Liberty Mutual Tower | 157 Berkeley Street | Back Bay

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

DZH22 said:
Boston is not terribly well represented there (what exactly are we building right now that is worth sharing with the world anyway?) although there are some threads if you search for them by sorting. The A-M pictures section occasionally has some really good sets.

The other site worth visiting is skyscrapercity. It is more international, and has more content overall. I think Liberty Mutual has a thread there too (barely updated). Also, not to brag too much or anything, but I personally take credit for rescuing Boston in the skyline voting (11 votes of 10 and 0 votes for 3 or less since I started carpetbombing the page a couple years ago). http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=19705&page=18
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For some reason Tampa has its own section on skyscrapercity. I think it's laughable. Boston does get some coverage in the northeast section.
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

This picture is not doing this bridge justice. It's so transparent as to be virtually non-existent in person.







 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

Great to see....thanks for the pics!
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

that last one looks surreal! nice shot!
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

^^agreed...very cool!
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

fat_iron_aug_2012.jpg
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

I'm glad the building has the same cladding all around the building.
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

It looks like the base of a building that should be about 500 feet taller.
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

Maybe we can look forward to it getting Hearst Tower treatment in 80 or so years...
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

^I'll leave a note to my cryogenically frozen head to keep our eyes out. Stay tuned.

Seriously, I think a great opportunity was missed here for Liberty Mutual to consolidate their Boston operations into one building -- a skyscraper worthy of a Fortune 500 company. They could have then sold off their current buildings in the city. This would have been the ideal I think.

But in today's Boston you can't build a 800'-1000' tower next to another 800' tower. They didn't even bother proposing it. Instead we get a Fat Iron with 300' of dead streetwall and a gerbil tube.
 
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

If it was any taller, it might cast shadows on Boston Common at illegal times. Massachusetts General Law isn't worth fighting just to have one tower.
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

today
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<anyone know whats being built here?
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

^I suspect it's a retaining wall for the long-awaited park that was to be built on this parcel. I hope the wall is tall enough to block out turnpike noise.
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

Now that I see Liberty Mutual at this stage, I kind of wish it were as tall as the old John Handcock...with a nice hat!
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

Padre Mike said:
^I suspect it's a retaining wall for the long-awaited park that was to be built on this parcel. I hope the wall is tall enough to block out turnpike noise.
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I've noticed the sign for the park for a while now. What's the deal - wasn't this to be part of Columbus Center? Will they just raze the park if they ever do manage to develop the air rights? Any idea who's paying for it?
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

I really like how this is turning out. I think that this building will age well too.
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

It has already aged well as its design is right out of the 1920s.
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

Padre Mike said:
Now that I see Liberty Mutual at this stage, I kind of wish it were as tall as the old John Handcock...with a nice hat!
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Another 8-15 stories with a setback would have looked worlds better.

But the real problem with this building is how it meets the street.
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

If this were yelp I'd give it four stars. Room for improvement but solid nonetheless.

Beton Brut said:
But the real problem with this building is how it meets the street.
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You think that's bad, look at this dump across the street. Terrible street-level interaction. It should be torn down immediately!

http://goo.gl/maps/dufpP

(I agree with you on the height though.)
 
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