Rose Kennedy Greenway

^the national museum of crime and punishment does an excellent job of occupying that space as well (though they charge too much). It really feels like that space was intended for a museum. I'd like to see something similar in Boston.
 
Lrfox said:
^the national museum of crime and punishment does an excellent job of occupying that space as well (though they charge too much). It really feels like that space was intended for a museum. I'd like to see something similar in Boston.
Click to expand...
National Museum of Crime and Punishment is a facadectomy. The Spy Museum's building is, I'm pretty sure, original, and previously home to porn emporiums or establishments of similar, low-brow patronage.
 
see my map in the 'i designed a better boston' thread, i threw in the idea for having an old market style thingy there, with all that sustainable stuff (local farming) and looks good too stuff.
 
I often thought (prior to its formation) that the perfect place for a museum on Boston history would be the Alexandra hotel at the corner of Washington St and Massachusetts Ave, in Boston's South End. Perhaps it wouldn't have been big enough or perhaps the small footprint of the building would have required too much walking up and down stairs.

It's a moot point now, of course.
 
Way too far from the Freedom Trail for anything of the sort. I know that's probably what you were going for, and there's no doubt there would be symbolic significance to placing the museum on the edge of Roxbury (as much, perhaps, as the arguably negative significance of placing police headquarters there) but such an institution would need to suck up the revenue of the tourists from Topeka.
 
Banker & Tradesman Daily - January 13, 2009
MassDevelopment Puts The Green In Greenway

By Paul McMorrow
Banker & Tradesman Staff Writer

MassDevelopment has filled a $2 million gap in the finances of Boston?s Greenway Conservancy after state funding earmarked for the nonprofit evaporated, the group's Executive Director Nancy Brennan said at a Conservancy board meeting today.

A state law signed last August directed the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority to lease the Rose Kennedy Greenway in downtown Boston, upon which the elevated Central Artery once stood, to the Conservancy, which would assume day-to-day responsibilities for the park's management, funding, and upkeep. The legislation also included $2 million in public seed money for the Conservancy. Those funds were supposed to be drawn from a projected state surplus.

However, deteriorating income and sales tax receipts, and especially plummeting capital gains receipts, have blown what could become a multi-billion dollar hole in the state budget. When it became clear the surplus would not materialize, Brennan said, MassDevelopment gave the Conservancy the $2 million grant. She said the funds will be used for park maintenance over the next two years.

Peter Meade, the Greenway's chairman, also said negotiations with the Turnpike on a lease for the parkland remain active. He said he expected to have a lease for execution by the Conservancy's next board meeting, scheduled for February. The legislation authorizing the lease had anticipated such a lease being completed by Dec. 1.

City and state officials hope the 10-acre Greenway, which stretches from North Station to Chinatown, will spur new investment and development along the corridor. The Intercontinental Hotel will soon be joined by Boston Properties' $500 million Russia Wharf development. Last week, the Chiofaro Cos. announced plans to construct a $900 million mixed-use project along the Greenway. The developers feel that one of the main draws of the project, which will encompass two towers and 1.5 million square feet, will be the towers' proximity to the new park.

A Boston Redevelopment Authority effort to rezone the corridor surrounding the Greenway is ongoing.
Click to expand...
 
City and state officials hope the 10-acre Greenway, which stretches from North Station to Chinatown, will spur new investment and development along the corridor.

That is, just as long as it's not too tall, doesn't cast shadows, doesn't create a wind tunnel, is contextual but still stands out, doesn't create a canyon, doesn't add to the "Manhattan-ization of Boston," is completely open to the public but is completely privately financed, has plenty of parking but is transit oriented, includes a grocery store, a community center, an old folks home, housing, low income housing, and a school... what else, oh, and not ugly.
 
There are very few parcels available to build a high rise. Instead of canyonizing the greenway, building high on these sites would serve as exclamation points and add interest and vitality(if done right) to the greenway. (I don't know how to express this in architectual terms)
 
underground said:
City and state officials hope the 10-acre Greenway, which stretches from North Station to Chinatown, will spur new investment and development along the corridor.

That is, just as long as it's not too tall, doesn't cast shadows, doesn't create a wind tunnel, is contextual but still stands out, doesn't create a canyon, doesn't add to the "Manhattan-ization of Boston," is completely open to the public but is completely privately financed, has plenty of parking but is transit oriented, includes a grocery store, a community center, an old folks home, housing, low income housing, and a school... what else, oh, and not ugly.
Click to expand...

Not really so true. Look at the Hotel Intercontinental. Tall, casts shadows, is not contextual, creates a canyon, arguably adds to the Manhattanization of Boston, is entirely private (you pay to stay), and contains maybe a few affordable units and no other public facilities, unless you include a vent shaft. Oh, and kinda ugly.
 
Why does everyone hate on the IC so much? It looks handsome, has some restaurants, and the Harborwalk in front, and attracts people to the city.
 
Given that about a third of the site footprint is consumed by the vent shaft, I think the IC turned out pretty well. (Though the Miel restaurant is a bit too faux Provence.)

Given the vent shaft, I suspect the alternative to mirrored glass would have been a soaring pre-cast edifice.
 
underground said:
City and state officials hope the 10-acre Greenway, which stretches from North Station to Chinatown, will spur new investment and development along the corridor.

That is, just as long as it's not too tall, doesn't cast shadows, doesn't create a wind tunnel, is contextual but still stands out, doesn't create a canyon, doesn't add to the "Manhattan-ization of Boston," is completely open to the public but is completely privately financed, has plenty of parking but is transit oriented, includes a grocery store, a community center, an old folks home, housing, low income housing, and a school... what else, oh, and not ugly.
Click to expand...
Ned just reminded me of another one; any project should make absolutely zero money, because if it does it's clearly just something being foisted on us by a greedy developer.
 
digging thru my old boxes of pix's not sure of the year?
53004568.jpg
 
The Greenway looks like shit, especially during winter. Even though its better than the old X-way, if you didn't know that the highway was there originally you'd think it was some horrible mistake. They need to pack it full of very tall trees(>50'). If they're not going to do that I wish they'd build up that area with some buildings. Such a waste! How does this city make so many mistakes??? You'd think with all of the "urban renewal" in the 50's that they'd want to bring back what makes this city great... density!

Europe got it right, after WWII they rebuilt all of the buildings that were bombed out to their original appearance. That's what should have happened here, instead of some bullshit extra-wide median strip
 
Marley said:
They need to pack it full of very tall trees(>50').
Click to expand...

Because of the highway underground I don't think it can support trees that big.

If they're not going to do that I wish they'd build up that area with some buildings. Such a waste!
Click to expand...

I'm with you.

How does this city make so many mistakes???
Click to expand...

The people who know the least yell the loudest.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top