One Post Office Square Makeover and Expansion | Financial District

vanshnookenraggen said:
Oh look, another glass box.
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Though it is I think the set backs on one of the sides, the skylobby half way up, the crown, and the red accents I think make it more than that. Its definitely better than whats there now and I think they did a pretty good job. The crown tops it off pretty nicely IMO, and the set backs on different sides make it not just a plain box with a flat roof. I think that at least deserves credit, although it always could be better I like it. I think the shot from across the harbor looks great too and adds another lit to crown to a city that needs much more of those.

Honestly if you look at our skyline minus the seaport we actually don't really have glass boxes. Theres a couple that come close including our crown jewel the Hancock but we dont have any actual true to form glass boxes that are a square foot print with a flat roof that many other cities have. We actually have a very brown palette to the city so I dont think were anywhere near critical mass. The seaport makes it look like were throwing them up everywhere but downtown doesn't really have them. We have exchange place, which comes kinda closeI think this is a welcomed addition.

Take a look, the seaport makes us think theyre everywhere but downtown really doesnt have em and theres actually room to grow.

shutterstock_196330946.jpg
 
12 inch anal probe reduced to 4 inch anal probe. So it is an improvement.
 
There was only so much they could do here with an existing building. 111 fed on the other hand was supposed to be the icon of the city...
 
Is this glass box effect exciting for a new build? No. Does it help freshen up an area that hasn't changed much since Dukakis was governor? Definitely.

Sort or reminds me of 250 West 55th - very dull exterior, but the interior is top shelf:

01.250-w-55th-st.jpg
 
Good points, I'm used to seeing too many of there down here but it will look nice on the usually drab po-mo skyline of Boston.
 
Here are my issues with this redo.
1. A decently proportioned building is now going to be overly fat, and add to Boston's squatness.
2. It's too close to the superior glass tower at Exchange Place.
3. Boston no longer has any whimsical cantilevers.
4. That lantern thing looks unfinished/bad.
 
Fantastic changes to 1st floor.

But "queue" is not spelt "cue"
 
Will it still blend into the background of the Deathstar after the sky darkens?
 
If folks are interested in a longer read, here's the EPNF:

http://www.bostonplans.org/getattachment/5fde5fc8-6860-44b4-b505-f780dbb38e2a

FWIW, it's weird to me that Gensler seems to have designed this so that it looks worst from the harbor. It's not bad, but the "box-on-top" look doesn't work with the BMO Mellon building and it doesn't work here, even when you light up the box. From other angles, though, the lantern looks much bigger and much more integrated.

The big win here is the ground level and burying the garage.
 
DZH22 said:
Here are my issues with this redo.
1. A decently proportioned building is now going to be overly fat, and add to Boston's squatness.
2. It's too close to the superior glass tower at Exchange Place.
3. Boston no longer has any whimsical cantilevers.
4. That lantern thing looks unfinished/bad.
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They've managed to blandify a pretty neutral background building into being aggressively blah. I'm also not believing any of the overcladding stuff they are selling. The top of the building is going to look different from the bottom and they keep rending it like it's all the same. Better to embrace the difference, play it up and make something interesting out of it.
 
Czervik.Construction said:
Is this glass box effect exciting for a new build? No. Does it help freshen up an area that hasn't changed much since Dukakis was governor? Definitely.

Sort or reminds me of 250 West 55th - very dull exterior, but the interior is top shelf:

01.250-w-55th-st.jpg
Click to expand...


....so it coddles the insiders and dismisses the public? Cool. :confused:
 
So even though this is pretty complex it should still be finished a lot faster than building a new tower right? Anyone know the timeline from start to finish?
 
odurandina said:
up for Building Dept Board approval for March 15th....
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http://boston.siretechnologies.com/sirepubbra/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=409&doctype=AGENDA


5:40 p.m.: Request authorization to approve the Fourth Amendment for Planned Development Area No. 11, One Post Office Square pursuant to Section 80C of the Zoning Code for the improvements and upgrades to the existing office building, the demolition of the 371 parking garage, the construction of a 15 story addition to the existing office building above the garage and 300 parking spaces; to petition the Zoning Commission for approval of the Fourth Amendment and the accompanying map amendment; to approve the proposed project as a Development Impact Project; to issue a Scoping Determination waiving further review pursuant to Article 80, Large Project Review; and, to take all related actions.
 
I hope this project sets in motion a new wave of redevelopment with a similar perspective. They actually feel responsible to represent themselves in greater alignment with Boston's growing global status--amazing to hear in this old town considering the aesthetic and overall modernization focus. We'll get it right, this city actually has a powerful future.
 
I had a lunch & learn from the consultant doing the engineering for this job. They've done a number of similar re-skinning projects in NYC with all the work being done WHILE the building is occupied. The trend makes financial sense and they seem to think that there will be a lot more of this coming once people realize that this is a viable option in Boston.
 
datadyne007 said:
8JvWNckh.png
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This garage improvement/utilization (along with the pedestrian experience improvements) offsets the horrible/soul killing architecture of the rest of the glass box.

Big win at the the street level.
 
i've been hoping 1 Boston Place could get a skin redo for several years... That what's happening Post Office Square would be such a wonderful fix at 1 Boston Place or 1 Beacon – that it's not so far-fetched – is incredible.
 
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