Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Expansion | West End

What was the point of putting so much effort into building over and around a historic building in the 1970s (or whenever this was built) if, 40 years later when the building is even older and more historic, you were just going to demolish it anyway?

And the ridiculous complaints of the residents should be ignored. There's probably only three apartments whose views would be changed by this, and they're going to block an entire project for them? And as for Savenor's, that's just tough luck because the parking lot they use is not their property and they don't get to dictate what the owners do with it.
 
According to that massing rendering, the building on the parking lot will be perfectly in scale with the neighbors. So please explain to me just how these people will lose their views. Views that as far as I can tell, include Storrow Drive, a bunch of ramps, and a T station.
 
Attention all you crane lovers, there is now a crane at Mass Eye and Ear. I saw it lifting things yesterday as I drove past on storrow drive.
 
that's just tough luck because the parking lot they use is not their property and they don't get to dictate what the owners do with it.
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Believing you have the right to tell people what they can and can't do with property you don't own is what NIMBYism is all about.
 
Just a pic I took today

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It's too bad with all the hospital related construction that they can't reclaim that tiny little park area right on Storrow Drive currently occupied by surface parking

then the ramp to the parking lot could be removed and the park reconnected by pedestrian bridge to the Esplanade
 
They put up a crane yesterday morning here. I'm assuming it's part of this
 
Suffolk 83 said:
They put up a crane yesterday morning here. I'm assuming it's part of this
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I saw the crane -- tall hyraulic extension boom-type -- towering over the existing building at 1 PM Sunday

Boom was back down at ground level by 5 PM yesterday -- not sure if that crane was not doing something unrellated or only periferally related to the expansion -- e.g. perhaps servicing something on the roof?
 
Globe has an article today behind the subscription wall.

MEEI is proposing to build a four story underground garage for 1,000 cars, and convert existing surface parking to three acres of parkland along the Esplanade. Also proposing a 180,000 sq ft addition to be elevated above Charles St on columns. To be unveiled next week.

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http://www.bostonglobe.com/business...LgxHZ8jS24zE8XQmJ/story.html?p1=Well_BG_Links

Herald gives cost as about $350 million.

http://www.bostonherald.com/busines..._storrow_park_project/srvc=home&position=also
 
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^Plan sounds pretty terrible. They want the state to pay $30 million to move Storrow closer to the river.
 
Justin7 said:
^Plan sounds pretty terrible. They want the state to pay $30 million to move Storrow closer to the river.
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The inbound lanes closer. The outbound lanes create the esplanade boundary, so moving the inbound lanes closer would only occupy what is currently parking lot. Without moving the outbound lanes (which is not being proposed) then there should be no taking of esplanade land. Do I think the state should have to pay for the move? No, but knowing the condition of Storrow Drive and its need for repair, this may be an opportunity for the state to rebuild a part of the road that needs rebuilding. Plus the removal of unsightly parking lots and the addition of park land that may be more accessible with the roadway being moved. Doesn't sound like too bad a plan, but I'll have to wait and see the renderings when they are released.
 
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UrbanDozer said:
The inbound lanes closer. The outbound lanes create the esplanade boundary, so moving the inbound lanes closer would only occupy what is currently parking lot. Without moving the outbound lanes (which is not being proposed) then there should be no taking of esplanade land. Do I think the state should have to pay for the move? No, but knowing the condition of Storrow Drive and its need for repair, this may be an opportunity for the state to rebuild a part of the road that needs rebuilding. Plus the removal of unsightly parking lots and the addition of park land that may be more accessible with the roadway being moved. Doesn't sound like too bad a plan, but I'll have to wait and see the renderings when they are released.
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Urban -- this is essentially reclaiming the Esplanade just as the Sears parking lot was returned to part of the Fens

this is what I wrote almost exactly 1 year ago

It's too bad with all the hospital related construction that they can't reclaim that tiny little park area right on Storrow Drive currently occupied by surface parking

then the ramp to the parking lot could be removed and the park reconnected by pedestrian bridge to the Esplanade
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My mistake. Not sure what I was thinking. I'm still dubious about building over Charles St, but maybe that would be an acceptable trade-off for getting rid of the surface lots. I should probably just shut up and wait to see the plans.

Thanks for the correction.
 
Mass Eye and Ear isn't asking for anything that isn't almost routinely given to large businesses who wish to expand or relocate to the state...building off/on ramps on major highways/roads, or widening them to access the new building, along with water lines, sewer lines, new traffic lights,etc. It's all about the state/city building the infrastructure that allows for private industry to expand and grow. Actually, Boston is lucky in this area, the city 'requires' much of the infrastructure to be paid for by the developer. Trust me, this doesn't happen everywhere!
 
But the Esplanade Association or Charles River Conservancy (I forget which, maybe both) want the outbound lanes of Storrow moved further away from the Charles River, so that both directions go under a single arch of the Longfellow Bridge. That's in direct conflict with what Mass Eye & Ear are proposing.
 
^^ That was my thought exactly. But if you take a closer look at the aerial map, the outbound Storrow Drive lanes are in the Esplanade plan planned to move east immediately adjacent to the inbound lanes. The MEEI parking lot is far enough north and east of the project that both directions of Storrow can be right up next to each other, make it under the east arch of the Longfellow Bridge, leave an additional 60+ feet of space under the west arch for new Esplanade parkland, and still construct this new MEEI addition.

In a perfect world, all parties involved would be discussing this with each other and presenting a scenario where everything can be built correctly. Lets hope the plans to be presented soon indicate this thinking.
 
dshoost88 said:
^^ That was my thought exactly. But if you take a closer look at the aerial map, the outbound Storrow Drive lanes are in the Esplanade plan planned to move east immediately adjacent to the inbound lanes. The MEEI parking lot is far enough north and east of the project that both directions of Storrow can be right up next to each other, make it under the east arch of the Longfellow Bridge, leave an additional 60+ feet of space under the west arch for new Esplanade parkland, and still construct this new MEEI addition.

In a perfect world, all parties involved would be discussing this with each other and presenting a scenario where everything can be built correctly. Lets hope the plans to be presented soon indicate this thinking.
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DSH -- in the bad olde days of the Brahmins all of the relevant enties were owned, controlled, or influenced (in a positive way of course) by Yankee Brahmins. Back then (say around 1900 - 1950) all of this could be discussed publicly in the Tavern Club (by members and guests) and then the principals would retire to settle the matter over a couple of snifters of cognac or perhaps some Single Malt Scotch also in a brandy snifter (with just a splash of room temperature water to release the aromas -- only a Philistine New Yorker would poison good Scotch with ice -- but I digress). The agreement of course would happen in Reading Room of the Algonquin, or the Somerset (but you already knew that). All would be very friendly, there would not be any paper involved just gentlemen and some spirits to enliven the spirit.

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But, today [wistfully] even the Somerset admits women as members and of course, others have become influential on what used to be the "right boards."
 
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