounding it on 3 sides -- and only then the demolition of the old Parking Garage where it crosses Congress St.

From the website

http://www.governmentcentergarageredevelopment.com/

The West parcel will include an apartment building on New Sudbury Street, which will be the first structure built; followed by an office building on New Chardon Street; and a building on Congress Street that will have apartments or condominiums.
969179_458434280916332_864476017_n.jpg
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Not sure Canal Street needs to be pedestrianized. The sidewalks on both sides are already pretty wide, particularly the west side. Only improvement I'd suggest is eliminate parking on one side to bump out the sidewalk on the east to match. That being said, Canal Street isn't really a major cut through. Shutting off traffic wouldn't have much of an issue on flow I'd assume. If they pedestrianized it, I guess you could use the space as a sort of open air market or something a la Yawkey Way-lite.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Not sure Canal Street needs to be pedestrianized. The sidewalks on both sides are already pretty wide, particularly the west side. Only improvement I'd suggest is eliminate parking on one side to bump out the sidewalk on the east to match. That being said, Canal Street isn't really a major cut through. Shutting off traffic wouldn't have much of an issue on flow I'd assume. If they pedestrianized it, I guess you could use the space as a sort of open air market or something a la Yawkey Way-lite.

Right on. But given the transit access, garden events, collection of bars & restaurants, neighborhood density, etc., my inclination is to put the burden of proof on "does it need to full car access?", rather than "does it need to be pedestrianized?"...
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Instead of straight up closing streets to cars, I would rather see them repaved with cobblestones (with asphalt strips at crosswalks for wheelchairs and along the side for bikes). So autos can still go there, but they won't want to. Canal, Newbury, etc could benefit from this.

Or be like german cities and pave everything that's not a main road with cobblestones.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Cobblestones are TERRIBLE for bikes (and, for that matter, for wheelchairs and shopping carts and strollers). Please no. I invite you to try a bike ride through downtown Nantucket.
 
Re: Congress Street Garage Development

The BRA also tweeted out this image of the open space between the eastern buildings

I would say this is looking south at that 60' building

I am guessing that "tweeted out" means "it's a go" or something similiar rather than this part of the development has been "penciled" out? Which brings me to another question, are these the final renderings or can we expect many changes to the final project from the pics of what we're seeing today?
 

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