Fort Point Infill and Small Developments

quinninin said:
Post is spot on.......

However the more I think about the South Boston Seaport/ Fort point area, I think the real issue with many of these designs is scale. Many of these buildings currently being approved or constructed have footprints that are way to big. I would prefer to see maybe 2 or 3 buildings with a strong street front, instead of a massive 18 story chubby baby building.


What really got me thinking about context and scale was looking through Michael Graves designs, and seeing this building ( http://www.michaelgraves.com/architecture/project/hart-production-studios.html). This design has many of the elements common in Graves designs, but works better IMO than many of his designs, due to appropriate scale and context.

Also I have always thought the Seaport could really use buildings simmilar to the Alto Vetro which was built in Dublin recently. http://www.irisharchitectureawards..../winner/hanover-quay-sir-john-rogersons-quay/

Small footprint that allows the relatively short building to use its length in away many of the short stubby buildings in the seaport dont.

Sorry for the rant
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Qui -- Small footprints are not popular with big renters

If you want to lure a back-office operation of State Street or Fidelity -- you need big Acre + footpurints
 
I didn't realize the entire Seaport was being built as a warehouse district for excess FiDi employees.
 
The seaport is being turned into nothing but slightly more vertically stacked office park floor-plates. The same parking ratio as their suburban counterparts as well.
 
can someone re-post the rendering... the linked imaged seems to be broken.
 
Might be a stupid question but is the right side the parking garage?

Main reason why I ask this is that in the 100 Acre Plan, there is another building along A and Richards street in the USPS parcel, and the rest is a park. Wondering if that building is intended to be used as the garage or if the entire parcel is now going to be a park.
 
ParkerChris said:
Might be a stupid question but is the right side the parking garage? No it's part of the new building.

Main reason why I ask this is that in the 100 Acre Plan, there is another building along A and Richards street in the USPS parcel, and the rest is a park. Wondering if that building is intended to be used as the garage or if the entire parcel is now going to be a park.
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The parking garage will be southeast of the new building abuting the South Boston Bypass Road. It will be between Richards Street and West 1st Street.
They propose to build a new avenue (Medallion Ave.) between the parking garage and the new park which abuts A Street.
 
BeeLine said:
The parking garage will be southeast of the new building abuting the South Boston Bypass Road. It will be between Richards Street and West 1st Street.
They propose to build a new avenue (Medallion Ave.) between the parking garage and the new park which abuts A Street.
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Cool.. I think that follows the 100 Acre Plan which is nice to see.
 
So one out of the so called 100 (88 or so I believe) acres will be per the approved document? I guess that's still a better percentage than Albert Pujols is toting right now....
 
SeamusMcFly said:
So one out of the so called 100 (88 or so I believe) acres will be per the approved document? I guess that's still a better percentage than Albert Pujols is toting right now....
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Most of the development in Fort Point right now (and there is a lot), is to existing buildings. The only "new" development other than this project is 319 A Rear, which is the first building to be built according to the plan.

Not singling you out in any way, but it's a bit contradicting to say that development in this area is not following plan, and then cry "too many parks" when a new project comes about. Take a look at the doc that's been approved for years.
 
SeamusMcFly said:
So one out of the so called 100 (88 or so I believe) acres will be per the approved document? I guess that's still a better percentage than Albert Pujols is toting right now....
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"In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless but planning is indispensable."

General of the Armies Dwight David Eisenhower
 
Man. Can't a guy be sarcastic anymore....? And, with a topical sports tie in to boot, that will be so dated in 3 weeks.

I will cry too many parks often enough however, or at least when they are built. Such as over at Seaport Square where they are building a park before any building, occupants or residents. I understand making it look like there's progress but that's just silly.
 
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The Elinore is berthed on the east side of the Museum Barge. She already has a lot of her three masts.
 
Yeah, took a walk through town on Saturday and noticed we got 2 out of 3 boats on site now.
When does this thing open?
 
Mixed feelings. I always eyeballed that place wishing it was still like a neighborhood deli or diner. Perfect building for a greasy spoon.

On the other hand, I really like Ming and fondly remember watching his show east meets west with my mother many years back.

Sounds too expensive for me as usual....
 
SeamusMcFly said:
Mixed feelings. I always eyeballed that place wishing it was still like a neighborhood deli or diner. Perfect building for a greasy spoon.

On the other hand, I really like Ming and fondly remember watching his show east meets west with my mother many years back.

Sounds too expensive for me as usual....
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For a long time it was a neighborhood deli/pizza place. THE WORST DELI EVER! I made the mistake of getting a tuna salad sandwich there. I found mayonnaise and a hair - never did see any tuna. But I agree Seamus, there aren't enough "neighborhood" eateries in the Fort Point.
 
The old A Street Deli was a pretty good Greek/Irish greasy spoon for a while, but it really took a turn for the worse around 1998 and didn't last much longer if I remember correctly.
I fully agree, even though I no longer work there, the area needs a real neighborhood eatery.
I've always felt that the building needed to be torn down and replaced with a taller building to help make the lower end of Melcher into a street that would at least do justice to its upper end.
 
BeeLine said:
Another new eatery for Fort Point and a great use for an old building.
http://www.bostonherald.com/busines...adds_to_development_wave/srvc=home&position=6
Now they need to clean up the A Street underpass and make it pedestrian friendly.
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BeeLine

I think the idea of roof top alfresco in that location is great

cfdec4_071612ming.jpg


Hopefully, the deck will feature some tents, IR heaters and such for extended season dining al fresco
 
The roofdeck dining may face a few hurdles.

The BRA recently approved a change from retail use to private residential for the ENTIRE ground floor of the building facing Ming Tsai's roofdeck (63 Melcher).

Then the BRA approved a proposed private use for the building next to 63 Melcher (51 Melcher). That makes two inactive ground floors, one residential.

Couple that with the entire dead block the BRA approved around the corner (288-300 A St.), once bustling with civic and cultural uses on the ground floor, now completely walled off with a main entrance around the corner.

The BRA gaveled in each of these ridiculous approvals in the face of a torrent of comment letters from residents and organizations calling for active ground floor uses at each of these buildings. To no avail.

The fun never ends.
 
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