Future Boston Alliance

underground said:
You realize Wrigley is tiny compared to Gillette, right? And that Wrigley gets used 82 times during the summer while the Pats play fewer than 10 games during the fall and winter?
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Like I said it all depends on PLANNING.....VISION, IDEA the Design,
Maybe Kraft, BRA, Mayor could have been real creative with the area.
Its all about People.
Maybe it could have been 10 times better than Wrigley maybe not.
Instead of the plan we got a political backlash against Kraft.

This would have made the most economic sense for the city of Boston long-term thats a fact.
 
There's already a thread on this in "Design a Better Boston" and it hasn't been overwhelmingly poisoned by bs. Let's continue the convo there?
 
OK, all this stadium talk is getting me hammered and my boss is starting to ask questions. There is also about 5 other threads to have the stadium debate (you could also have had it a decade ago).

I think the more interesting (and critical) point raised in the video add they put out on youtube is that they are combating the old idea of "if you don't like it then leave", which is not conducive to constructing a globally attractive and competitive city. For all the pessimism and things like the T stopping at 1230 and lack of 24 hour gyms, Boston is a both of these things at this moment in time, otherwise people would not be having a debate on how things can change to make it even moreso. I think there is a societal and demographic shift to a more global, 24 hour world that Boston needs strong leadership to thrive in.

Most of the change doesnt need to be the ground alter change that defined the 20th century, it needs to be a change in thinking for life in the 21st. A better maintained, run, and expansive transit system will not happen without this change in mindset. the lack of 24 hour gyms, city officials limiting the type of dancing inside a club, and unneccessary licensing are all reflections of this old mindset that people leave work at 5, the bar at 6, and the dinner table at 7. The city needs a governing structure to both control and foster a transformation. With this transformation comes an idea that density and height aren't inherently evil- that being up and out a 3 am doesn't mean that you are up to know good.

Menino served good purpose, and I think has been a demonstrably net positive for the city despite all his faults and those that come with such a long hold on power. A 65, 70? year old man can only produce so much transformational change- and I think he is trying after being pushed by many companies, but we need new leadership. I hope he doesn't run again, leaves the city in the midst of a good building boom, and a new, young, and dynamic candidate that can embody these issues emerges. I actually had a lot of hope for Sam Yoon when he ran and thought he would do great.

{Sorry for the somewhat rambling, diatribe. I have been thinking of sitting down and writing a more coherent, formal essay on these issues, but haven't found the time. stream of conscience will have to suffice for now-apologies}
 
Identifying a candidate is definitely one of the largest issues. Menino's political operation is gigantic, so you're asking who has the motivation and who has a solid base already in place. Connolly? Mike Ross? Maybe Tobin gets back in politics? Pressley or Jackson would be good, but I think it's probably a few years too soon for them.

Then again, maybe Menino decides not to run again. Then the race would be wide open. You couldn't even get odds on it.
 
TheRifleman said:
Like I said it all depends on PLANNING.....VISION, IDEA the Design,
Maybe Kraft, BRA, Mayor could have been real creative with the area.
Its all about People.
Maybe it could have been 10 times better than Wrigley maybe not.
Instead of the plan we got a political backlash against Kraft.

This would have made the most economic sense for the city of Boston long-term thats a fact.
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Riff -- calm down -- your firing is at random - -start-ups and stadiums have noting in common except for the first two letters st

Whether you agree with the specifics of the design or not -- the SPID as currently conceived of by both the BRA and Massport is the highest value use for the site.

The City, Massport and the BCEC operators seek to create a mixed community with entertainment, residences, research and development, hotels, conventions, some tradiional industry and traditional business.

The key to the success of the SPID is its location - it has a high profile on the edge of the DID, it has high visibility from Logan and the harbon and it benefits from superb transportation access to Logan and the Interstate Highway System. The current owners of the properties should selll selective sites to get a number of other developers involved who have some different visions and the development of the SPID needs to be measured and deliberate over the next 20 years to not fall into a development fad.

If they follow the above process -- i think that the SPID can be a succcess -- not just convert parking lots into another area around a stadium and while probably not another Kendall Sq. -- it possibly could become another Boylston part of the Back Bay.
 
Some practical questions:

While I can see the FBA fomenting some movement against Menino cronyism, what leverage do you think they can pull against some of the agencies or laws outside of the city's control? For example, to think of two, MBTA expansion/funding and the Liquor Licence Regime (and associated blue laws)?
 
TheRifleman said:
It depends how it was planned.......With the right people in place the area might have reflected a Wrigley field type area for Boston?
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underground said:
You realize Wrigley is tiny compared to Gillette, right? And that Wrigley gets used 82 times during the summer while the Pats play fewer than 10 games during the fall and winter?
Click to expand...

He likely doesn't realize this, nor more importantly, that we already have our own Wrigly field type area for Boston.
 
underground said:
Identifying a candidate is definitely one of the largest issues. Menino's political operation is gigantic, so you're asking who has the motivation and who has a solid base already in place. Connolly? Mike Ross? Maybe Tobin gets back in politics? Pressley or Jackson would be good, but I think it's probably a few years too soon for them.

Then again, maybe Menino decides not to run again. Then the race would be wide open. You couldn't even get odds on it.
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Connolly and Ross, from my limited knowledge, seem like Mini-MEninos (haha, trademark). Is Menino for sure running? is that established?
 
Shepard said:
Some practical questions:

While I can see the FBA fomenting some movement against Menino cronyism, what leverage do you think they can pull against some of the agencies or laws outside of the city's control? For example, to think of two, MBTA expansion/funding and the Liquor Licence Regime (and associated blue laws)?
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They're targeting the city now but they could presumably pivot to targeting the state just as easily.
 
HenryAlan said:
He likely doesn't realize this, nor more importantly, that we already have our own Wrigly field type area for Boston.
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Really.......Yeah the BRA did wonders with Kenmore Square and the same goes with North Station. I actually like the Boston Garden better. The area actually had character with the Green elavated Train.

The new area of North Station is a disgrace. Terrible Planning.
 
TheRifleman said:
Like I said it all depends on PLANNING.....VISION, IDEA the Design,
Maybe Kraft, BRA, Mayor could have been real creative with the area.
Its all about People.
Maybe it could have been 10 times better than Wrigley maybe not.
Instead of the plan we got a political backlash against Kraft.
Click to expand...

Van, can we move this to the "Rambling Confusion" thread. Or maybe the "Stream of Consciousness" thread. Or I guess we could start an "Aimless Babble of a Madman" thread.
 
TheRifleman said:
Really.......Yeah the BRA did wonders with Kenmore Square and the same goes with North Station. I actually like the Boston Garden better. The area actually had character with the Green elavated Train.

The new area of North Station is a disgrace. Terrible Planning.
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Was talking about the area behind Kenmore Square, called the Fenway.
 
AmericanFolkLegend said:
Van, can we move this to the "Rambling Confusion" thread. Or maybe the "Stream of Consciousness" thread. Or I guess we could start an "Aimless Babble of a Madman" thread.
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The entire Thread of the Future Boston Alliance is nothing more than whining that the Mayor is not playing fair. So what is your point that Aimless Babble should be removed. Then remove the thread because the article is nothing more than complaining about Politics. I did not start this thread.

Maybe you should focus your time on other threads instead of reading my babble.
 
underground said:
Soccer in a Football stadium is horrible and the reason MLS is pushing it's franchises to build their own spots. The Revs are one of the only hold outs and it isn't exactly helping the team.
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I'll agree with the fact that a football stadium in downtown wouldn't be the best idea but they could fill the stadium with college football, similar to how UMASS Amherst is now using Gillete Stadium for their home games.
 
KentXie said:
I'll agree with the fact that a football stadium in downtown wouldn't be the best idea but they could fill the stadium with college football, similar to how UMASS Amherst is now using Gillete Stadium for their home games.
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I can agree with you the problem is the Football Stadium would be in the Seaport District. Downtown has a hole in it.

I'm not saying that this would answer all the development ideas I'm just saying they should have listened.
 
Not to further derail this into stadium talk, but if you're going to find some use other than the Pats to make it vibrant enough to justify using scarce downtown real estate, it should probably be something that happens during a different time of year.
 
The city of Boston is not developing into a Entrepreneur architectural free spirited capitalistic city.
We are kept back by bureaucrats that continue to guide the city development platform. The Boston Skyline looks Ancient
Does Menino have a development or architecture degree? I'm assuming no but he determines what's built and what isn't in the city of Boston. Isn't that a little warped?

I guarantee most of the nitwits at the BRA couldn't even spell Entrepreneur or architectural without using Google since the majority of the employees are political favors.
 
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