Esplanade infill and developments

stick n move

stick n move

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There isnt a catch all thread for the esplanade, so I think its appropriate to make one now that theres many different projects going on.
 

Gronk to spike ball forever in rebuilt Esplanade playground​

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“DCR last week unveiled designs for the Gronk Playground it will be installing on the Esplanade - centered around a slide meant to immortalize the way Gronk used to spike a football after a touchdown.

The playground will replace the current generic playground next to the Alfond Spray Deck across Storrow Drive from the "If You Lived Here" apartments and will be ADA compliant, DCR says. It's named after Gronk because he donated some $1.2 million for the playground upgrade.

The exterior panels of the spiked-football slide will feature "inspirational quotes" from athletes, DCR says.”

The Spike slide seen head on:

Gronk slide seen head on

“The playground will also include a 40-yard dash area and a "Gronk High 5 Low 5" board that features a life-sized visage of the 6'6" fully extending one arm up and another down, along with a ruler that goes up to the 8 feet he can reach. Kids who can't reach his raised hand can instead give him a low 5 on the other hand.

Other parts of the playground, which will have areas for both younger and older kids, will pay homage to other things Boston is known for, including smaller slides for younger kids coming off an elevated play area shaped like a Duck Boat and a "bridge climber" shaped like the Zakim Bridge:”

Zakim-like bridge climber

“Plans call for the preservation of two existing elm trees on the site. The main playground features will be placed away from the trees' root zones and any work near them will be done by hand to minimize any potential damage to them. Five new shade trees will be planted.

DCR says it has approval from state waterfront regulators, the Boston Conservation Commission and the Massachusetts Historical Commission for the renovation.”

Overall playground design (trees not shown):

Overall playground design

https://www.universalhub.com/2023/gronk-spike-ball-forever-rebuilt-esplanade
 
This is a NIMBY distraction. It’s great there’s a donation, but this does nothing to make the city more affordable or dynamic.
 
^^ Not sure I follow why you're picking out this project to throw shade at.

I'm sure parents will be happy to have a new playground. Ensuring the city is appealing to families is pretty important - and does in fact lead to greater dynamism in the city.

Moreover, I'm fairly certain a majority of the projects we follow on this forum aren't necessarily intended to "make the city more affordable."
 
Charlesbank Landing right next door is also moving forward. "Charlesbank Landing on the Esplanade will be located at the former site of Lee Pool, in between the Longfellow Bridge and Museum of Science, and adjacent to the Teddy Ebersol’s Red Sox Fields, Alfond Memorial Spray Deck, and the future site of Gronk Playground."
 
Reznor said:
but this does nothing to make the city more affordable
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Not everything has to be about housing affordability. Yes that's extremely important, but that doesn't mean literally everything else to improve the city should get put on pause. It's in the same category of argument as "We shouldn't improve anything because it would cause gentrification."
Reznor said:
or dynamic.
Click to expand...
If "active outdoor space popular with a variety of age-groups" isn't dynamic then I don't really know what is.
 
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