Fan Pier Developments | Seaport

Filling it was a good idea; its just too bad that this particular filling came too late, and instead of knitting the South End with South Boston/Dorchester with a tight street arrangement, we ended up with an industrial no-man's land.
 
As a side note, I am aghast (great word) at how massive the Convention Center looks in those aerials - its footprint is almost as big as the Common's.
 
JSic said:
Filling it was a good idea; its just too bad that this particular filling came too late, and instead of knitting the South End with South Boston/Dorchester with a tight street arrangement, we ended up with an industrial no-man's land.
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There was a lot of filling in the 1960's and 1970's. It used to look like s and m's hypothetical rendering. The turntable Broadway Bridge used to get an occasional workout.

South Bay/Fort Point Channel was filled because of a claimed need for industrial space. It was a "progressive" move, viewed at the time as being akin to filling in a defective cesspool.
 
If you think the BCEC is big, be happy we haven't ended up with an Orlando or Chicago-style behemoth (yet).
 
it's a shame they didn't put it underground like they have in SF...maintains the street grid. You don't really need sunlight in convention halls anyway.
 
vanshnookenraggen said:
Not Dorchester Bay, South Bay. Dorchester Bay is south of Columbia Point.



I really have no idea what you are talking about. Historic Preservation is mostly a late 20th Century phenomenon. They filled in these areas for economic growth during the 19th century and early 20th. And the South Bay was heavily polluted at the time as well so filling it in was seen as a public health issue.
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I should have wrote it differently but what I meant was by filling in that side completely it destroyed the last shred of what the geography of boston origionally looked like. I know there was only a tiny piece of land connecting it origionally to the mainland, and what they did on the charles river side definately changed how it looked but it still left partially the look of what it used to be. They should have filled in on the other side but not 100% and left a little bit of water to keep some of the origional feel of boston.
 
The new Louis Boston at Fan Pier sure doesn't look temporary.
 
Unless they just clad it in marble it sure does to me. It looks about as long term as a strip mall.
 
today from 93 north and the south shore
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yesterday hazy
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JSic said:
As a side note, I am aghast (great word) at how massive the Convention Center looks in those aerials - its footprint is almost as big as the Common's.
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The aerials also demonstrate how important street level detail is. If you look at the distance from South Station to BCEC, it is comparable to the distance from Downtown Crossing to Park Square. Yet the former distance seems impossibly long, whereas the latter does not. I will happily walk from my office near park square to a client beyond downtown crossing. But I won't usually walk from South Station to BCEC or WTC. Why? The scale is wrong for walking. There may be sidewalks, there may be a reasonable distance, yet it is a mind numbingly boring expanse. Even walking to the courthouse is undesirable.
 
bdurden said:
a) Show me a strip mall that looks that good.

b) How often are strip malls replaced?
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Strip malls, not so often. But, the tenants within them.... all the time. I'm guessing that was the gyst of that statement. Haven't made the walk over yet. Maybe, right now.
 
I interpreted Van's statement as: It looks about as long term as a strip mall looks.
 
Via Fan Pier's Facebook page:

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LOUIS - March 10th - What a day !
Not a cloud in the sky - the sun shining brightly as progress continues on the new home of LOUIS. The new store peeks out over the green construction fencing at Fan Pier. The glass store front windows are installed - the sliders on the 2nd floor restaurant space are in - and the exterior wood installation continues.
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Sooner than you think you will be walking through the new front door of LOUIS.
(Right side of photo where plywood doors appear will soon be the new front door to LOUIS. Workmen on lift continue to work on the metal siding installation.)
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What a view !
Imagine yourself sitting on the 2nd floor terrace of the restaurant at LOUIS - overlooking the waterfront - after a very successful shopping spree.
Waterfront shopping and dining in Boston - at its finest!
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Wait - hold on. I'm liking the way this is shaping up. The exterior wood against shipping container siding is unique. I like the windows, and I like the second floor restaurant and patio.

I said a number of weeks ago that if this ends up surrounded by parking and suburban open space, this might as well be a Taco Bell. I still hold by that.

But judging from the success of Puma City, and bolstered by the ICA and the future Liberty Wharf, I'm beginning to get excited about the idea of a waterfront dominated by these ... pavilions. I do think that it's unique, and better than allowing Menino Stumps to take over the water's edge. A waterfront "pavilion district" could have great potential - if done right. Variety, small footprints, multiple uses, and nightlife. It could even be an anchor for future residents - should residences ever get built - and relegate disasters like One Marina Park Drive to background filler (important filler which would hold offices and ground floor retail). Most importantly, it might inspire some cutting edge architecture on the Seaport.

Cautiously optimistic.
 
I like your thinking Shepard. A pavillion district, that actually sounds really cool. We wouldn't have to rip anyone off. Convince PUMA City to come back. Organize it like a carnival, rather than a street grid. Organic planning. Problem is: how do you think LB will feel when their spectacular views are blocked by more shipping containers?
 
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