Millennium Tower (Filene's) -Discussion and Photo Thread

[JumboBuc]

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

So it's only a weekday business district?

It's "Ghost Town" everywhere on Sundays in February.

 

[shmessy]

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

It's "Ghost Town" everywhere on Sundays in February.

.....in most parts of Boston.

But tell me how Ghost-like Copley Square is then.

I thought Walsh and many others are trying to inject life into some central city areas - - this one being one of the higher priority areas. Good for them - - I'm cheering them on, because Downtwon Crossing would be perfect for a lively humanoid environment.

Look, we all know the history of Downtown Crossing, but also know what Walsh is trying to do to change that to less of a 40 hour per week neighborhood. I applaud him on it, and hope to see progress for more housing down there and more coffee shops, etc.

 

[datadyne007]

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

So it's only a weekday business district?

Look, I get it - - and perhaps Downtown "Crossing" is a work in progress - - I certainly hope the City can get "there" to this being a 24/7 lively and world class (not Houston/Cleveland class) downtown neighborhood.

.

It's "Ghost Town" everywhere on Sundays in February.

The Franklin side of Millennium Tower is by far the worst. The criticism here is accurate & appropriate. Far too much frontage devoted to lobby & far too much square footage devoted to porte cochere. Pabu does little to nothing to activate that area and the entrance to that is further north. That doesn't mean the building as a whole isn't great or appreciated. It's just a legitimate architectural design concern about a portion of the building. There is nothing to activate the area at the corner of Franklin & Hawley, unlike the Filene's facade that was torn down. Mattress Giant does nothing to help.

Source: I work next to MT.

 

[shmessy]

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

It's "Ghost Town" everywhere on Sundays in February.

Perhaps you don't mean it that way, but that post sure does sound like a Durgin Park waitress response.

Your fatha ate it, your gradfatha ate it and it's what's on your plate........

 

[JumboBuc]

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

.....in most parts of Boston.

But tell me how Ghost-like Copley Square is then.

I thought Walsh and many others are trying to inject life into some central city areas - - this one being one of the higher priority areas. Good for them - - I'm cheering them on, because Downtwon Crossing would be perfect for a lively humanoid environment.

Look, we all know the history of Downtown Crossing, but also know what Walsh is trying to do to change that to less of a 40 hour per week neighborhood. I applaud him on it, and hope to see progress for more housing down there and more coffee shops, etc.

Perhaps you don't mean it that way, but that post sure does sound like a Durgin Park waitress response.

Your fatha ate it, your gradfatha ate it and it's what's on your plate........

I hear you, but I have little doubt that you could go down to Copley Square on a Sunday in February and take a picture that looks equally dead. Just aim your camera in the "right" spot at the "right" time and click. That doesn't make Copley a failure.

And Data's 100% right, that is the deadest corner of MT.

 

[Czervik.Construction]

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

A lot of Midtown Manhattan is deserted on Saturday and Sundays year round, especially in the middle of winter and the middle of summer. I think some of you need to take it easy.

 

[stick n move]

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

Lol if someone from New York which is probably the most alive, diverse, and successful example of a world class city in the world says to calm down theres probably a smidge of over reactions.

 

[KentXie]

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

It's the same in San Francisco. Walked through it on a Sunday and found out nearly every restaurant in downtown was closed on Sundays. The area is pretty dead, with most tourist/pedestrian opting to walk around Fisherman Wharf and the Embarcadero instead.

 

[datadyne007]

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

A lot of Midtown Manhattan is deserted on Saturday and Sundays year round, especially in the middle of winter and the middle of summer. I think some of you need to take it easy.

Lol if someone from New York which is probably the most alive, diverse, and successful example of a world class city in the world says to calm down theres probably a smidge of over reactions.

It's the same in San Francisco. Walked through it on a Sunday and found out nearly every restaurant in downtown was closed on Sundays. The area is pretty dead, with most tourist/pedestrian opting to walk around Fisherman Wharf and the Embarcadero instead.

If you don't make a place a "place," people don't come. There is nothing that makes the former Shoppers Park a place anymore.

 

[estyle]

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

The Franklin side of Millennium Tower is by far the worst. The criticism here is accurate & appropriate. Far too much frontage devoted to lobby & far too much square footage devoted to porte cochere. Pabu does little to nothing to activate that area and the entrance to that is further north. That doesn't mean the building as a whole isn't great or appreciated. It's just a legitimate architectural design concern about a portion of the building. There is nothing to activate the area at the corner of Franklin & Hawley, unlike the Filene's facade that was torn down. Mattress Giant does nothing to help.

Source: I work next to MT.

There is too much service to the car at this side of the building. I do like how it is moderated with the parts along Franklin and Washington that are in the 4-5 story range so that you aren't looking straight up the full height of the tower.

I also thing that the retail on the other side of Franklin, which is Marshalls and TJMaxx, is not helping at all. It's very closed off big box retail. Something more open to the street would be great.

 

[JeffDowntown]

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

There is too much service to the car at this side of the building. I do like how it is moderated with the parts along Franklin and Washington that are in the 4-5 story range so that you aren't looking straight up the full height of the tower.

I also thing that the retail on the other side of Franklin, which is Marshalls and TJMaxx, is not helping at all. It's very closed off big box retail. Something more open to the street would be great.

You made my comments for me -- completely agree. Millennium Tower turned Franklin Street into their driveway.

Really the garage under 33 Arch needs to go, but that is complicated.

 

[BeeLine]

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

https://flic.kr/p/Uj9BGG

 

[datadyne007]

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

You made my comments for me -- completely agree. Millennium Tower turned Franklin Street into their driveway.

Really the garage under 33 Arch needs to go, but that is complicated.

Snapped this on Wednesday:

A place for cars, not for people. =(

 

[statler]

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

Millennium is bad ground floors.

 

[DZH22]

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

A place for cars, not for people. =(

It was a through street before. If anything, this is a lateral move from a pedestrian standpoint. The only real negative is they took down the remaining historical walls on that corner.

 

[datadyne007]

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

It was a through street before. If anything, this is a lateral move from a pedestrian standpoint. The only real negative is they took down the remaining historical walls on that corner.

Not really. Franklin St was a limited access (commercial/livery only) thru-st, but not Shopper's Park next to Franklin. Franklin was narrow and Shopper's Park was next to it. All of that has been ceded to cars.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.355...m4!1suQ_FCjD_kBB5zrdu-2RSDQ!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

 

[DZH22]

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

Not really. Franklin St was a limited access (commercial/livery only) thru-st, but not Shopper's Park next to Franklin. Franklin was narrow and Shopper's Park was next to it. All of that has been ceded to cars.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.355...m4!1suQ_FCjD_kBB5zrdu-2RSDQ!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

Either way outside of the hundreds of people waiting in line at the Chacarero window it wasn't a particularly activated space for pedestrians. There also isn't any reason to stop between there and Post Office Square. I park on Federal Street all the time and the whole stretch of Franklin between there to MT is pretty much totally dead. It's not like we lost anything there of merit. (besides, again, the awesome brick façade) There should be more of a push to activate Washington Street itself anyways. The bleachers don't hurt. It's time to stop fixating on replacing a street with a driveway and put more effort into endeavors like bringing retail back to the shuttered Barnes and Noble! Fix the gaps in coverage on Washington Street before worrying about the offshoots.

 

[BKNA]

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

its not a good look, literally and figuratively/politically.
its also supposed be kept clear for fire access to Washington St (which is why the planters by the T head house were removed).

 

[JumboBuc]

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

its also supposed be kept clear for fire access to Washington St (which is why the planters by the T head house were removed).

Then this should be reported to Boston Fire.

I suspect a visit or two from them would be pretty influential in getting MT to stop this sort of behavior

 

[datadyne007]

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

It's time to stop fixating on replacing a street with a driveway and put more effort into endeavors like bringing retail back to the shuttered Barnes and Noble! Fix the gaps in coverage on Washington Street before worrying about the offshoots.

These are not mutually exclusive.