Evolution of the Prudential Center: 1954-1989

Hi All,

I am SO glad I found this page!

I grew up in the Prudential Towers at 780 Boylston Street, 10th floor, from 1982-1989. My grandparents also lived in the same building on the 4th floor. I visited the Prudential Mall all the time, and I VERY much remember the windy escalator, fountain, and the Christmas Tree lighting. I remember the Brigham's as well. Looking back, I wish I had taken more photos of the interior of the apartments when I was growing up and before my family and I moved to our current home.

I wonder if there are any photos from that time period of the interior of the building? Also, are there any photos of the interior of the Prudential Mall at that time?
I also remember the holiday parties, and there was a cute little Post-It notepad with a flip-book-style rendition of the Christmas Tree lighting. I wish I took one (or some!) of those. I wonder if those designs exist anywhere?

In the early 2010s, I went to visit the building again. I have to admit I cried. I didn't feel like I was at "home" anymore. I felt the building was so fancy and more of an upscale hotel-like feel instead of a home. I felt so out of place.

I look forward to hearing from you all soon.

Thank you for reading my post,

LG
 
Java King said:
I was just thinking about this yesterday. Does anybody else miss Marche?
Marche Movenpick Com | Restaurants with homemade dishes prepared with care | Marché (marche-movenpick.com)

They had the Food Hall concept before Time Out, Hub Hall, and High Street Place!

I wish they were still around. I liked having waffles on a Saturday afternoon at the Prudential Complex. I still have some Pottery I purchased at their store on the lower level.
Click to expand...
I remember going there after a field trip in high school and having something of a panic attack being overwhelmed with the options. Had to bail to the food court for Sbarro or whatever out of familiarity. Something about it freaked me out somehow.
 
1649481891501.png


1649481910166.png

 
I wish they had tried to connect the street grid between the back bay and south end through the prudential complex vs creating a huge mall, but for the time it was done I get it, malls were seen as the future. Too bad theres no easy way to create these connections now.
 
stick n move said:
I wish they had tried to connect the street grid between the back bay and south end through the prudential complex vs creating a huge mall, but for the time it was done I get it, malls were seen as the future. Too bad theres no easy way to create these connections now.
Click to expand...
Business plummets at retailers on Newbury in the winter. I hear ya but the mall does well and continues to do well.
 
A serial titled "Winning Shopping Center Designs, No 2." from 1995 seems to have many photos and some good information about the arcades, according to some BPL architectural indexes recently put up on Internet Archive. I believe they have it at the BPL, so hopefully I'll be able to possibly scan and post some of the images in the near future.
 
squidman1 said:
There's something I really like about the 1993-1995 Pru. Back when the floors were oh-so shiny, and they also had some cool Memphis-esque advertising for the complex.
Click to expand...
It is grandiose but looks warm and inviting at the same time. I miss places like that.
 
Arenacale said:
It is grandiose but looks warm and inviting at the same time. I miss places like that.
Click to expand...

Since I grew up in Norfolk Co suburbia in the late 80s and early 90s, I was used to places like the Emerald Square Mall, South Shore Plaza, and the Silver City Galleria (RIP). Whenever my family went to the Copley-Pru mall, it was a real treat. Copley Place brass somehow had more luster. FAO Schwarz was a quick walk up Boylston too.
 
I miss the plaza with the statue; being able to look straight up at the Pru in all its panoramic "beauty". I remember when they first proposed doing away with it, so many people here loved the idea..."waste of space", "better street wall activation". I wonder what people think now that we've had years of Under Armour and Tesla fronting that pretty sad excuse for a plaza. Worst of all, that bad ass statue is relegated to a playground in the hinterlands of Allston (I'm joking. I grew up next door in Brighton and have much love for the old neighborhood and a lot of the new stuff going on there).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top