Quaker Lane + Congress Square | Downtown

My favorite one of these in Boston:
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When I moved here 20 years ago, my insurance salesman was right across from this monstrosity. I have been fascinated with it for years.

I saw this building once and I apparently blocked it out of my memory. Thank you for reminding me that it exists.
 
I didn't realize there was a full update on Bldup's website. Lots more pix & tons of info: http://www.bldup.com/projects/congress-square

With all the excitement of Millennium Tower, 1 Dalton, North Station projects going on, this one somewhat slipped under my radar.

What an exciting project with the potential to really activate and transform this block.

Related Beal has really been doing some solid work in the city over the past few years. They don't seem to garner as much press as Millennium or BP, but they really do some solid work.
 
Talked to some guys at the site this evening, who said the project is slated for eighteen months but will definitely take longer due to various reasons.
 
Do you guys like this? i like the density. Not thrilled with the design. I would have liked it much more if they were doing it similar to 226 Causeway Street (the old Stop and Shop bakery).
 
Do you guys like this? i like the density. Not thrilled with the design. I would have liked it much more if they were doing it similar to 226 Causeway Street (the old Stop and Shop bakery).

I think the stark contrasts could potentially make this the gem of the area...We will see how the execution goes but its related so it will be a "premium" product. I have high hopes...what I do love is that there are only a handful of cities in the US where this type of development is even possible so I think it helps Boston create unique and interesting spaces that are tough to replicate.
 
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Do you guys like this? i like the density. Not thrilled with the design. I would have liked it much more if they were doing it similar to 226 Causeway Street (the old Stop and Shop bakery).

Yea I don't really know yet how I feel about it either. The two styles contrast a whole lot but in practice it may work out well. I feel like the potential is there well see how it plays out.


Its definitely interesting.
 
Not a whole heck of a lot of change from the end of May:






BTW mods, this development is being addressed as 33 Congress St - should we modify the title to add that?



Sign says completion slated for Q1 2018.
 
Great these buildings weren't on the chopping block for a new highrise.... Don't want to see any Classical Rev/Beaux-Arts/Chicago style buildings come down. But what they are doing to increase the density just seems a bit odd. Could work. Obviously, what's being added is going to be top tier. Then, pedestrians might hardly notice the new stuff at a glance.

Still, i think the additions could have better reflected the period and sophistication of the original buildings, and hit a home run.
 
^I agree this approach to additions atop historic buildings can seem counterintuitive (in terms of preservation), but one case where this approach worked very well is across the river (Simons Bldg, MIT):

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This 14,000 sf rooftop addition does not even attempted to match the 1916 building, yet nonetheless is so well integrated it has won preservation awards from the city.
 
Just for clarity, the buildings shown in Post 276 above are not even part of this project.
 

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