Millennium Tower (Filene's) | 426 Washington Street | Downtown

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Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

There were over 20 Filene's Basement stores at the time they liquidated. So flagship or not, FB had ceased being a tourist's destination. Why go to Boston when there were a half dozen stores in NY, and stores as distant as Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Illinois?

There was nothing unusual, let alone unique, about the Basement in its final years, --nothing at all like the original Basement, except for the street address.
 
Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

Although I will miss the facade as well, I think we should not get too carried away here. It is not like they are bulldozing the whole neighborhood. Plus, the project on the whole is a good one for the area.
 
Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

Does anyone thing a stand alone department store could ever make it today?

Strategic Marks LLC made some ink in 2011 when they applied for the old Filenes and Jordan Marsh trademarks, alleging abandonment by Macys (and then got sued). It got me thinking though, if someone could get a hold of the Filenes name, and the storefront, if that would be enough to move enough shoppers to actually bring it back in some form. (Getting the Filenes Basement TM from Vornado would certainly be a plus). It would have to be unique, perhaps Ye Olde Filenes styled as it was when it opened could work.
 
Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

@davem
Never say never, but I think it would be hard. The Harrod's and KaDeWes of the world work because they're major tourist destinations. You'd need a lot of money, expertise, and luck to pull off a modern copy cat job. There's probably a pretty solid reason why one-stop-shopping style department stores are now all major entrenched chains a la Macy's or extreme discounters a la Walmart.
 
Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

underground said:
There's probably a pretty solid reason why one-stop-shopping style department stores are now all major entrenched chains a la Macy's or extreme discounters a la Walmart.
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The reason why modern American department stores aren't thriving is actually because places like Macy*s aren't true one-stop department stores. I always point to places like Karstadt or the Galeria Kaufhof when I make this point because they are the epitome of success. They offer supermarkets, drugstores, vast amounts of sporting goods, and cafeterias/restaurants in addition to all the clothing/jewelry/housewares. Most have direct subway connections as well. You don't need the glitz and glamor of the KaDeWe.
 
Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

Wish this facade could have been saved, although perhaps with an sheer glass tower a facadomy is harder to pull off successfully.
 
Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

There was nothing unusual, let alone unique, about the Basement in its final years, --nothing at all like the original Basement, except for the street address.
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The original Basement had automatic markdown. None of the branches did. That made the original unique.
 
Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

Ron Newman said:
The original Basement had automatic markdown. None of the branches did. That made the original unique.
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The DTC red line subway concourse pays respectful homage to this with that huge poster image of the automatic markdown signage from the 1920s, no? I'm thinking of the posters right across from the Macy's basement entrance in the DTC subway concourse, if I'm recalling correctly.
 
Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

2013-07-20141100_zps6f8db625.jpg


2013-07-21094144_zps68b1f570.jpg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoZ_DUYyWGU
 
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Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

Wow, does that suck.

Greetings from Copenhagen, where the contemporary architecture blows the absolute pants off of Boston's - more so than any other city I've been to.

Sad that we will be losing a beautiful (and historic) masonry building that contributes to a streetwall rivaling those here in Copenhagen ... and getting in return a contemporary building that (based on our track record) will be built with much cheaper materials than what goes up today in Copenhagen. Net loss. Beh.
 
Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

itchy said:
...and getting in return a contemporary building that (based on our track record) will be built with much cheaper materials than what goes up today in Copenhagen.
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I expect a noticeably higher quality tower here than many of the shorter, VE'd buildings that have been built. I would say it will be at least the same quality at MP 1 and 2. (which I have come to appreciate more and more through the years) It's too high profile and important to be built cheaply.
 
Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

I hope you are right, as I agree that this is a very important building and a very important location. It would be a shame if it got hit heavily with the VE stick. DTX needs this project to be well executed.

DZH22 said:
I expect a noticeably higher quality tower here than many of the shorter, VE'd buildings that have been built. I would say it will be at least the same quality at MP 1 and 2. (which I have come to appreciate more and more through the years) It's too high profile and important to be built cheaply.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

Really opening up the space.

gdPideB.jpg
 
Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

these are from a few days ago so I'm sure its all gone by now?
 
Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

Nope! That one part is still standing. I work next door.
 
Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

They were doing the demo overnight last weekend. I was assuming they'd do the same to finish up this weekend.
 
Re: Millennium Tower - Filene's

Around the clock. Git 'er done!
 
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