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

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BIG NEWS!!!

https://twitter.com/MBTA/status/773611602071392256

MBTA ‏@MBTA 1m ago

The Franklin St entrance at #MBTA Downtown Crossing will re-open on Monday, Sept. 12: http://bit.ly/1c6GJEk

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Good news! :cool:
 
Sorry, off topic. But I always cringe when I see that awful square box on top of 1 Boston Place. It's a shame they can't cover it....

a 50' high ring of soft blue/violet lights reaching halfway to the perimeter would be a sizable project, but the result would be worth it.
 
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a 50' high ring of soft blue/violet lights reaching halfway to the perimeter would be a sizable project, but the result would be worth it.

yes! less costly would be just four spotlights -- that, in and of itself, would be a huge improvement.
 
^ I agree at the very minimum the silver bracing needs to be addressed. Best case scenario is covering the whole thing, but even just hiding the bracing would do wonders.

Is everyone forgetting the massive window-washing contraption that is clearly visible in all the shots of the MTower crown? Anything that goes to cover up the roof would have to cleanly accommodate that apparatus--which means the roof cover would have to retractable. Which presumably means megabucks.

Now, fault the developer all you want for them having decided to install that window-washing contraption in the first place vs. whatever other alternative there was. But, it seems like once that choice was made, that presumably forced their hand.

P.S. When you say "silver bracing," are you in fact referring to the window-washing apparatus--or something entirely different? Either way, the window-washing apparatus is huge--when it's fully extended, it looks like a huge skeletal hand emerging from the crown. I think it's wonderfully macabre in that sense, really deathly-looking. (Death metal?)
 
Are we sure they're not just waiting until they dismantle the crane?

the white "crane" that's atop MT is not construction-related. it's part of the window-washing mechanism/system. it won't be dismantled.

what's odd is that in many of the renders, that window-washing "crane" is there, but there's a slit (in an otherwise flat roof -- like everyone wants) for it to emerge and retract.
 
Is everyone forgetting the massive window-washing contraption that is clearly visible in all the shots of the MTower crown? Anything that goes to cover up the roof would have to cleanly accommodate that apparatus--which means the roof cover would have to retractable. Which presumably means megabucks.

Now, fault the developer all you want for them having decided to install that window-washing contraption in the first place vs. whatever other alternative there was. But, it seems like once that choice was made, that presumably forced their hand.

P.S. When you say "silver bracing," are you in fact referring to the window-washing apparatus--or something entirely different? Either way, the window-washing apparatus is huge--when it's fully extended, it looks like a huge skeletal hand emerging from the crown. I think it's wonderfully macabre in that sense, really deathly-looking. (Death metal?)


Ill try to answer all of this somehow.

After the PS part you said the "silver bracing". That has nothing to do with the window washing boom and is what is holding the glass up above to tower to create the crown. Its literally metal bracing to hold up the glass above the tower to create the crown. The bracing is visible because of the angle of the glass allowing you to see past it and towards the inside of the glass on the other side.

Nobody is forgetting the massive window washing boom. They can retract, as they do on most new skyscrapers you see built in the last 15 years give or take. If you don't see one of the roof of a new building, its because they hid it to keep the roof clean.

In some of the renders which I don't feel like digging forever to find, they rendered a roof into this tower, with a cut out for the boom to come in and out of. The boom would raise up or down in the same position each time, going through the slot, then it would be free to spin in any direction it needed to to reach all of the windows. Then when it was not in use it would get back into position and lower back down into the crown. They had rendered this before, and many other towers that are built in recent times do this, so that is why people keep asking. People aren't just oblivious to the massive boom on top of the building, they are asking because it had been rendered to have a roof, and most buildings do, and it was not built. Don't assume people on here are oblivious to things, because especially on this forum, people have an exact reason why they may ask a certain question or have a certain complaint.

It would have been nice to have gotten a roof, but they still could have either painted the bracing black, or covered it. It does look bad from southern parts of the city. I still think this tower is a huge success, its just that on this specific part they kind of dropped the ball. We can live with it though as this is a wonderful addition to the skyline.
 
Ill try to answer all of this somehow.

After the PS part you said the "silver bracing". That has nothing to do with the window washing boom and is what is holding the glass up above to tower to create the crown. Its literally metal bracing to hold up the glass above the tower to create the crown. The bracing is visible because of the angle of the glass allowing you to see past it and towards the inside of the glass on the other side.

Nobody is forgetting the massive window washing boom. They can retract, as they do on most new skyscrapers you see built in the last 15 years give or take. If you don't see one of the roof of a new building, its because they hid it to keep the roof clean.

In some of the renders which I don't feel like digging forever to find, they rendered a roof into this tower, with a cut out for the boom to come in and out of. The boom would raise up or down in the same position each time, going through the slot, then it would be free to spin in any direction it needed to to reach all of the windows. Then when it was not in use it would get back into position and lower back down into the crown. They had rendered this before, and many other towers that are built in recent times do this, so that is why people keep asking. People aren't just oblivious to the massive boom on top of the building, they are asking because it had been rendered to have a roof, and most buildings do, and it was not built. Don't assume people on here are oblivious to things, because especially on this forum, people have an exact reason why they may ask a certain question or have a certain complaint.

It would have been nice to have gotten a roof, but they still could have either painted the bracing black, or covered it. It does look bad from southern parts of the city. I still think this tower is a huge success, its just that on this specific part they kind of dropped the ball. We can live with it though as this is a wonderful addition to the skyline.

Ah, now I see. Good clarification, thanks!
 
Sorry, off topic. But I always cringe when I see that awful square box on top of 1 Boston Place. It's a shame they can't cover it with something like a pyramid-shaped screen crown or something. Think BoA tower in Atlanta.

Sorry to continue the off-topicness, but I hate the box as well. Would settle for throwing up a second screen.

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And light up the top^ more from yesterday>Fk n photo bucket it's taking me 3 hours to post 5 pics and nothing now I got to start over ��
 
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Might as well throw a sears/hancock type spire on it too if its gonna be stepped like that. That actually doesnt look bad though.
 
Might as well throw a sears/hancock type spire on it too if its gonna be stepped like that. That actually doesnt look bad though.

Yep, it's very Boston as is. They could do some really cool LEDs on it at night. Perfect spot for it.
 
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Personally, I like it now and will fight tooth and nail to keep it the way it is. It gives the financial district "character" from the North, the same way the Fed does from the South. Until MT was built it was THE focal point that stood apart from all of the flat tops.

In fact, I will go 1 step further and petition that all new towers built in Boston come with an identical box on top. I'm going to run for mayor and that's my platform.
 
In fact, I will go 1 step further and petition that all new towers built in Boston come with an identical box on top. I'm going to run for mayor and that's my platform.

Look at how much trouble that could have saved the Millenium Tower folks. They could have avoided this whole hubbub about enclosing their slanty-top with a roof, and instead just kept the top of the building flat with a little mechanical box in the middle. Then the window-washing boom could be permanently exposed (and we could light it with LEDs!).

(ok, that was a fun thought exercise. now pardon me as I step aside to vomit)
 
Sorry, off topic. But I always cringe when I see that awful square box on top of 1 Boston Place. It's a shame they can't cover it....

a 50' high ring of soft blue/violet lights reaching halfway to the perimeter would be a sizable project, but the result would be worth it.

i spoke to the BRA to encourage the owners to do some type of dense fence structure near the perimeter in an effort to soften the geometrical harshness of the huge black cube.

i was rebuffed with the standard; "i'll mention it at the next.... but, you shouldn't get your hopes up. Boston is a VE safe zone. we don't do epic here."



 
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