Two Congress | Bulfinch Crossing East Parcel | West End

ccole said:
I, too, was quite dismayed by the change in the project, but if you read the Globe article, this wasn't just about adding more lab space: "HYM Managing Director Tom O’Brien told the BPDA board the project was shifting in response to requests by the MBTA that no new buildings be placed atop the Haymarket Green Line station itself."

I went on the BPDA's website and reviewed the presentation to the BCDC on Dec. 7 and I'm not quite as let down as I was before looking through it: https://bpda.app.box.com/s/gflfbjlimp3zqgv5x91a3ecchm61uula

In particular, the view on slide 14 looks decent in the context. Not a huge fan of the offset swoops but the exterior treatments looks like they'll be high-quality.
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I agree. My main gripe is the USAGE. I much prefer hotel/residential/retail vs. Lab downtown.

However, let's compare some of the slides from the link you provided (I recommend everyone check it out):

Compare Pages 7 to 8 and Pages 10 to 11 - - - aestetically, I think this is a big win. Also, (as long as they don't pull a switcheroo) the color scheme of the lab building (brownish/reddish hues mixed in with the glass) is FAR superior to the glass boxes that were first proposed.

Once again, I don't like a Lab downtown - - there are many other opportunity locations where labs can go. They don't tend to ENLIVEN dynamic urban life.
 
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Sitting in the shadows...
 
mass88 said:
To each their own, but the "abomination" looks a heck of a lot better than the massive, ugly garage.
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It's about the proportions. This building will be every bit the visual barrier that the garage was, only in many ways worse because it's taller. It also blocks the money shot of (most of) Archboston's favorite new Boston skyscraper!
 
stick n move said:
The best part was the pedestrian courtyard in between the glass buildings that lined up with the future pedestrian only canal st. It then curved to place people in front of the public market. With the mega turd its just going to be basically an office lobby along the highway that is congress st. What a pos.

You can see it better here with the dotted line.
GovernmentCenter1200.jpg


This is a tragedy.
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They should scrap the mid rise and build something taller
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Sorry that the contrast isn't great, but here's where the station is under the parcel:
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Dark green is the existing entrance and fare lobby; the platform itself is just visible at bottom. Light green is the pre-1971 platforms.
 
navigator4 said:
If the BRA approves this garbage, I'm going to have to agree with Wu's abolish the BRA platform.
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I thought this was already approved. The BCDC Report lists it as approved.
dfa9d762-0a4c-4f98-aa37-4914809c1c8a (bostonplans.org)

The latest phase of the Government Center Garage Redevelopment developed by HYM Investment Group is a 410,000 square foot tower at the East Parcel, designed by CBT Architects with OJB Landscape Architecture. The Commission paid close attention to the project's public realm and site connections, and especially its plaza and relationship with the near by MBTA busway. The Commission also helped to refine the building's height and design language. The project was approved by the BPDA Board on January 14, 2022.
 
They could have elevated the building on pilotis, in effect replicating a structure similar to the garage.

Less exotically, I wonder if there was some way to re-align Merrimac St to shift the buildings away from the T station.
 
navigator4 said:
If the BRA approves this garbage, I'm going to have to agree with Wu's abolish the BRA platform.
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Remember, Thomas O'Brien of HYM Investments once ran the BRA.

This design seems at odds with his past publicly stated intentions for our city. His city.

This is a significant site. They have been given approval for enormous city-changing structures. This proposal is not what they presented. This structure is a game-changer. It defies every explanation Mr. O'Brien could make to defend it, except, of course, the financial one.

Say no to this. All of us. This is not good urban-making. The Greenway deserves better.

And. Fire Brian Golden.
 
stefal said:
Might help to position it with this as well:

View attachment 21128
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This figure is all you need to know on why there is a single building on this site. Is lab money enticing? Sure. But they can't even take down the building without numerous delays since it's over the tunnels. It was hard enough just to move the buses temporarily. You want them to try to BUILD over the tunnels now?

stick n move said:
The loss of the pedestrian corridor aligned with canal street is by far the biggest loss.
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You say this as if the 1 building takes up the entire site. There is still open space at end of canal st, there just won't be buildings on both sides, only 1.
 
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