"Dirty Old Boston"

Arenacale said:
No building has done more for the city than Rowes Wharf.
Click to expand...

Its kind of crazy how many absolutely transformational projects are either recently completed or under construction at the moment that almost reach rowes wharf levels of renewal. The base at the hub on causeway completely revitalizing the bulfinch triangle/west end area that was an absolute no-mans land before while containing the garden. Parcel 12 closing a major gash right in the back bay at the confluence of mass ave, newbury st, and boylston st. Finally the demolition of the gov ctr garage, the hulking brutalist monstrosity that looms over city hall, the greenway, the public market, and is right in the heart of downtown. Its crazy to have all of these happening at the same time essentially.
 
And in rare cases, some Dirty Old Boston -type things endure through the present:

cb-p-1.jpg


^plaque recently appeared sometime around completion of their loading dock relocation project
 
Does anyone have any photos of One Bowdoin Square prior to its 1989-ish pomo-ification?
 
Charlie_mta said:
Here's another photo of the Union Freight Railroad that ran between North and South Stations until the 1960s. This photo is around 1965, judging from the type of MBTA bus and the "T" symbol. It was a versatile freight line, as its trackage connected directly to the rail lines at both North and South stations.
Click to expand...

The photo is from 1969 or later. The New Haven locomotive has been given a Penn Central number. The Penn Central took over the New Haven on January 1st, 1969.
 
shawn said:
It never ceases to amaze me that Cambridge would have been NASA HQ if Kennedy hadn't been killed. As I understand it though, MA is a bit too north for ideal shuttle landing, especially for orbits started above Florida. So I guess we would never have seen Atlantis touching down at Hanscom or Otis.
Click to expand...
Late reply, but Cambridge would have played the role Houston does (Mission Control) , not the role Cape Canaveral does.
 
Arlington said:
Late reply, but Cambridge would have played the role Houston does (Mission Control) , not the role Cape Canaveral does.
Click to expand...

Though, fun fact, Portsmouth, NH (former Pease AFB, now Pease Airport) is one of 7 pre-approved launch abort sites and one of 18 emergency landing sites for shuttle missions, just 57 miles north (citation).
 
^ Imo 101 huntington looked better before the “hat” was added.
 
shawn said:
It never ceases to amaze me that Cambridge would have been NASA HQ if Kennedy hadn't been killed. As I understand it though, MA is a bit too north for ideal shuttle landing, especially for orbits started above Florida. So I guess we would never have seen Atlantis touching down at Hanscom or Otis.
Click to expand...

Arlington said:
Late reply, but Cambridge would have played the role Houston does (Mission Control) , not the role Cape Canaveral does.
Click to expand...

It was never planned to be the NASA HQ... just a massive research facility.

www.salon.com

How NASA almost ended up with a huge campus in Cambridge Massachusetts

"Cambridge, we have a problem" doesn't quite have the same ring to it
www.salon.com www.salon.com

Some cool pictures in there that I had never seen too for what the original proposed site was going to be. Thankfully, that never happened as it would have basically destroyed Kendall Square and we'd have our own version of Empire State Plaza.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top