Lobby Renovation/Addition | 175 Federal Street | Financial District

[ivyhedge]

I think the juxtaposition to its diagonal neighbor, 160 Federal, is quite compelling in this regard.

160 Fed. has nearly a dozen (when you count its High St. face) intimately-scaled storefronts. Everything about its architectural motifs invites, compels, beckons--you want to linger on every last detail, from base to crown. It is a glorious celebration of humanism and a love letter to rich, properly apportioned adornment.

175 Fed., meanwhile, is a dour stone-faced soul-crushing monolith. Everything about it repels, alienates. It rejects humanism thoroughly. I would argue that its monumentalism is, in fact, fascist.

Last but not least, it's notable for how 175 Fed. so miserably fails at being minimalist while nearby Brutalist gems such as 70 Fed. and 10-24 School do it so well. The descent from the zenith of Boston's Brutalist heyday to this--accomplished in a mere decade--is thoroughly depressing to behold, if you ask me.

TLDR: "I have spoken." (Kuill, The Mandalorian)

(fantastisch!)

 

[Brad Plaid]

What legacy does this have exactly? It's a horribly human scaled building contributing nothing to the pedestrian experience, on one of the busiest corners in the city.

The city will be less interesting with this reno—it's being punished for not being conventionally attractive. There's nothing else like this here, the Preggers coming closest to it's wonderful cantilever. Granted the Dewey Square ground floor side is poorly done but this was built at a time when cities were still considered hostile places and a fortress mentality ruled (the Greenway didn't exist and there was a somewhat sketchy bus depot across from the Fed.) It is Bladerunner-ish and I love that. Money, however, rules as always and the maximum amount of revenue-generating square footage possible will be jammed in—sanitizing this into just another forgettable CVS/Panera dullscape. The godawful, prettifying crown completes the destruction of it's singular personality.

 

[atlantaden]

Granted the Dewey Square ground floor side is poorly done but this was built at a time when cities were still considered hostile places and a fortress mentality ruled (the Greenway didn't exist and there was a somewhat sketchy bus depot across from the Fed.)

Thanks, you just gave me at least four additional reasons why this redo will be a great thing for the area!

 

[whighlander]

The city will be less interesting with this reno—it's being punished for not being conventionally attractive. There's nothing else like this here, the Preggers coming closest to it's wonderful cantilever. Granted the Dewey Square ground floor side is poorly done but this was built at a time when cities were still considered hostile places and a fortress mentality ruled (the Greenway didn't exist and there was a somewhat sketchy bus depot across from the Fed.) It is Bladerunner-ish and I love that. Money, however, rules as always and the maximum amount of revenue-generating square footage possible will be jammed in—sanitizing this into just another forgettable CVS/Panera dullscape. The godawful, prettifying crown completes the destruction of it's singular personality.

Brad -- you forgot that it sat at where the Thundering Heard of the Central Artery disappeared into the South Station Tunnel -- or emerged as the case may be

No -- it only had one Raison d'être -- it was the building to display the chef d'oeuvre of William "Bill" James LeMessurier, Jr.-- the magnificent Truss*1

It really should be displayed for everyone to see and admire --- strip away all the stuff hiding it -- Glass and Raw Steel -- in all their elemental glory!!!!

*1

|

www.lemessurier.com

Seeking to maximize floor area, yet tightly constrained by the existing subway and utility tunnels below the street, LeMessurier deployed a scheme to support this building on a narrow stem. After a short, slim rise above Federal Street, this building – known as the Fiduciary Trust – balloons outward radially, supported by skewed cantilevered multi-story intersecting trusses. The atypical profile of this building has even a casual pedestrian wondering how this shape was achieved.

 

[chrisbrat]

The city will be less interesting with this reno—it's being punished for not being conventionally attractive. There's nothing else like this here, the Preggers coming closest to it's wonderful cantilever. Granted the Dewey Square ground floor side is poorly done but this was built at a time when cities were still considered hostile places and a fortress mentality ruled (the Greenway didn't exist and there was a somewhat sketchy bus depot across from the Fed.) It is Bladerunner-ish and I love that. Money, however, rules as always and the maximum amount of revenue-generating square footage possible will be jammed in—sanitizing this into just another forgettable CVS/Panera dullscape. The godawful, prettifying crown completes the destruction of it's singular personality.

agreed on all points. well put.

 

[statler]

The city will be less interesting with this reno—it's being punished for not being conventionally attractive. There's nothing else like this here, the Preggers coming closest to it's wonderful cantilever. Granted the Dewey Square ground floor side is poorly done but this was built at a time when cities were still considered hostile places and a fortress mentality ruled (the Greenway didn't exist and there was a somewhat sketchy bus depot across from the Fed.) It is Bladerunner-ish and I love that. Money, however, rules as always and the maximum amount of revenue-generating square footage possible will be jammed in—sanitizing this into just another forgettable CVS/Panera dullscape. The godawful, prettifying crown completes the destruction of it's singular personality.

I agree, biut the good news it that it all very easily reversible. It's not like they are ripping out old growth timbers or smashing hand carved masonry. So hopefully someday a future owner will come to their senses and put it back to way it is today.

 

[SlothofDespond]

You folks thing street level retail on one of the busiest commuter hub intersections in the city is going to be removed in favor of a return to a blank stone wall, metal air vent panel, and uncomfortable cantilever... because it's "interesting" architecture? Sometimes I think you're trolling each other.

 

[estyle]

I agree, biut the good news it that it all very easily reversible. It's not like they are ripping out old growth timbers or smashing hand carved masonry. So hopefully someday a future owner will come to their senses and put it back to way it is today.

That depends on how they do the work. The sections they are showing now (admittedly, very rough) are not promising. But reversibility should be a goal of the project.

 

[DBM]

You folks thing street level retail on one of the busiest commuter hub intersections in the city is going to be removed in favor of a return to a blank stone wall, metal air vent panel, and uncomfortable cantilever... because it's "interesting" architecture? Sometimes I think you're trolling each other.

Don't forget the comically inhospitable-to-the-handicapped plaza, with its 6+ different planes creating a heaving sea of lumpy disjointed surfaces.... but, hey, we avant-gardes must suffer for our art!

 

[whighlander]

I agree, biut the good news it that it all very easily reversible. It's not like they are ripping out old growth timbers or smashing hand carved masonry. So hopefully someday a future owner will come to their senses and put it back to way it is today.

I think we should start a petition drive to Expose the Truss!!

 

[jass]

I dont quite understand how they build those glass walls with the current sidewalk. The building overhangs the sidewalk mostly, so what happens?

 

[SlothofDespond]

I dont quite understand how they build those glass walls with the current sidewalk. The building overhangs the sidewalk mostly, so what happens?

There's a lot of sidewalk space around the building. More than enough for pedestrians still if the glass walls went straight down from the overhang. The upper part of the building doesn't line up with the street (though it might bump out further than the street wall running down Purchase Street). In any event the new glass portion seems to still taper in slightly in the renders.

 

[jass]

There's a lot of sidewalk space around the building. More than enough for pedestrians still if the glass walls went straight down from the overhang. The upper part of the building doesn't line up with the street (though it might bump out further than the street wall running down Purchase Street). In any event the new glass portion seems to still taper in slightly in the renders.

Here it looks like it goes all the way over the sidewalk and onto the street

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

goo.gl

 

[DAVE]

The way this and the Federal Reserve building interact from this angle is really cool...

 

[curcuas]

Couldn't disagree more with the idea that this reno will "make the city less interesting." - buildings that are flashy to be flashy rather than having human scaled entrances and street presences make the streetscape and urban experience _worse_. It's screaming "look at me" rather than creating an inviting and interesting environment. Businesses in the lobby will draw people at more hours of the day and encourage more to stop by than a "statement" with a windswept plaza.

 

[Arlington]

I'd like the "underside" to be more interesting. Maybe brightly colored polygons? (I guess they're currently beton brut panels of some sort?)

 

[DAVE]

Couldn't disagree more with the idea that this reno will "make the city less interesting." - buildings that are flashy to be flashy rather than having human scaled entrances and street presences make the streetscape and urban experience _worse_. It's screaming "look at me" rather than creating an inviting and interesting environment. Businesses in the lobby will draw people at more hours of the day and encourage more to stop by than a "statement" with a windswept plaza.

I think the best and most interesting thing about cities is the diversity in building types and built form. You can literally walk less than a minute to get to more coffee shops and falafel kings than your stomach could handle. This building is for sure not the norm of the area so as it stands its quite unique...should every building be a 175 federal? No, but the same could be true about ground floor activation for every building. We don't even have the consumer demand for that anyways.

Again, I'm all for activating streets, but I really don't see the profound effects of investing money into activating this corner with really average repurposing. Also, there's definitely a way to respect the architecture while also providing 'human scaled entrances' to this off-ramp but this ain't it. And if we're gonna redo any lobby/ground floor in this area, do the Federal Reserve plaza challenge.

 

[curcuas]

I agree that diversity is best - but it's the market that produces that diversity in buildings - and market signals are favoring additional lobby spaces open to the public. I think that's a good step.

 

[Equilibria]

Full BCDC Presentation:

20200204 BCDC Presentation 175 Federal Street.pdf | Powered by Box

bpda.app.box.com

I hadn't realized they were going to mural up the cantilevers.

 

[JeffDowntown]

Full BCDC Presentation:

20200204 BCDC Presentation 175 Federal Street.pdf | Powered by Box

bpda.app.box.com

I hadn't realized they were going to mural up the cantilevers.

Hum.... I am not sure what you are seeing in the BCDC presentation that suggests "mural up the cantilevers". I see one piece of ground level artwork on the facade facing High Street.

The existing cantilever angles (to become interior) are called out as keeping their existing precast panel.