Mandarin Oriental | 776 Boylston St | Back Bay

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Saks renovation is under way
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Xec, youre the man.

I dont think people really realize how massive this project really is. The relatively small amount of steel they have up now is already making a huge impact on this stretch of Boylston, and even at its highest it's only about 1/3 the way up. When The Mandarin is finally completed its going to truly redefine this part of town in a very profound way.
 
Heh, I was walking past it tonight, thinking to myself "i should come back tommorow during the day for some shots". Looks like thats no longer necessary,
 
Xec, you just missed getting the mock-up for Sak's into your picture -- it's just to the right. But not to worry, it's about as blah as the renovation done for Lord & Taylor.

And just how much longer is it going to take before they finish up installing the pavers in front of L&T at the corner of Boylston and E. Ring Road??
 
"East Ring Road" needs a new name, by the way. There's nothing else left from the former "Ring" around the Pru.
 
^ Agreed. Anyway, yesterday I complain about when they'll finish doing the pavers at L&T and today they finally are, and overall they look rather nice. Another interesting thing, they are already pouring the sidewalks in front of the Mandarin. It looked like a quarter of the length had been done today and the cement truck was still working. Does anyone with construction knowledge know if this is normal to do them so early on? Considering how they block off that entire side of the road to peds during construction hours it seems we won't get to use them for months to come.
 
kz1000ps said:
^ Agreed. Anyway, yesterday I complain about when they'll finish doing the pavers at L&T and today they finally are, and overall they look rather nice. Another interesting thing, they are already pouring the sidewalks in front of the Mandarin. It looked like a quarter of the length had been done today and the cement truck was still working. Does anyone with construction knowledge know if this is normal to do them so early on? Considering how they block off that entire side of the road to peds during construction hours it seems we won't get to use them for months to come.
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It's my assumption that this is is temporary. They did this at BU when they were building the new arena. Eventually this will area will be paved over with bricks I'm sure.
 
You can't walk down East Ring Road next to Boylston at all. The entire street, including both sidewalks, is fenced off. Must be a pain for Back Bay people shopping at Shaw's.

East Ring Road should be renamed to Prudential Way.
 
Public transportation takes a back seat

I used to take the #9 bus, all the time.

When they started the L&T reconstruction, the bus stop outside was blocked off. Did anyone ask if that was okay?

Now, the entire street is shut down. Where does the #9 go, now? Did anyone ask if that was okay?

Doubt it.

Thanks, Healey.
 
A sign says that the bus stop was moved to the corner of Boylston and Gloucester streets. The next one is in front of the Library.

From the T's Transit Updates page:
Construction Related Diversions

Route 09 (inbound only) Diverted for five to six weeks.
At Ring Road, right on Belvidere to Dalton Steet, to a right on Boylston Street to resume the regular route.
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I think they really mean right from Huntington to Belvidere, right on Dalton, right on Boylston. Like the #39 bus route.

(Why are you blaming this on Kerry Healey?)
 
East Ring Road should be renamed to Prudential Way.
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How about Prudential Street, or something else Street? I can't stand Ways, Lanes, Roads (at least those that aren't surviving pre-urban-era names, such as the alleys in the Blackstone Block, or Columbia Road). Not sure what bothers me more--suburban subdivision sounding street names like "Seaport Lane" and Cardinal O'Connell Way, or creating an entirely new street for a single office building (1 Boston Place, 1 Devonshire Place, 2 International Place, etc.)

By the way--Lord and Taylor provides a good shortcut from Shaw's to Copley Station/Back Bay neighborhood during the street closure.
 
Haha I was kidding

For names: How about Herb Chambers Alley, after one of the new owners in the Mandarin?

I was joking about Kerry Healey, because I thought it was funny. People blame politicians for just about anything and everything.

I like that route, better, in fact. Can they keep it, after the construction is done? Maybe they'd pick up some more riders, that way, from the other side of Prudential, Christian Science Church, and even Northeastern?
 
Another route, for if you're heading anywhere in the northeast direction, is to walk towards the Pru by way of the plaza in between Saks and the Boylston and Gloucester apartment towers, and once you're in the mall make a right for the Boylston St. entrance. You look a wee bit silly carrying grocery bags through the mall (or at least the security guard thought so judging by his less-than-cursory glance), but it works.
 
I wish they had found some indoor way to connect the new Shaw's to the mall, like the old Star Market was.
 
Theres an even easier way to get around it, theres a pedestrian path in the parking garage between shaws and the department store
 
Please elaborate. As a resident for a whopping nearly two years of Boston with no car in posession I know nothing of the underground network of the Pru. Are you talking about the entrance to the Avalon?
 
kz1000ps said:
Please elaborate. As a resident for a whopping nearly two years of Boston with no car in posession I know nothing of the underground network of the Pru. Are you talking about the entrance to the Avalon?
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Go to the Shaw's exit along Huntington and take the elevator to the garage (I believe it's the orange level). From there, the first elevator bank you see in front of you will bring you to California pizza kitchen. The one a bit further down to the right will bring you into Saks.
 
I haven't a clue either, and I thought Avalon was a club on Lansdowne Street.
 
Whoops, I meant the Fairfield, or one of those apartment towers.
 
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