Channelside (née P&G) | 244-248 A Street | Fort Point

sidewalks said:
So many of the responses to my comment seem to intentionally miss the point...the entire seaport has a major transportation/accessibility problem. It will continue to grow worse with time as these parcels are developed. It is the job and responsibility of the BPDA and the mayor to ensure that such considerations are taken into account as development is planned. How do people access the neighborhood will affect everyone's ability to enjoy living, working and visiting the area. If it is not properly planned for it will be untenable. People are quickly forgetting just how bad transportation in Boston had become pre pandemic. It was quickly becoming the region's biggest challenge and a major quality of life concern.
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I'm not intentionally missing it. My point (and I suspect the others' point) is that there isn't any fundamental difference between this grid of streets that isn't fully developed and the ones in the Financial District, Back Bay, or Longwood that are. Two rapid transit stations and a commuter rail hub 1/2-mile distant is a situation that would be a dream in a lot of other American cities. Similarly, I'm sure that if you were developing the Back Bay from scratch today you'd hear all these same prognostications of doom... "the Green Line isn't real transit", "there's only the one exit from the Pike and only one way"...

If you only built density on top of hubs between at least 3 subway lines and 3 freeway exits we wouldn't have cities. Not to say that the Seaport doesn't have transit improvements to make, but it is surely not untenable.
 
sidewalks said:
So many of the responses to my comment seem to intentionally miss the point...the entire seaport has a major transportation/accessibility problem. It will continue to grow worse with time as these parcels are developed. It is the job and responsibility of the BPDA and the mayor to ensure that such considerations are taken into account as development is planned. How do people access the neighborhood will affect everyone's ability to enjoy living, working and visiting the area. If it is not properly planned for it will be untenable. People are quickly forgetting just how bad transportation in Boston had become pre pandemic. It was quickly becoming the region's biggest challenge and a major quality of life concern.
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Excellent points.

No matter how transit friendly the locations along A Street are, they will still drive some level of increased automobile trips in the Seaport (sorry, there are no 100% transit workforces in Boston). And, pre-Pandemic, the Seaport could not handle more automobile trips.
 
JeffDowntown said:
Excellent points.

No matter how transit friendly the locations along A Street are, they will still drive some level of increased automobile trips in the Seaport (sorry, there are no 100% transit workforces in Boston). And, pre-Pandemic, the Seaport could not handle more automobile trips.
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That's also an argument against Winthrop Square and One Congress, given that, as you say, we can't count on 100% transit workforces anywhere.
 
Equilibria said:
That's also an argument against Winthrop Square and One Congress, given that, as you say, we can't count on 100% transit workforces anywhere.
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Perhaps, but I believe the automobile cluster**** in the Seaport is the worst downtown. And it will get worse at an exponential rate compared to the Financial District or Government Center areas because there is so much more development coming online in the Seaport, compared to available capacity.

And of course, at the same time we are dialing back T service, encouraging more people to drive.
 
JeffDowntown said:
Perhaps, but I believe the automobile cluster**** in the Seaport is the worst downtown. And it will get worse at an exponential rate compared to the Financial District or Government Center areas because there is so much more development coming online in the Seaport, compared to available capacity.

And of course, at the same time we are dialing back T service, encouraging more people to drive.
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Then why not have this same argument about similarly-sized buildings at Volpe in Kendall, which has the same transit service (and less highway access)?
 
Equilibria said:
Then why not have this same argument about similarly-sized buildings at Volpe in Kendall, which has the same transit service (and less highway access)?
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I am not suggesting we should not have this discussion about every new development.

At some point we need policies that drive automobile traffic neutrality (eventually reduction) of development, or we will drown in cars.
 
JeffDowntown said:
I am not suggesting we should not have this discussion about every new development.

At some point we need policies that drive automobile traffic neutrality (eventually reduction) of development, or we will drown in cars.
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Stop making so much sense Jeff, we just want tall buildings!!
 
As long as we get good street walls and vibrant urbanity, I could care less if something is 7 floors 70 floors.

Il take 100 of these and Parcel N+Ps over the Glass Towers anyday. This is gold.

The only one I want to see go tall is Bromfield, because they took all the character out of the ground level. Might as well just make it tall if your going to ruin the ground level.

But anyway, love this project alot.
 
Equilibria said:
Then why not have this same argument about similarly-sized buildings at Volpe in Kendall, which has the same transit service (and less highway access)?
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Oh we SHOULD...when I bought in Kendall a decade ago one could drive down memorial drive from mass ave fairly unimpeded until one hit Binney...by pre pandemic it was backed up halfway to mass ave and the problems were getting worse. More redline cars was 100% necessary. Who knows, we may get lucky and have 20% fewer drivers on the rode when the dust settles as more work remotely. But the Seaport is so chock full of bottlenecks, that I believe it to be especially egregious.
 
dshoost88 said:
I think these belong here (?); I hadn't seen them posted anywhere yet. These are screen grabs from a First Look article on Boston Business Journal. Before I get a called out for sharing them, I will note that these were sourced from the BPDA and shared during a Local IAG meeting online Monday, so they should be fair game.
View attachment 6755View attachment 6756View attachment 6757View attachment 6758View attachment 6759View attachment 6761View attachment 6760View attachment 6762View attachment 6763View attachment 6764View attachment 6765View attachment 6766
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I'm really like this - very urbane. Reminds me of recent development in London in the Bank Station area.
 
JeffDowntown said:
I am not suggesting we should not have this discussion about every new development.

At some point we need policies that drive automobile traffic neutrality (eventually reduction) of development, or we will drown in cars.
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2035. The answer exists and is being perfected. Boston's population could surpass 2+ million easily with more 24 hour vibrancy .

But, yes, the lawyers, bureaucrats and flat-earth society folks will slow implementation.......

www.bcg.com

Can Self-Driving Cars Stop the Urban Mobility Meltdown?

Autonomous vehicles will be a major option in future metro transportation, but their optimal role in the mobile mix varies across five city archetypes.
www.bcg.com
 
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I don't mind the changes. Breaks down the scale a bit more, still a strong street presence.

Also just added more balcony spaces for the architect to shove lush greenery onto that look pretty in the renders but will never truly materialize.
 
Equilibria said:
BCDC:

Box

bpda.app.box.com bpda.app.box.com

I don't understand the urge to vertically break up these facades. As Parcels N and P demonstrate, monumental masonry facades look great!
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Don't think just in terms of this one project -- the entire Fort Point Channel on both sides is undergoing a Kendall Sq like transformation:
  1. In the pipeline:
    1. P&G will sell more of its land -- hopefully leaving the Gillette Manufacturing Plant intact and moving its R&D to one of the R&D buildings which will be built on their parking lots
    2. eventually the USPS will see the light and move out of their bunker on DOTAve
    3. Hook will provide the Tallness you wont see on the SBos side
  2. What's missing -- connectivity for people and vehicles:
    1. Northern Ave Bridge --= mostly people -- perhaps vehicles at rush-hour
    2. A Street to DotAve redo
    3. Dot Ave to Atlantic -- open the connection and redo the edge on Fort Point Channel into the best of Harborwalk-style
    4. Pedestrian Bridge over the Channel [North Bank pedestrian bridge-style]
    5. eventually an underground / underwater moving sidewalk direct to Southstation [Logan-style]
 
I have to say, I'm a big fan of the new, lighter look for the top two floors on the shorter building.
 
I appreciate the feedback to lower that channel-facing roofline to 85', and think the end result fosters an appealing linear continuity. I also think G5 and G4 better compliment one another with the removal of that tan stringcourse from below G4's top windows.
 
Like the massing changes. Dislike but dont hate the facade changes. Randomer and cheaper than initial renders but way better than most recent development. These should be handsome additions to the city.
 
#bancars said:
I think this is the right thread? Shirley Leung weighs in on the future of development and parkland on Related Beal's parcels in Fort Point:

www.bostonglobe.com

City of Boston has a shot at developing Fort Point Channel neighborhood into a waterfront for all. Can it? - The Boston Globe

Boston has a chance to turn the Fort Point Channel neighborhood into the waterfront the Seaport District has failed to become. Can the city deliver, or will we see, yet again, more broken promises?
www.bostonglobe.com www.bostonglobe.com
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Well, the right place to put one of her columns is...
 
That column was hot garbage. She used it mostly to trash the Seaport, but never explained how it had failed or even outlined the metrics that might be used for such a determination, let alone taking the measurements.
 
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