Hong Lok House | 11-31 Essex Street | Chinatown

[Padre Mike]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

^Yes, yes!

 

[Boston02124]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

 

[JohnAKeith]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

 

[Lurker]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

Don't worry there is going to be BEAUTIFUL Alucobond to infill the precast masonry and trim the windows! /BRA /BCDC

 

[DowntownDave]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

The missing historic facade has been put in place:


20121120-PB200025 by NelsonAndBronte, on Flickr


20121120-PB200023 by NelsonAndBronte, on Flickr

 

[BeeLine]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown


Hong Lok 11/29

 

[commuter guy]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

^ It may not be architectually authentic, but gimme a facadomy anyday over the typical crap Boston is putting up these days.

 

[Padre Mike]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

Must say...looks good in this perspective.

 

[Shepard]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

For the sake of argument:

What would the area have been like if all FiDi towers were built on or inside of original prewar facades?

Probably better.

 

[statler]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

I think the Summer St facade of 101 Arch answers that question perfectly.

 

[Shepard]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

Are those just facades? I thought those were essentially intact buildings with 101 behind them...

If I'm correct then the difference between that frontage and Hong Luk will be that Hong Luk will be aesthetic only, not diversified uses and storefronts along a stretch.

 

[AmericanFolkLegend]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

Hong Luk will be aesthetic only

Similar to Exchange Place.
That's one facedectomy that conflicts me. I love the old BSE building, but man the transition to the glass tower is clumsy.

 

[statler]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

Are those just facades? I thought those were essentially intact buildings with 101 behind them...

I seem to remember seeing a photo of the facades being propped up with steel girders. I could be wrong though or maybe they rebuilt the buildings to tie in better with 101?

 

[DowntownDave]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

They are just facades. The smaller building was totally demolished and the facade put in storage.

 

[Padre Mike]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

101 Summer St...only the top story facades were kept, suspended on steel until everything else was filled in behind. Not even the first story storefronts are original. Only the brickwork and only 1-2 bricks deep.

 

[statler]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

Really? Well, they did a fantastic job of making them look like pre-war store fronts. I wouldn't have known.

 

[jass]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

Looked cooler when the giant metal bars were there

 

[statler]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

I'm not a fan of 101 Arch, but that block of Summer St is fantastic.

 

[Lurker]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

One has to appreciate how a poor subsidized elderly housing developer could afford the expense to save several of these lovely, yet relatively historically insignificant, facades; when just down the street, dirt poor, destitute, and almost homeless Ron Druker just can't afford to save the Shreve's building.

Think anyone at City Hall would notice that?

 

[briv]

Re: Hong Luk Project - Chinatown

^I've wondered the same thing so many times.

I think it's also sad that of all the things being built in this current boom that this simple half-assed reconstruction of Essex's streetwall is pretty much the best thing being built.