Bulfinch Crossing | Congress Street Garage | West End

[KentXie]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

The caveat I have about Chicago is the urban experience in the Loop after hours. It's a barren business district, bereft of activity after sundown.

As compared to what? New York? Montreal? Maybe. Boston? pfffft.

Don't forget that the Loop is not the only urban area in Chicago. There's a whole another half north of the river and that place is quite vibrant at night.

 

[AmericanFolkLegend]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Same problem as Financial District here...

But the loop is several orders of magnitude larger than the Financial District.
On the flip side, I think the Loop has really started to activate in the last 10 years. Areas near Millennium Park and the Art Institute have gotten some high end housing.

 

[Beton Brut]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

At night, all the action worth being part of in Chicago is north of the River. With that said, my favorite restaurant in Chicago is in the Loop.

 

[kz1000ps]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

The Loop at night is great if you like hanging out with friendly-scary homeless folks.

 

[AmericanFolkLegend]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

The Loop at night is great if you like hanging out with friendly-scary homeless folks.

I feel like you just described 100% of Philadelphia CBD. Never felt that way when living in Chicago.

P.S. Thread derail complete.

 

[tmac9wr]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Same problem as Financial District here...

Well, yes and no. There are def some dead areas in DT in Boston, but it's not a very large area. The Loop in Chicago is absolutely enormous comparatively. Granted, Chicago is a larger city than Boston but there is a massive dead area in the Loop after hours. Same thing with DC.

A lot of us often overlook that Boston's footprint is so small compared to a lot of other cities out there. So while there are certainly quiet areas in the financial district after hours, the area certainly isn't as large as most other cities in the country.

 

[Matthew]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Boston's saving grace in many cases is it's small size. Crappy T? No problem -- just walk!

Even the Congress Street garage, and the horrible City Hall plaza, only covers so much ground. Doesn't make it any better, really, but at least you can put it behind you quickly.

 

[tmac9wr]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Boston's saving grace in many cases is it's small size. Crappy T? No problem -- just walk!

Even the Congress Street garage, and the horrible City Hall plaza, only covers so much ground. Doesn't make it any better, really, but at least you can put it behind you quickly.

Even then, the T is a very good mass transit service.

It definitely has tons of problems, but compared to a lot of systems in the US it's very good.

Hell 75% of the major cities in the US don't have rail transit.

 

[belmont square]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Right--the T's rapid transit ridership is surpassed by only NY (an urban area 10x larger), Chi (3x larger) and DC (a hybrid commuter rail system that stretches deep into suburbia). Only the NY system has more riders per mile. Boston is punching well above its weight in the US when it comes to mass transit.

 

[Matthew]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Making comparisons only to American cities is a really low bar to set for yourselves...

Also I ride the Green Line most, so perhaps I have a bit more cynicism built up

 

[resisttheist]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Boston's saving grace in many cases is it's small size. Crappy T? No problem -- just walk!

Even the Congress Street garage, and the horrible City Hall plaza, only covers so much ground. Doesn't make it any better, really, but at least you can put it behind you quickly.

Your point essentially already illustrates that the good parts are behind you just as quickly as well.

 

[belmont square]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

European systems enjoy a level of government financial support that American systems don't. Given that reality I think comparisons with other US systems are the only reasonable ones we can make. And by most measures, the MBTA ranks higher on the list of US transit systems than Boston does on the list of US cities (by either population or influence).

 

[Matthew]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Well, the trick to dealing with that problem is to walk more slowly. Or not move at all.

(same way the T deals with its problems)

 

[resisttheist]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Even as a joke that's a reasonably valid point. I'm open to walking slower, but I'm waiting for things within the elevation of maybe negative 10' to positive 20' from the ground plane to give me a reason to do so.

 

[stick n move]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Check this gem out, these are off the newest version except for the minor height change. http://northendwaterfront.com/2013/...lans-feature-multi-tower-project/#lightbox/1/

Definitely didnt watch this video but I found this on there too its the meeting.
http://northendwaterfront.com/2011/...-complex-to-replace-government-center-garage/

 

[atlantaden]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

If the buildings on each side actually get built and this rendering becomes a reality, then this plan is a winner! What a difference without the garage.

 

[kz1000ps]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

I feel like you just described 100% of Philadelphia CBD. Never felt that way when living in Chicago.

P.S. Thread derail complete.

My limited experience comes from staying a few nights in the Hard Rock Hotel, right in the nexus between the river and Millennium Park. I went out walking around one night and I can vouch that the Michigan/Wabash/State area wasn't particularly pleasant. Not awful mind you, but I have no interest in doing that ever again.

 

[stick n move]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

If the buildings on each side actually get built and this rendering becomes a reality, then this plan is a winner! What a difference without the garage.

Yea it might be the biggest night and day difference that I will have ever seen other than the central artery being torn down.

 

[Ron Newman]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Even if the garage is torn down and nothing gets built, it will be a huge improvement.

Who in the 1960s thought that blocking this great view of the Custom House Tower was a good idea?

 

[Equilibria]

Re: Congress Street Garage Development

Yea it might be the biggest night and day difference that I will have ever seen other than the central artery being torn down.

Yeah, but I'm thinking those street-level shots, pretty as they are, will go the way of the dodo once they start value-engineering. Think Pier 4. Awesome renders - until the shovel went in the ground and we found out what it would REALLY look like (I know it's the rear building that wasn't in the render that's under construction, but I don't really expect better from the others...)