Novartis Campus | 181-211 Mass Ave, 22 Windsor Street | Kendall Square | Cambridge

^ There is something goofy about this building. Its too... whimsical?
 
In an area with so many glass and precast boxes... a little whimsy is welcome.

Also, what you get when the big foreign bio-tech firm builds their own local headquarters, vs. moving into a developer built one being leased to a big foreign bio-tech as seen next door.

I'm really loving the battleground coming together between these two behemoths though.

Novartis and Pfizer both got new local HQ's, separated by 700 Main. But within 700 Main we have Pfizer and Novartis sharing the building separated by a single locked glass door. Walk down the street to Tech Sq., and you'll find there logos on office space that is sharing a corridor....

Nice little bio-tech cold war arms race.
 
One thing that would have made those pictures better is if the utilities were underground...
 
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crash575 said:
There will be ~8,000 sq ft of retail along Mass Ave.
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I read recently that the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority and especially Kendall Square planners are extremely sensitive to ground level retail. I don't remember which building but the article said they were burned badly at the corner of Main and Vassar by a developer who promised retail later. That corner should be the center of the district and it's a pedestrian failure.
 
stevemus said:
I read recently that the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority and especially Kendall Square planners are extremely sensitive to ground level retail. I don't remember which building but the article said they were burned badly at the corner of Main and Vassar by a developer who promised retail later. That corner should be the center of the district and it's a pedestrian failure.
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That intersection has MIT on two corners, the Whitehead Institute on one and a park and the Grand Junction rail line on the other. Were they expecting retail in the Koch Center or the Whitehead Institute?
 
No reason both don't have retail instead of sheer walls to the sidewalk.
 
SeamusMcFly said:
No reason both don't have retail instead of sheer walls to the sidewalk.
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Except these are not developer buildings, they are owned and used by a university(ies).

The problem I have with retail everywhere is that its become a parade of unending blocks, consisting of a bank, a drugstore, a fast food place, and a coffeeshop. Want to buy a book? Go to Amazon. Want to buy some paint, go to Home Depot. Appliance repair? Send it to New Jersey. The great diversity of commercial and retail establishments that the public frequented when they needed something has vanished. Clothing stores have become mere showrooms. Like something you see, buy it on-line, we don't stock it in the store.
 
stellarfun said:
Except these are not developer buildings, they are owned and used by a university(ies).

The problem I have with retail everywhere is that its become a parade of unending blocks, consisting of a bank, a drugstore, a fast food place, and a coffeeshop. Want to buy a book? Go to Amazon. Want to buy some paint, go to Home Depot. Appliance repair? Send it to New Jersey. The great diversity of commercial and retail establishments that the public frequented when they needed something has vanished. Clothing stores have become mere showrooms. Like something you see, buy it on-line, we don't stock it in the store.
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I get lamenting the drop in variety of retailers today, but you can't mean we'd be better off without the drugstores and cafes everywhere - that you'd rather see a blank wall than a BoA.

Give me the storefronts today and trends might change in the future. Density and walkability are key elements to supporting small neighborhood oriented business. Look at Inman, Central, Harvard - all have decent population density and all support lots of mom and pop operations. Kendall and Osborn Triangle have the daytime workers aplenty but are still a little light on residential density. It will come along if the City Council can get their shit together.
 
stellarfun said:
Except these are not developer buildings, they are owned and used by a university(ies).

The problem I have with retail everywhere is that its become a parade of unending blocks, consisting of a bank, a drugstore, a fast food place, and a coffeeshop. Want to buy a book? Go to Amazon. Want to buy some paint, go to Home Depot. Appliance repair? Send it to New Jersey. The great diversity of commercial and retail establishments that the public frequented when they needed something has vanished. Clothing stores have become mere showrooms. Like something you see, buy it on-line, we don't stock it in the store.
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Not being a developer building is not a reason not to have retail. Neither is being owned and used by universities. Want to become part of the neighborhood as you claim? Then blend into it a bit more. The people who work there need to eat and buy soda too, and maybe some air freshener, etc.

I lament the loss of the actual retail outlets you mentioned above, but does that in some way mean provide none? Hell there is shoe and watch repair in Kendall. I'd actually love a couple chains in the area that cost 1/2 to 2/3 of the more expensive chains we have. Nothing against Cosi, Au Bon Pain, or Chipotle (you guys can feel about them any way you want), But, give me the opportunity to buy lunch for 6 or 7 bucks instead of 10-12 and that'll be a-ok.

People complain on here constantly about too many CVS' and DD's and whatnot. I'd kill for a CVS here in Kendall. The 7-11 is the closest thing, and it's not exactly close for a quick run out and back (not far by any means). Nothing crazy, just a store front like the one that was on Winter St. in DTX.
 
^ I really only get bugged by the bank branches, which never seem to get much use anymore. Drug store and coffee shops will always have customers, banks seem to sit empty half the time.
 
Yeah, I look downstairs and we have a bank of america branch and Fidelity office on one side of the building. The bank I get, but the Fidelity makes me think there could be such better uses for that spot. The two combined, kills it. I'm thrilled with the barber shop however.
 
Too bad it was so overcast. I suppose a wider angle would help too but it's a phone. What do I want?
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And a peek thru to 300.
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Still not seeing that cool curtain that was going to wrap around at street level....I'm getting antsy!
 
Gotta say, not loving those pop-outs. They look like the facade stepped in poison ivy.
 
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We need some new pics! From today:

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Does anyone know when that funky looking facade is supposed to be installed on the front street-level wall? Or did they phase it out in favor of glass windows?
 
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