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

Some changes going on down in Kenmore. Haven’t seen the Square this fresh vanilla, rocky road, chocolate, peanut butter, cookie dough
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xec said:
Mmm...I don't know. People here constantly go on about how horrible this is, but it doesn't look that bad. Still not seen it IRL, but for me it sort of works, even the WHOOP.
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Along with the tragedy of what it replaced........3 off the top of my head:

1) The pre-fab brickwork is cheap and flimsy looking. Compare it to the detailing on the buildings to either side of it.

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2) The windows...........need I say more?

3) And, for that particular corner location, given the context, the fact that it doesn't have an at least 2 story pedestrian sidewalk retail/entertainmentpresence is a travesty. This is Kenmore freaking Square, not Main Street in Waltham.

The entire building is the architectural equivalent of a beige polyester leisure suit.
 
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....and before someone chimes in with, "Hey, it's a lab building, it has to be that way", there SHOULDN'T BE A LAB on one of the most iconic corner lots in all of Boston, surrounded by hotels, student dorms, restaurants and entertainment venues. We haven't run out of room in Somerville, Allston/Brighton, Chelsea, Watertown, etc. Hopefully, Mayor Wu does replace the BPDA and get someone in there who can respect the unique texture of this city and LEVERAGE it's uniqueness, while allowing EVEN MORE lab construction (I'm very pro-lab) in the right areas (and, yes, I'm looking directly at YOU, new lab building now stupidly proposed on the Greenway across the street from the new State Street HQ).
 
I'm not quite as mad as when the Hotel Commonwealth went up. That first iteration was a super plastic tacky disaster. The 2nd iteration was better, but not by much. I get so tired of the bait and switch with renderings. It all comes down to quality materials. The most horrible design is made passable by quality materials. This Whoops Building has neither quality design nor quality materials.
 
Does anyone have any close up pictures of the original hotel commonwealth facade? I was only 13 when it was built so I never got to see it in person. This is the only picture I can find and the only real difference I can see is the roof color and the pointy accents over the windows. Ive always heard how crappy it was but Ive never really seen any clear examples.

Original render
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Original facade
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Current facade
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I remember when they built it, and the backlash, but I don't know if I ever saw it in person. It's pretty amazing that they spent the money to redo the facade. Would love to know how that happened.
 
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