Landmark Ctr. Expansion Plans | Fenway

I wait at the Fenway station every morning for my commute and it boggles my mind why there isn't an entrance from the Emerald Necklace path and Park Drive southbound. From the Emerald Necklace there's maybe 50 feet separating the existing path and the station... all they would have to do is open up a section of the fence and put a path over that dead-end track (pitured here) that is used for storage.

From Park Drive southbound they could add a stairwell at the same spot I linked above. I can't think of a reason why they haven't done/won't do it (besides ineptitude).
 
FenwayResident said:
I wait at the Fenway station every morning for my commute and it boggles my mind why there isn't an entrance from the Emerald Necklace path and Park Drive southbound. From the Emerald Necklace there's maybe 50 feet separating the existing path and the station... all they would have to do is open up a section of the fence and put a path over that dead-end track (pitured here) that is used for storage.

From Park Drive southbound they could add a stairwell at the same spot I linked above. I can't think of a reason why they haven't done/won't do it (besides ineptitude).
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I'm not even sure why they built that storage track. It's unpowered...all they can use it for is stuffing diesel work equipment like the rail grinder (which gets shipped in from out-of-town and only does a subway tour like once every 2 years) or those hi-rail pickup trucks. I've never seen anything parked there. I imagine because they don't move stuff onto it until a few hours before the graveyard shift only on nights they need to do something special in the subway.

They can probably get rid of that altogether and claim the whole area for pedestrian space.

Even if they didn't I don't see any liability reason they can't put in a pedestrian grade crossing over it and chain-link fence the rest. Any time it's in use there's going to be a crew onsite directing traffic.
 
I think there is a plan to extend a bike path from fenway center to the emerald necklace. I would think that track would have to go to make that happen.
 
Czervik.Construction said:
Wow, I thought there was only going to be one building built on the site - the glass one near the tracks. Really cool to see that there are plans for 3 buildings.
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Cerv -- there were some earlier postings showing some preliminary renderings [a bit ambiguous to be sure] which did show 3 new buildings and even included some floor plans for several floors

By the way -- as the Dos Equis Most Interesting Man in the World says in one of the recent commercials -- “If the only thing that comes off at the unmasking hour is the mask, you've done something wrong" --- Well if the Green Line Station doesn't provide a weather-resistant pedestrian path to the Food Hall and rest of the retail and cinemas in the re-renovated "Sears" building then the architects are missing something critical
 
They'll be done with this project before the first pile is driven at Fenway Center.
 
JohnKeith said:
They'll be done with this project before the first pile is driven at Fenway Center.
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In about 5 years the Park will be essentially back to what it was when Olmsted finished the first cut at the Fens and the Muddy River

The overall complex at that prime intersection will be Pru in scale [foot-print wise] -- the place will be totally unrecognizable to someone from the 1970's, 1980's
 
FenwayResident said:
And all the other major intersections it crosses... Comm Ave, Brookline Ave, Riverway, Huntington Ave
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true but the pike is definitely the worst it makes me mad every time i drive by that area. They could have buried it and preserved the park allowing a nearly continuous park from franklin park all the way to the charles and the common. in stead it just ends completely unspectacularly, the sections do not truly feel connected (which they still do at the other crossings).
 
coleslaw said:
true but the pike is definitely the worst it makes me mad every time i drive by that area. They could have buried it and preserved the park allowing a nearly continuous park from franklin park all the way to the charles and the common. in stead it just ends completely unspectacularly, the sections do not truly feel connected (which they still do at the other crossings).
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They can get close. If the Landmark path can make a grade-separated connection to Brookline Ave. that only leaves you walking your bike across Kenmore-proper and hitting the nearest Back St. footbridge to reach the Esplanade. If they erect another footbridge off Deerfield St. or do it off Charlesgate when they demolish the Bowker and compact the ramp maze...then put saturation signage pointing the way across those blocks...that's pretty damn good. The problem today is that the Necklace grade separation ends at Park Dr., requires very non-intuitive zigzagging on speed trap streets to get to the BU Beach or (your only choice for ramps instead of stairs) Silber Way footbridges, and has no signage giving directions. Getting to the heart of Kenmore significantly shortens the gap and makes traversing it potentially a lot more direct and a lot less intimidating.

From the Fens side you can make the Pike overpass a lot less intimidating in the post-Bowker era by fattening the sidewalks and shoulders significantly for better bike lane + ped access with the bridge needing a lot less road capacity after the Bowker induced demand is gone. Maybe even having a jump-off ramp on the Newbury-Kenmore side, bike-striping and sidewalk-fattening that dank stretch of Newbury, and putting good signage there pointing the way to the Landmark path right off Brookline Ave. Close the gaps to just a few city blocks, make the roads less intimidating, and put intuitive signage there and people will realize how close these interconnections are and use them.


Nothing big. Other than doing the Landmark-Necklace connection right there's nothing to do here except accentuating the presentation a bit.
 
That's probably for boylston west. This hasn't even come close to approval yet.
 
I don't think so, at least I hope not. My guess is this was more about them not wanting to shove this thing in there, which speaks more to Menino and the BRA than it does about the projects themselves.

This is still a good project IMO that contributes to the growth and development of this district, so I'm hopeful it will still get approved and built eventually.
 
^I agree, the neighborhood and Sameuls seem to have a good relationship, its a good project, and it gets rid of those parking lots. Unless Walsh turns out to be super anti-development I don't think this one will have issues.

Plus, he's got what, three more projects to finish (plus the restoration of the Sears facade) before this one gets going? Its not like a delay in approvals is hindering construction.
 
davem said:
^I agree, the neighborhood and Sameuls seem to have a good relationship, its a good project, and it gets rid of those parking lots. Unless Walsh turns out to be super anti-development I don't think this one will have issues.

Plus, he's got what, three more projects to finish (plus the restoration of the Sears facade) before this one gets going? Its not like a delay in approvals is hindering construction.
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"Unless Walsh turns out to be super anti-development" -- that would be equivalent to Superman being a collector of Kryptonite

Walsh is a creature of BIG LABOR -- if the unions want it --He's for it -- ever seen a development that the Building Trades opposed?

I see Walsh channeling Frank "No SW Expressway" -- standing on the steps of the statehouse surrounded by the Union Guys with a bullhorn shouting "You Want Park Plaza -- I want Park Plaza"

http://mlamedia01.wgbh.org/bostonlocaltv/wcvb/images/2394_01384_thumbnail.jpg
Both-plans2.jpg

6/28/1974
 
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Excellent! Glad this one is approved. It's a fantastic project, activating all sorts of dead and unused space and is a clear win-win for the city.
 
aaaaaa said:
Many on this board will say that increased supply will help lower prices, but let's be honest, Boston is nowhere near any kind of supply and demand equilibrium.
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I don't know, considering we lack extreme regulation a la rent control, I think we are damn close to supply and demand equilibrium. You/we/one might not like how high the equilibrium point is, but if anything the only market distortion we have is the affordable housing requirement which keeps prices artificially low.

There are a TON of high paying jobs in and around Boston. We are not New York for shear concentration of wealth, but there is no shortage of doctors, lawyers, financiers, engineers, entrepreneurs, etc who are all "new money" wealthy folks. They aren't competing with the "old money" types for mansions on Beacon Hill. They are competing with you/us for rehabed brownstones in the South End and new construction in the Fenway.
 
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