Rose Kennedy Greenway

^ there are quite a lot of people eating lunch in the 100 Federal plaza-ette, there are quite a lot of people eating lunch in City Hall Plaza too. People gathering because a space is open and outdoors shouldn't be the measure of a successful park - especially one that cost so many untold millions to create.

Honestly, City Hall Plaza is widely considered one of the nation's worst public spaces - but if you photograph it at lunch time there is a lot of life - I'll snap some pics today... but that doesn't make the plaza a successful part of the city. just a place people can get some sun and fresh air while they eat a sandwich.
 
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This is a perfect parcel for creating some kind of shield/link from Faneuil Hall to the north end. With some kind of shop/cafe on the ground floor, I think it would promote movement from the Faneuill side to the Columbus park Side while blocking some of the ramp noise.
 
I wholeheartedly agree with you. Unfortunately, that's where the Armenian Genocide Memorial is going to go. I don't say "unfortunately" because it's bad, it'll be better than the other wharf parks - but I say unfortunately because Dukakis decreed the 75% open space idiocy - to put a green scar in place of the green scar being removed - and now we're stuck with that decree due to a lack of even somewhat capable politicians in this region who might be able to change it.
 
Great shots KZ. In that one from the garage looking towards Zakim that long elevevated structure looks like monorail tracks. *hopes for a monorail system to be added*
 
I'm going to disagree with you all because the people I see in the Greenway seem to enjoy being there. That's never true in City Hall Plaza, unless there's a big rally or concert or other event.
 
Ron Newman said:
I'm going to disagree with you all because the people I see in the Greenway seem to enjoy being there. That's never true in City Hall Plaza, unless there's a big rally or concert or other event.
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Speaking of City Hall plaza, not to get too off topic here, I went to the Phantom Gourmet BBQ Festival last weekend, and they had a beer garden up on the city hall plinth. It is actually a pretty impressive space up there. It was a hot day, but it was nice and breezy under the building. I think it would be really cool to have a restaurant up there on that level with outdoor seating up on the terrace. I think it would do well and it would be a space that I could see people going to and enjoy being there.
 
A BBQ and Beer Fest is just the kind of action that the Greenway needs

I'm guessing that nothing is being programed for the Greenway officially until the dedication of the whole thing in the Autumn (October?)

Meanwhile the Boston and Tourist crowds will test out things this summer and the vegetation will have a chance to start to get established

Next year I'm willing to bet that someone will start to claim that the Greenway is a success.

5 years from now if no idiots build ugly on it -- it will be a success

Just my un-supported opinion based on a very few walks from N to S Stations over the past year or so

I'll be down in the area Saturday with a group of friends and foreign visitors and will see what it looks like on a pleasant summer weekend

Westy
 
The North End parks are in fact a success as someone noted. Over the last month I've eaten there a few times during my lunch-break. My co-workers, who didn't even know it existed, really enjoyed it as well, but noted it will look much better once the vines grow in on the pergolas. The few times I've been it was very busy, similar to the pictures posted on the previous page.

I don't agree however with the assessment of some that the wharf-district parks are a total failure. Last weekend I was in the city - introducing my 10 month old daughter to the sights and sounds of Boston. We paid a visit to the new circular fountain on the parcel near the aquarium. It was PACKED! Dozens of people of all ages (though mostly parents with small children) were in that immediate area. Bunches of kids were running and playing in the fountain...it was great to see. I have a few pics I'd be willing to share, though I can't post to this site (it won't let me)
 
Upload pictures to photobucket and then just copy and paste the link which is for forums.

The link will even copy automatically when you click it.
 
That's a funny photo, because if you look at it quickly it looks as though a big rocky blob is attacking the Greenway (from the bottom).
 
Yesterday there was much activity at the circular fountain. People were gathered around and kids were playing. I had a better idea of what they were going for with the crowds in place.
 
callahan said:
So, the building was designed by Moshe Safdie. He's done some interesting buildings. I'm not sure about this one. I'd like to see more drawings.
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Safdie was bounced. It is now Cambridge Seven. Safdie's design proved to be too expensive. And the museum is downsized. As the YMCA has also found out, building over the Big Dig ramps is not cheap.
 
from Boston.com today:

Greenway plans for 'Boston's biggest block party'

By Noah Bierman, Globe Staff

Officials planning the inauguration for the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway expect 50,000 to 70,000 people to congregate along the new mile-long stretch of downtown parks on Oct. 4 in what they are touting as ?Boston?s biggest block party.?

Plans include a Ferris wheel, free pedicab rides, walking tours, carts with free food, a scavenger hunt, and performance stages, said Kate Gilbert Miller, the conservancy?s event manager. Details of the festivities were discussed this morning at a meeting of the conservancy that will run the Greenway.

?What we?re trying to do is set the tone for what?s to come,? said Alexandra Lee, director of public programs for the conservancy.

The MBTA will also run special buses up and down the Greenway, wrapped in an advertisement for the new parks.

The conservancy will hold a fund-raising gala the night before the opening, inviting political leaders and members of the business community.
 
Thanks for the photo-posting tip. Here are some pics from Saturday June 21st. Forgive the fact that every picture has a subject - I wasn't taking these with the intention of posting here. But you get the idea of what the crowd was like.

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...and one I photoshopped for the hell of it...
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Those people look so unhappy. Is this a protest demanding that buildings be built here instead of parks? I hope no one sets themselves on fire in protest.
 
How you do you figure? Being there in person I can attest to the fact that everyone was enjoying themselves. The fountain sprays water in different patterns for a couple minutes then stops for about a minute and repeats like this over and over again. Some of the pics are of when the fountain wasn't actually spraying, so the kids are all standing around waiting for the water to come back. Regardless, I promise you all those kids weren't screaming, laughing and running around in agony. I don't seem to remember any kids running and playing and laughing at this location under the hulking, rusting central artery. The surrounding area will continue to improve with time. Sorry this fountain isn't "urban" enough...but it is still an early success.
 
People sure appear happy to me.

However, I do find it pretty darn odd to have a fountain right in the middle of what is basically an intersection. That can't be totally safe with kids running around and whatnot. There has to be some way to enclose that a little...
 
I don't see any problem. The square that the fountain occupies is pretty large. It looks like benches enclose it on at least one side.
 
I find the sight of children playing in fountains repugnant. It's disgusting and trashy. (No sarcasm.)
 
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