Rose Kennedy Greenway

I like having a mural, but could a rock climbing wall be put on the north side?
 
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http://instagram.com/p/NjqjAfQOBD/
 
BostonObserver said:
It would be nice to see the ICA do this on a regular basis.
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+1

or, have some more significant and enduring mural art that would become part of the Boston urban environment. In any case, this visual "real estate" is too valuable to be left blank.
 
About damn time this city allowed, on a major public vista, some wild, wacko, whimsical, colorful, makes you look, makes you think, makes you ponder, maybe makes you mad if only for an instant...ART!! Love it or hate it, it's so unusual and so unBostonian that I, for one, am glad to see it!
 
Kind of ironic though that they spent the money to clad a vent building in granite only to paint over it. A public art wall should have been the plan from the get go and then we could have just gone with precast concrete a la Fan Pier.

Does anyone know anything about the architectural design that went into the vent buildings? From what I've heard the CA/T actually spent quite a bit on design elements. But I don't know any specifics...
 
This is a welcome addition.

Now when are they going to do the other three sides?
 
They need to wrap a building around that thing, but a series of murals would be nice for now.
 
They should do a giant Adventure Time mural on the other.
 
AmericanFolkLegend said:
Kind of ironic though that they spent the money to clad a vent building in granite only to paint over it. A public art wall should have been the plan from the get go and then we could have just gone with precast concrete a la Fan Pier.

I'm guessing that the painting is temporary and is part of a much larger contemporary art installation which is presently on the Greenway.
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Yes, it's temporary. The intent is that it gradually weathers away and then is removed.
 
Took a drive in Boston yesterday and drove through Rosie's Park. Didn't seem that the park was very active but their was alot of ART projects on a couple of parcels near IP & IC which seemed very cool.
 
What you saw was the Figment Project. It was postponed from June 4-5 because of rain, and more rain this weekend (as well as a competing event in Copley Square) may have depressed turnout.
 
walked the greenway friday night. decent foot traffic. But getting out of south station and specifically paying attention to the crowd, I got to the Intercontinental before I realized I hadn't even crossed over onto the paths!

The landscaping and vegetation are growing in great, but If the had moved it entirely to one side or the other and not had it bounded by roads, I think it would be overrun with activity. Then the other side just would need an oversized sidewalk with patio seating so people can sit down and eat. Oh well.
 
While the Conservancy remains "embattled" in the media I'll give them a thumbs up for the Os Gemeos project and Figment yesterday.

Oddly contrasting stoic Dewey Square, both projects presented edgier works and a booming DJ -- boding well for future events. I particularly liked the fact that a hodgepodge of homemade Figment projects, some surprisingly large in scale, were allowed to be installed on the grass.

Attendees, though sparse because it was a raindate, were having a blast.
 
I've said this before: Dewey Square has such great potential as a new public space at the intersection of Financial District, Ladder District, and Seaport. But right now, except for farmers markets and Occupy, it's essentially an oversized crosswalk. Some things that could help from least difficult/most likely to most difficult/least likely:

  • Actually useful street furniture that includes shade and encourages lingering. An outdoor cafe - or better yet, beer garden - in the middle would be sublime.
  • A new building around the vent oriented towards the square (as I guess it would have to be). This is still officially in plans, although with all the cultural institutions pulling out I think that MassDOT should bite the bullet and sell this to a private developer. The Conservancy doesn't even really garden anything here.
  • Better street level activation of adjacent skyscrapers including One Financial Place and Fiduciary Trust Building. I think the Federal Reserve Building is probably a lost cause in this regard, although I'd argue that the presence of such a unique building in itself helps "make the space."
  • Removal of the southbound offramp, which as it is really cuts pedestrians off from the Financial District and creates an unnecessary traffic and pedestrian choke point. This exit ramp really is unnecessary considering that there's another one half a mile back at International Place (Purchase Street). that could just as easily be signed for South Station.
 
Need some new pics of the Greenway to start evaluating again.

I feel like the Greenway is evolving better than I could imagine. I'm glad the conservancy ran out of the money to build those projects on the parcels.

I would rather see Greenery & Trees, Flowers on the parcels.
 
Shepard said:
I've said this before: Dewey Square has such great potential as a new public space at the intersection of Financial District, Ladder District, and Seaport. But right now, except for farmers markets and Occupy, it's essentially an oversized crosswalk. Some things that could help from least difficult/most likely to most difficult/least likely:

  • Actually useful street furniture that includes shade and encourages lingering. An outdoor cafe - or better yet, beer garden - in the middle would be sublime.
  • A new building around the vent oriented towards the square (as I guess it would have to be). This is still officially in plans, although with all the cultural institutions pulling out I think that MassDOT should bite the bullet and sell this to a private developer. The Conservancy doesn't even really garden anything here.
  • Better street level activation of adjacent skyscrapers including One Financial Place and Fiduciary Trust Building. I think the Federal Reserve Building is probably a lost cause in this regard, although I'd argue that the presence of such a unique building in itself helps "make the space."
  • Removal of the southbound offramp, which as it is really cuts pedestrians off from the Financial District and creates an unnecessary traffic and pedestrian choke point. This exit ramp really is unnecessary considering that there's another one half a mile back at International Place (Purchase Street). that could just as easily be signed for South Station.
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I think all these ideas are good. I hesitate however, to give it over to one private owner and one use. I think it would be cool if they made it like a 3 seasons area- open air with heaters and shielded from the rain. Very simple and easy to change uses.

So on some days it can have the farmers markets, another day a craft or artist set up. Then you can also have a beer garden- like Thursday, Friday,Sat. and its just picnic tables, sponsors by like harpoon and have James Hook just make simple fried seafood plates. This diversity of uses would promote a diverse set of people to come visit (business, college, families). Although I would enjoy the beer garden the best, I can see how some other people would be reluctant to turn the expensive public park over to a bar. Unfortunately, this flexibility seems to be a major issue in boston.
 
TheRifleman said:
I'm glad the conservancy ran out of the money to build those projects on the parcels.
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The Conservancy never intended to build those projects. The Mass. Horticultural Society, New Center for Arts and Culture, Boston Museum project, and YMCA were the intended developers.

I would rather see Greenery & Trees, Flowers on the parcels.
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But except for the lawn closest to Dewey Square, and part of the ramp parcel across from Rowes Wharf, these parcels now have neither greenery nor buildings on them.
 
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