Hall of Shame Nominees

[datadyne007]

I agree it is hideous, but it was built in 2003.. doesn't stuff have to be at least like 10 years old before we can enshrine it as one of the worst in the city?

Primary colors randomly slapped on to the facade of a primary school. Oh, so deep.

 

[gooseberry]

Silver Line between South Station and Logan
It's an inefficient, inadequate and compromised all around waste of money and missed oppurtunity. If you can't do it right, don't do it at all. Those huge shiny stations are ridiculous. All for a freaking bus that trundles along at walking speed. The whole thing pisses me off.

 

[Justin7]

1-2-3 Center Plaza. This thing is wider than even the Congress Street Garage and virtually encapsulates the John Adams Courthouse, itself a beautiful 19th century building.

 

[Lrfox]

Silver Line between South Station and Logan
It's an inefficient, inadequate and compromised all around waste of money and missed oppurtunity. If you can't do it right, don't do it at all. Those huge shiny stations are ridiculous. All for a freaking bus that trundles along at walking speed. The whole thing pisses me off.

I't embarrassing stopping at the WTC station (and sometimes the Courthouse stop) with people who have just arrived in BOS from elsewhere. You sit there with the doors open and what feels like crickets chirping.

Good nomination.

 

[datadyne007]

I't embarrassing stopping at the WTC station (and sometimes the Courthouse stop) with people who have just arrived in BOS from elsewhere. You sit there with the doors open and what feels like crickets chirping.

Good nomination.

While I agree that the architecture is completely unnecessarily monumental (albeit beautiful, Courthouse, mainly), their main purpose is to serve the ICA, which is unfortunately the only thing down there at the moment worth going to. I really think Louis is going to regret their move to Fan Pier.

I agree with the nomination for the Silver Line, though. It's pathetic.

 

[Lrfox]

While I agree that the architecture is completely unnecessarily monumental (albeit beautiful, Courthouse, mainly), their main purpose is to serve the ICA, which is unfortunately the only thing down there at the moment worth going to. I really think Louis is going to regret their move to Fan Pier.

I agree with the nomination for the Silver Line, though. It's pathetic.

It's just usually so empty. Hopefully in 15 years we can say, "they were building for the future" as the station will be abuzz with activity (worth of the architecture). Hopefully by then it will be a light rail line pulling into the station too.

 

[unterbau]

Orange Line Rolling Stock

 

[palindrome]

Orange Line Rolling Stock

seconded.

 

[datadyne007]

While Orange Line rolling stock is unpleasant now to ride on, it has withstood many years of use. I don't think it's fair to throw it into the Hall of Shame.

The reason the Orange Line is the last to get new rolling stock is because it was the last heavy-rail system to have ATC waypoints installed on the tracks. Now that the tracks and tracking system are up-to-date (this is what allows real-time data), new stock can be purchased. This is what the woman at the MBTA told me when I toured the OCC. She said they're expecting to purchase new stock in a few years.

 

[Pierce]

While Orange Line rolling stock is unpleasant now to ride on, it has withstood many years of use. I don't think it's fair to throw it into the Hall of Shame.

The reason the Orange Line is the last to get new rolling stock is because it was the last heavy-rail system to have ATC waypoints installed on the tracks. Now that the tracks and tracking system are up-to-date (this is what allows real-time data), new stock can be purchased. This is what the woman at the MBTA told me when I toured the OCC. She said they're expecting to purchase new stock in a few years.

As a daily (in the winter anyway) Orange Line commuter once I got over the 1-in-20 or so occurence of a frozen door, the orange line cars are not all that bad, aesthetic atrocities aside. On more than one occasion, seeing a rust freckled beast squeal into a station has led my mind to consider the maintenance that has gone into the millions of miles these have logged over the decades-- its pretty impressive actually, my hat is off to the clever men and women that keep these things held together.

 

[CDubs]

1-2-3 Center Plaza. This thing is wider than even the Congress Street Garage and virtually encapsulates the John Adams Courthouse, itself a beautiful 19th century building.

Enthusiastically seconded!

 

[briv]

BUMC Yawkey Ambulatory Care Center (overhangs Mass Ave.)
Copley Plaza Complex
Back Bay Sheraton Boston
Four Seasons Hotel
One Exeter Plaza (Darth Vader Bldg)
Copley BPL Johnson Building
South Bay Mall

 

[datadyne007]

BUMC Yawkey Ambulatory Care Center (overhangs Mass Ave.)
Copley Plaza Complex
Back Bay Sheraton Boston
Four Seasons Hotel
One Exeter Plaza (Darth Vader Bldg)
Copley BPL Johnson Building
South Bay Mall

Why should Copley Place be in the Hall of Shame? It's an incredibly successful mall that is linked to an even more successful one, with 2 of Boston's most popular hotels (Westin Copley Place and Boston Marriott: Copley Place) and an office complex. They even linked it to Back Bay, which was brilliant. It's a destination for Boston residents and tourists alike.

Edit: I realize the exterior quality is a little lacking, but the interior spacial arrangements are so rich.

 

[czsz]

the interior spacial arrangements are so rich

I'm surprised you haven't nominated the Burlington Mall for the Hall of Fame, then. Or is South Shore Plaza more your speed?

 

[datadyne007]

I'm surprised you haven't nominated the Burlington Mall for the Hall of Fame, then. Or is South Shore Plaza more your speed?

Oh c'mon. Those are just suburbia malls. Don't get silly now. Copley Place has a nice mixed-use urban arrangement. On a side note, my favorite mall architecture is Arrowstreet's CambridgeSide Galleria, but looking at Copley Place, everything just works very well. It's just too bad it doesn't have a lot of street retail, but it's in a very awkward situation due to the Mass Pike. I wouldn't put it in the Hall of Fame, but I don't think it's quite Hall of Shame-worthy either.

 

[czsz]

I honestly don't see how Copley Place is much better than a suburban mall. Because it has a hotel on top? Because you can walk into it from the street? Fine, but designwise it's the same.

CambridgeSide isn't much better.

 

[Shepard]

Copley is a true nightmare at street level, but a very successful mixed-use indoor street in its own right. Along with the Prudential Center they serve a useful purpose in the city. Of course I do often think, as I walk through these spaces, about how they are not truly "public" - subtle and not-so-subtle cues are meant to define the space as exclusionary and curtail any public gathering that could be contrary to the capitalist interests of the shopping plaza. But then again, to have an indoor shopping plaza that is mixed-use and T-accessible is an overall benefit to the retail mix in the city.

I have a bit more of a problem with Cambridgeside, although I think its future success as a more urban destination rather than a suburban interloper depends on the transformation of McGrath and the surrounding NorthPoint development.

 

[DominusNovus]

The Copley-Westin-Prudential conglomeration is a fantastic way to get around that area while staying out of the elements. I do agree that it does feel 'not-public,' though that could largely be because I normally use them in that fashion when I'm drunk, late at night.