Seaport Neighborhood - Infill and Discussion

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

I thought the same thing at first but looking at it again today its kind of cool in a way I have never seen a perfectly even skyline like that anywhere before. If this was the main skyline it would be terrible but this is unique.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Imagine if there were no height restrictions? I think we would've had a handful of supertalls here
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

20 years of meetings, reviews, neighborhood input and that is the output


LOL what a joke I could have designed a better seaport on a cocktail napkin
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

They did realize they didn't have to build the massing models, right?
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

It's a skyline guys... the important part is the neighborhood which also kinda sucks but is also a major WIP.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

It takes the word skyLINE quite literally does it not?
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Equilibria said:
Well the alternative is to intentionally lose money to appease a bunch of internet commenters, so...
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Seriously! What exactly do people expect. The land down there is some of the most expensive in all of the United States. Combine that fact with the height restrictions and every single developer has no choice but to build as high and wide as possible to make money. If anything/anyone is to blame it is the proximity of our airport to the seaport (something I am not willing to give up - ever try getting from downtown Chicago to O'Hare during rush hour with lots of luggage?) coupled with the absurd land values in the Seaport. The developers are just playing within the rules while trying to turn a profit. Hard to blame them.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

^Exactly. The same thing happens in DC, where the skyline is almost perfectly flat downtown and in the new areas on the waterfront. DC, of course, limits height not due to the airport, but out of sheer backwards NIMBYism. The Seaport looking like this is to be expected - and it's good too! - it's best that the land's use is maximized within the constraints of the airport.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

rinSEd cOCkpit NA palm kLUTChing PEARLS all onFLATOP BABY!!!! IMO
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Equilibria said:
Well the alternative is to intentionally lose money to appease a bunch of internet commenters, so...
Click to expand...

Exactly

By the way if you were to look at old Boston in the DTX and Financial District [circa from just after the fire to WWII] when the 100 foot height limit was the law of the land except for churches and the the Feds' -- you had a totally flat skyline with steeples and of course the dome of the statehouse on Beacon Hill and only later the Custom House Tower

see Fitz Henry Lane Boston Harbor at the MFA or online
SC171400.jpg


content


What matters more in the Seaport / Innovation District than the long range shots is the pedestrian experience -- what does it look like to walk the streets
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Yes but even taking height out of equation there is nothing in this neighborhood to justify a 20 year review process. Look at the north end, Somerville, Harvard square, many many more. What is special about this neighborhood that would not have been there had it not been developed years ago. Nice review process Boston!
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

there is nothing in this neighborhood to justify a 20 year review process.
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I think that's something we can all agree on, even after taking into account the off years from the Great Recession. Menino took too much time needlessly micromanaging projects all over the city - here more than anywhere else - and the ridiculous cost of living is his legacy.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Equilibria said:
Well the alternative is to intentionally lose money to appease a bunch of internet commenters, so...
Click to expand...

I think that the Seaport Square parcels are about to demonstrate that you do not have to build max Height max FAR boxes to turn a profit in this area. Good architecture and urban design actually add to the value of the real estate, and can be accommodated in the Seaport.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

nepatz11 said:
Yes but even taking height out of equation there is nothing in this neighborhood to justify a 20 year review process. Look at the north end, Somerville, Harvard square, many many more. What is special about this neighborhood that would not have been there had it not been developed years ago. Nice review process Boston!
Click to expand...

Nepatz -- just be thankful

Had it been developed in the 90's it would have all looked like the Courthouse {minus the glass curtain wall] -- a brick warehouse or bunker

Thankfully that era is gone and so is the mostly just dumb rectangle covered in something era

Just like the Back Bay took 50 years to fill in and be developed the first time -- I'll bet that the Seaport Innovation District will still be building out [mostly on the fringes] in 2050
 
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