Liberty Mutual Tower | 157 Berkeley Street | Back Bay
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
Is the bathroom still on the 2nd floor allllllll the way at the back, around something like 7 corners?
Is the bathroom still on the 2nd floor allllllll the way at the back, around something like 7 corners?
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
I don't think this has been posted before:
I don't think this has been posted before:
http://www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org/pdf/Liberty_Mutual_Announcement.pdf
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
It seems optimistic at least.
It seems optimistic at least.
I
InTheHood
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
The scary thing is that this isn't the first time that it's been left to more reasonable neighborhood residents to make obvious points about streetscape and urbanity on projects executed or proposed within a quarter mile of this one. It was the same with the discussion on Columbus Center and the same for project proposed for the former Jae's building further down Stuart ... ditto for One Charles, never mind the awful discussion about the Shreve building well-chronicled here in other threads. There are some nutty NIMBY comments at every public meeting, but often the residents are the ones pointing out the obvious.
This is the mind-blowingly awful aspect of the BRA. They are complete whores who do nothing to guide good urbanism, never mind good design. If the Mayor or one of his favored developers pushed a project that entailed putting a blank wall and a loading dock opposite the Common, Kairos Shen, Jay Rourke and Company would be there defending it ("it's the only practical location") or orchestrating a sham process to get it through.
It shouldn't be left to the great unwashed to note that an unrelieved "wall" down a long block is a bad idea. Or to note that the total absence of retail is a bit of a block-killer. Or to figure out how to best mitigate the gerbil tube. The BRA should be giving hard guidance on these basics before any proposal gets put onto whiteboards in front of the community. Indeed, if the BRA could earn itself some respect if it showed it was working to make things better. One of the reasons that the Seaport is so awful is that there aren't any residents there to crab about superblocks.
The scary thing is that this isn't the first time that it's been left to more reasonable neighborhood residents to make obvious points about streetscape and urbanity on projects executed or proposed within a quarter mile of this one. It was the same with the discussion on Columbus Center and the same for project proposed for the former Jae's building further down Stuart ... ditto for One Charles, never mind the awful discussion about the Shreve building well-chronicled here in other threads. There are some nutty NIMBY comments at every public meeting, but often the residents are the ones pointing out the obvious.
This is the mind-blowingly awful aspect of the BRA. They are complete whores who do nothing to guide good urbanism, never mind good design. If the Mayor or one of his favored developers pushed a project that entailed putting a blank wall and a loading dock opposite the Common, Kairos Shen, Jay Rourke and Company would be there defending it ("it's the only practical location") or orchestrating a sham process to get it through.
It shouldn't be left to the great unwashed to note that an unrelieved "wall" down a long block is a bad idea. Or to note that the total absence of retail is a bit of a block-killer. Or to figure out how to best mitigate the gerbil tube. The BRA should be giving hard guidance on these basics before any proposal gets put onto whiteboards in front of the community. Indeed, if the BRA could earn itself some respect if it showed it was working to make things better. One of the reasons that the Seaport is so awful is that there aren't any residents there to crab about superblocks.
commuter guy
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
^^Well stated. There seems to be a vacuum at the city when it comes to design review. I recall member(s) of the Boston Landmarks expressing dismay and surprise at a public hearing regarding the intial proposed Shreve design which had sailed through the Boston Civic Design Commission's review.
^^Well stated. There seems to be a vacuum at the city when it comes to design review. I recall member(s) of the Boston Landmarks expressing dismay and surprise at a public hearing regarding the intial proposed Shreve design which had sailed through the Boston Civic Design Commission's review.
AmericanFolkLegend
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
Great points IntheHood.
Does anyone know whose responsibility it is to consider things like interaction with the street? Is it the BRA, the ZBA, the BCDC?
Great points IntheHood.
Does anyone know whose responsibility it is to consider things like interaction with the street? Is it the BRA, the ZBA, the BCDC?
briv
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
It's encouraging that people are finally calling the BRA out on their atrocious planning job. As the city's planning agency, the BRA is either completely inept or completely corrupt.
The BCDC is supposed to be the city's aesthetic final line of defense, protecting us from terrible design. You can see how well that's working out. Like I've said before, if a 400' blank black wall looming over Boston's most treasured public spaces can get by them, what can't? They're essentially a rubber stamp.
It's encouraging that people are finally calling the BRA out on their atrocious planning job. As the city's planning agency, the BRA is either completely inept or completely corrupt.
The BCDC is supposed to be the city's aesthetic final line of defense, protecting us from terrible design. You can see how well that's working out. Like I've said before, if a 400' blank black wall looming over Boston's most treasured public spaces can get by them, what can't? They're essentially a rubber stamp.
czsz
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
The mayor, when he's on his game, is doing the kinds of things the BCDC should be doing - demanding a top on 111 Huntington, issuing an edict to rip off the crappy first facade of the Commonwealth Hotel, etc. This level of scrutiny should be applied to all Boston buildings, and not by him.
The mayor, when he's on his game, is doing the kinds of things the BCDC should be doing - demanding a top on 111 Huntington, issuing an edict to rip off the crappy first facade of the Commonwealth Hotel, etc. This level of scrutiny should be applied to all Boston buildings, and not by him.
briv
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
I agree. There is something deeply deeply wrong with the planning apparatus in this city.
Walking around the Seaport for example, I'm absolutely flabbergasted at how bad it really is. And I'm not just talking about crappy concrete paneled architecture. This area is urbanistically depraved.
How are streets like these being created in 21st century Boston?
And you can see Fallon following his same formula for Fan Pier:
This is an utter failure of the city's planning agencies, and it goes far beyond the Seaport. The fact that they let Liberty Mutual even bring this plan as-is to the neighborhood is testament to the BRA's uselessness and incompetence.
I agree. There is something deeply deeply wrong with the planning apparatus in this city.
Walking around the Seaport for example, I'm absolutely flabbergasted at how bad it really is. And I'm not just talking about crappy concrete paneled architecture. This area is urbanistically depraved.
How are streets like these being created in 21st century Boston?
And you can see Fallon following his same formula for Fan Pier:
This is an utter failure of the city's planning agencies, and it goes far beyond the Seaport. The fact that they let Liberty Mutual even bring this plan as-is to the neighborhood is testament to the BRA's uselessness and incompetence.
Shepard
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
Can the ground floors of these buildings be repurposed for retail in the future? Is it possible? Might the Liberty Wharf crowds convince the owners that they may be sitting on some valuable and, as of now, completely wasted streetscapes? I think there's some cause for optimism - it's the ground floor uses that are all wrong, not the actual streets themselves (with exceptions, including the Atlanta-style parking garage entrances).
Can the ground floors of these buildings be repurposed for retail in the future? Is it possible? Might the Liberty Wharf crowds convince the owners that they may be sitting on some valuable and, as of now, completely wasted streetscapes? I think there's some cause for optimism - it's the ground floor uses that are all wrong, not the actual streets themselves (with exceptions, including the Atlanta-style parking garage entrances).
blade_bltz
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
I'm glad you got snapped some pics of the actual "Park Ln", Briv. I was there the other day and absolutely flabbergasted at what I saw.
I'm glad you got snapped some pics of the actual "Park Ln", Briv. I was there the other day and absolutely flabbergasted at what I saw.
Ron Newman
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
It looks to me like some of the problem here is simply that the first floor storefronts are unrented. The photos remind me a bit of First Street in Cambridge, where all the new developments had mandatory storefronts, but the landlords were never able to fill them effectively and many either remained vacant or were converted to office or institutional uses.
It looks to me like some of the problem here is simply that the first floor storefronts are unrented. The photos remind me a bit of First Street in Cambridge, where all the new developments had mandatory storefronts, but the landlords were never able to fill them effectively and many either remained vacant or were converted to office or institutional uses.
AmericanFolkLegend
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
Thanks for those pictures Briv. The Seaport Master Plan: a symphony of ineptitude.
Is part of the problem the fact that most of the buildings are on megablocks? So instead of having discrete alleys that cut through larger blocks and serve as loading areas you end up with a building surrounded by four reasonably well-trafficked streets with one of those four being treated as a loading zone.
Thanks for those pictures Briv. The Seaport Master Plan: a symphony of ineptitude.
Is part of the problem the fact that most of the buildings are on megablocks? So instead of having discrete alleys that cut through larger blocks and serve as loading areas you end up with a building surrounded by four reasonably well-trafficked streets with one of those four being treated as a loading zone.
czsz
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
The lack of alleys could be an issue, sure, but New York has no alleys and plenty of large buildings without loading docks emptying right onto the street.
I think it has a lot more to do with the fact that every one of these buildings absolutely "had" to have cavernous underground parking.
The lack of alleys could be an issue, sure, but New York has no alleys and plenty of large buildings without loading docks emptying right onto the street.
I think it has a lot more to do with the fact that every one of these buildings absolutely "had" to have cavernous underground parking.
briv
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
I don't know. I guess I'm more cynical. IMO, this is simply cheap, shit design made possible by lack of oversight or guidance. There wasn't one dollar spent here that didn't absolutely have to be. These streets criss-crossing Park Lane Residences should be some of the most premiere streets in the city. Harborview Lane has an unobstructed axis right to the harbor and look what they did to it--relegated it to a measly necrotic alleyway.
And Ron, those aren't unrented storefronts. Notice the conspicuous lack of doors. I don't know what's behind those window blinds, but it's not unrented retail space.
I don't know. I guess I'm more cynical. IMO, this is simply cheap, shit design made possible by lack of oversight or guidance. There wasn't one dollar spent here that didn't absolutely have to be. These streets criss-crossing Park Lane Residences should be some of the most premiere streets in the city. Harborview Lane has an unobstructed axis right to the harbor and look what they did to it--relegated it to a measly necrotic alleyway.
And Ron, those aren't unrented storefronts. Notice the conspicuous lack of doors. I don't know what's behind those window blinds, but it's not unrented retail space.
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion
Should the mayor get credit for the Commonwealth Hotel? I thought he was reacting to community outrage.
Should the mayor get credit for the Commonwealth Hotel? I thought he was reacting to community outrage.