Kenmore Square North (WHOOP) | 533-541 Commonwealth Ave | Fenway

[xec]

At least the hotel commonwealth isn't as bad as it originally was, I guess.

You can say that again! When the original was done I rushed out to see it and nearly had a conniption. It was like a tacky plastic Barbie play castle blown up to human scale.

 

[JeffDowntown]

You can say that again! When the original was done I rushed out to see it and nearly had a conniption. It was like a tacky plastic Barbie play castle blown up to human scale.

Is the Hotel Commonwealth the only time in history (at least that I know) where the BPDA (BRA) required the developer to reclad the building because they did such a horrible bait and switch?

 

[ccole]

From today:

 

[BeeLine]

IMG_8356 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_8365 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_8366 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_8369 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_8370 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_8371 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_8372 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

 

[ccole]

From tonight - crane is up:

 

[ccole]

From Wednesday, 7/22:

 

[ccole]

From yesterday:

 

[BeeLine]

IMG_9167 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_9172 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_9180 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_9177 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_9192 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_9194 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_9197 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_9199 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_9200 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

 

[BeeLine]

IMG_9174 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_9185 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_9186 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

IMG_9187 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

 

[jass]

IMG_9194 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

Oh lord.

 

[shmessy]

Oh lord.

Yup. On such an iconic location, Boston gets a mild serving of boiled meat............

If it's going to have to lose it's character and quirkiness at least Kenmore Square should have been made to come ALIVE. Instead, it is destined to be a missed opportunity.

 

[FormFollowsBudget]

It's not even remotely attempting to look like brick.

 

[RandomWalk]

Maybe it’s really Boston’s first 3D printed building...

 

[MjolnirMan]

It's not even remotely attempting to look like brick.

It's expertly manufactured by someone who has never seen and was only given the written description of a brick wall. "Red rectangles, stacked in a grid, got it."

 

[George_Apley]

Oof...

 

[nm88]

This is what we get for what we lost?

 

[stick n move]

Its a “sampler” because its a sample of the facade. The window width is 4x as wide on the actual structure. Looks to be about 2x as tall also. Should break it up much more.

Not sayin its great, but the sampler is not an accurate representation of the scaling. A little window with 4 faux brick panels slapped on all 4 sides looks horrible, it will be better than that at least.

 

[Bananarama]

I have mixed feelings about it. It's not like the facade was ever going to be real brick masonry.
I'm more disappointed (still) by the bland punched windows that make it look like an office park building. This "brick" is 100x better than the default metal panels we could have gotten.

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

Oh, hey, look. The Waltham satellite office sprung for group Sox tickets and brought all the 128 traffic along with it.

 

[Life Coach Mike]

I hope this doesn't end up looking like the king of boring brick buildings: the transportation building in Park Sq. Too safe a facade for such a potentially important location.