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

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Re: Filene's

Both faces of the Ballroom "box" (the 2-story glass box that sticks out on the Franklin St/Washington St corner) on the early One Franklin schemes was supposed to be led signage. The city put the kabosh on that pretty quickly. We tried
 
Re: Filene's

Don't you guys know the law regarding LED signs? You can do whatever you want, even in a residential neighborhood you can install a massive, flashing, blinking, Las-Vegas-style billboard.

You just have to put the Mayuh on it. Duh.

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This is the Carpenter's Center, located literally just feet away from triple deckers in a poorer, working-class neighborhood with not enough political clout to fight back.
 
Re: Filene's

Considering that One Franklin isn't yet being built, there's still plenty of time to revisit this design decision.
 
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Allowing LED's would light up the area at night, provide fewer dark corners making ppl feel safer and promote some businesses to stay open later.
 
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Do we really want to potentially turn an area into a real life version of pop-up ad spammed internet forums?

I can't imagine how multistory screens screaming:

UGG BOOTS NIKE AIR-FORCE ONES CHEAP UNLOCKED CELLPHONES MEET HOT SINGLES IN YOUR AREA REFINANCE YOUR MORTGAGE DISCOUNT PHARMACY WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION 1111!!!!!1111!!!!!

would be helpful to the area.
 
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I prefer neon (in vertical bands running up the facades) to LEDs.

Perhaps I was seduced by the Kanji -- maybe it would be a bummer in English. You must admit, there's a real energy to it. Something Downtown Crossing sorely needs.
 
Re: Filene's

I was thinking more in terms of ads for local entertainment attractions and restaurants.
 
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In the Shibuya pic, all of those signs are for restaurants/izakaya/bars...well, with the notable exception of the big pink health club sign @ upper right. Combat Zone throwback? Anyway, Lurker, notice that the shuttered up 'DVD' store in the foreground doesn't have a corresponding neon sign.

No reason you couldn't do something similar for restaurants/bars in DTX

Also, Ugg boots? I didn't know rich suburban tweens shopped in the inner city...
 
Re: Filene's

Beton Brut said:
I prefer neon (in vertical bands running up the facades) to LEDs.

Perhaps I was seduced by the Kanji -- maybe it would be a bummer in English. You must admit, there's a real energy to it. Something Downtown Crossing sorely needs.
Click to expand...

LED and OLED can be as warm as neon, but I think many designers are still so mesmerized by the pure white/blue that they never design any deep red/yellow into their work.

Something as lit as the Shibuya neighborhood isn't too practical for Boston (mostly cause we don't have the density to sustain), but there are select areas where it would be neat.
 
Re: Filene's

Most of the article is just Menino ball-washing but I thought this was interesting:

Boston.com - Dec 8, 2009
Menino has typically used his appearance for the Chamber to unveil bold new proposals, such as a 1,000-foot skyscraper he proposed during his 2006 chamber speech. Yesterday, however, the mayor reiterated several major goals he had outlined during his reelection campaign this summer.

He said he wants to revitalize Downtown Crossing, and he urged the business community to help him drum up new ideas for the former Filene?s site, which was often cited as an example of the mayor's failings by his mayoral rival, City Councilor at Large Michael F. Flaherty Jr.

?Today, there?s no more Filene?s,? the mayor said. ?Let me tell you, I have to buy my suits someplace else.Let?s talk about the future. Could that be something for financial services? Could it be health care??
Click to expand...
 
Re: Filene's

That's his vision for DT Crossing? A financial services firm or health care facility?
 
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^^ Best possible scenario is that he is hoping to line up tenents for the office portion of the Filenes tower, thus helping to secure financing.

Worse case: He wants to scrap the whole thing and try to turn it into a hospital. D:
 
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i read that as he's given up all hope for the old proposal
 
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Hynes will be pushing for Stimilus money coming out of Washington and hoping that Mayor Menino also pushes for more state taxpayers money to bailout this half assed disasterous project from the grave. Remember Hynes owns less than 5% of this project this is all on JPM, Vornado,and a couple other banks involved. Hynes could walk away maybe lose a couple of friends but who cares. Business is business.

The City should put pressure by applying more taxs on projects that remain undeveloped. That would push the owners to either sell it cheaper or move forward.

This is still a good location and if sold for the right price this would be a good investment over time.
 
Re: Filene's

It's abandoned and dangerous. The city should take it. New City Hall in a glittering high-rise in the heart of the MBTA network. Ground-floor and basement retail. City Hall Plaza sold off the development wolves at the highest bid.

Hynes banned from developing Seaport Square.

Failure should be punished, not rewarded.
 
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