One Kenmore Square | 560 Commonwealth Avenue | Kenmore Square

I have no expertise or opinion as to how this will change the traffic situation. But it seems to me that this plaza will have a hugely positive effect on the pedestrian experience, and will truly urbanize Kenmore once and for all. I care far, far more about that than the traffic.

Charlie_mta said:
Let's keep the historical street grid and put up something decent.
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The historical street grid is awful. Walking through Kenmore Square feels like crossing multiple highways. Not only will this proposal make walking through the square pleasant, it will even make simply lingering in and sitting in the square pleasant.
 
BronsonShore said:
I have no expertise or opinion as to how this will change the traffic situation. But it seems to me that this plaza will have a hugely positive effect on the pedestrian experience, and will truly urbanize Kenmore once and for all. I care far, far more about that than the traffic.



The historical street grid is awful. Walking through Kenmore Square feels like crossing multiple highways. Not only will this proposal make walking through the square pleasant, it will even make simply lingering in and sitting in the square pleasant.
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Agree 100%. This would be a great project for Kenmore Square, perhaps transformative from a pedestrian standpoint.
 
I agree as well. This is much better than whats there and pedestrian focused vs car centric. This is actually a square with a focal point vs what it is now. I cant wait. This, the bu tower, the new building at the citgo sign, fenway center...etc all will bring much more activity to the area. Making the streets smaller will also slow down cars, make crossing easier, and create a more intimate space. How a square should be.





This gives an actual space for people to gather, food trucks, street vendors...what have you, all the things that come with having the actual space in a square for things to organically happen with the avialable room in a busy area that otherwise wouldnt. When youre here youll know your at Kenmore sq vs now where theres really nothing going on and no real discernible spot.

Kenmore%20Square_Street%20View%20by%20MAQE%20and%20Studio%20Gang.jpg
 
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stick n move said:
I agree as well. This is much better than whats there and pedestrian focused vs car centric. This is actually a square with a focal point vs what it is now. I cant wait. This, the bu tower, the new building at the citgo sign, fenway center...etc all will bring much more activity to the area.



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the new building at the citgo sign (as you put it) straight-up sucks and involves demolishing a gorgeous, pre-war structure. this proposal is great, but *that* one is a horrific affront.
 
All I said about that particular building is that it will bring more activity to the area.
 
stick n move said:
This is much better than whats there and pedestrian focused vs car centric. This is actually a square with a focal point vs what it is now. I cant wait. This, the bu tower, the new building at the citgo sign, fenway center...etc all will bring much more activity to the area. Making the streets smaller will also slow down cars, make crossing easier, and create a more intimate space. How a square should be.

This gives an actual space for people to gather, food trucks, street vendors...what have you, all the things that come with having the actual space in a square for things to organically happen with the avialable room in a busy area that otherwise wouldnt. When youre here youll know your at Kenmore sq vs now where theres really nothing going on and no real discernible spot.
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Okay, I agree. All in all it would be a plus.
 
chrisbrat said:
the new building at the citgo sign (as you put it) straight-up sucks and involves demolishing a gorgeous, pre-war structure. this proposal is great, but *that* one is a horrific affront.
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+1.
 
btw, was there any news on this–like, are they breaking ground?
We're talking about the 2 hotel low-highrises, right?
Just to be clear, we're not calling these towers, right?

meddlepal said:
We're not running out of land. Repeat after me: We're not running out of land.
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I agree that Kenmore Sq is not good--particularly since the changes T made to the stop in the middle. But I am not as convinced that this project is the answer. That plaza is on the north side of a building and it really constrained by the subway tunnel under it. I flat out don't believe the shadows in that render--even at the extreme when the sun is setting I don't think they will fall like that. If you look at the google image where the whole space is in shade, that seems more realistic. Also, that's a huge paved area that someone (presumably the developer) needs to maintain and activate. That is really difficult. Christian Science Plaza is the only great plaza I can think of in Boston, and it is interior to a block, or at least well screened by trees. And trees are tough on this site because of the subway.

Clearly, Kenmore Square needs work. I think that this project hasn't clearly shown how it will fix the problems. It's done a great job of clarifying what they are but not of showing that this is the way to fix them.

And, I'll say that I love the building. It is a fantastic proposal and something that Boston really needs. It's the site I'm not buying.

stick n move said:
I agree as well. This is much better than whats there and pedestrian focused vs car centric. This is actually a square with a focal point vs what it is now. I cant wait. This, the bu tower, the new building at the citgo sign, fenway center...etc all will bring much more activity to the area. Making the streets smaller will also slow down cars, make crossing easier, and create a more intimate space. How a square should be.





Kenmore%20Square_Street%20View%20by%20MAQE%20and%20Studio%20Gang.jpg
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The building looks spectacular. Let's build it.

Anything is better than the sea of roadway you need to cross now.
 
a missing parenthesis in that link.

such SUCH a cool building. really hope this one gets built as currently proposed.
 
This looks about 1000% better than the Pierce building. Look at the last page image.
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

DZH22 said:
Capture by David Z, on Flickr
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Not new, but revisiting the old renders/designs, I'm growing more and more interested in this atrium. Wish they could provide more info on it.
 
The Green Line portal should be moved 43 feet to the west (as measured on Google maps) to shift the new cross street and sidewalk west and enlarge the lot for the new building. The MBTA had rebuilt the floor of the portal some years ago, and they missed the opportunity (as ususal) to do a bit of futuring by moving the portal then. It's still doable, but would cost some bucks. The change would enlarge the lot by the area to the left of the black dashed line:

48176704016_b3735144f6_c.jpg
 
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If we are moving the portal just build it out to Packards Corner and call it a day.
 
At least it has a median there, once the green line finally gets signal priority it will be much better. A higher priority imo is the places where the tracks leave the median into the travel lanes like lower huntington ave. Id like to see them remove street parking and extend the median for the tracks further down that short stretch of Huntington ave before they turn onto heath. Getting rid of street parking on those couple blocks to get the train out of the road there would be huge, along with the signal priority coming to that stretch as well where there is a median.
 
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