Seaport Neighborhood - Infill and Discussion

[TheRifleman]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Enough sobriety.

Drink, drink, drink to the stadium, the Superbowl, and the Final Four. (And the Olympics too!)

My whole point to the vision of the entertainment district is instead of supporting kraft to envision patriots stadium On the water why did the city and state give billions of tax dollars away for prime real estate?

kraft would have invested into the city instead of needing tax incentive to build. That is the difference.

Seaport is prime real estate and the city and our elected officials had to give billions in incentives to finally build something.

There really should.be an investigation at this point on why the seaport got so many tax incentives for prime real estate to get developed. To own or live near the seaport you have to be making at least 3 figure salary

I'm not crazy on wynn development but that development is positive for Everett economically, Wynn is investing in Everett not taking tax incentives to develop.

That's the difference the BRA and Menino had all side deals going on using all the zoning laws to create angles instead of developments that actually invested in Boston for the long-term.

 

[tangent]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

They do plnety of things at the various stadiums besides just games and concerts. For example, I've been to probably half a dozen trade shows over the years at Gillette. While a stadium is not the best fit for that purpose, it works pretty well, and everyone likes having a trade show somewhere with windows (and lots of them). So, the place wouldn't be empty.

That said, I think such prime real estate is better used for something even desner. Suffolk Downs would have been s great spot for a stadium. The general footprint is similar, its not right downtown, but still has subway access.

400 feet under the approach path for Logan is probably ok for football/soccer games but terrible for the big concerts that also go in stadiums.

 

[stick n move]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

"Bostons biggest development ever?"

https://boston.curbed.com/2017/5/16/15645984/south-boston-power-plant-hilco-redgate

 

[CBCArch61]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

"Bostons biggest development ever?"

https://boston.curbed.com/2017/5/16/15645984/south-boston-power-plant-hilco-redgate

"Dearth" of parking??? Seriously???? I know the nyumber 7 bus is in shambles, but didn't Rep. Nick Collins recently say something about a study to dramatically improve this route. A development like this should have less parking! Maybe the city gets inventive and has the developer fund transit improvements, say more busses on the 7 route, and hell maybe even a water taxi over to Rowes??

 

[dshoost88]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

"Bostons biggest development ever?"

https://boston.curbed.com/2017/5/16/15645984/south-boston-power-plant-hilco-redgate

"Dearth" of parking??? Seriously???? I know the nyumber 7 bus is in shambles, but didn't Rep. Nick Collins recently say something about a study to dramatically improve this route. A development like this should have less parking! Maybe the city gets inventive and has the developer fund transit improvements, say more busses on the 7 route, and hell maybe even a water taxi over to Rowes??

There's already a thread for this.

 

[BeeLine]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

I can't quite place exactly where Beeline was standing (I'll guess on Northern Ave between The Benjamin and Via looking towards Fan Pier) when he snapped this pic.

I was one block East standing about 20 feet south of the Fan Pier water feature looking South.
On the left is 50 Liberty then One Marine and a bit if the Watermark.
On the right is 22 Liberty, Vertex A and B, Via and a bit of the Yotel Hotel

 

[DominusNovus]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

400 feet under the approach path for Logan is probably ok for football/soccer games but terrible for the big concerts that also go in stadiums.

Valid point. Hmmm... Quincy/Braintree? Can't think of any space well suited though (maybe Q. Adams after a major rework of the split).

 

[atlantaden]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

I was one block East standing about 20 feet south of the Fan Pier water feature looking South.
On the left is 50 Liberty then One Marine and a bit if the Watermark.
On the right is 22 Liberty, Vertex A and B, Via and a bit of the Yotel Hotel

Thanks, love the pic!

 

[stefal]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

 

[TheRifleman]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Great PICS.

Black & white pic of the bridges looking into Seaport is EPIC.

 

[BeeLine]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

https://flic.kr/p/UHKM7Z

https://flic.kr/p/UK1gAD

https://flic.kr/p/VV4M2w

 

[xec]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

A lunchtime walk around the Seaport.

 

[quinninin]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

XEC great photos, seaport seems alive in your set.

 

[BeeLine]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

XEC I'm loving the photos. Thanks for sharing them with us.

 

[atlantaden]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

xec, a great pictorial journey! I read the other day comments in the Globe about the Seaport, almost to a person, they all were so critical of the Seaport...no parks, bad architecture, dead streets, etc. Your pics, especially of the people sitting around on park benches, café tables, or eating at an outdoor restaurant with new buildings in the background totally blow those arguments away. I've always had great hope for the success of the Seaport and your pics of a sunny midweek afternoon confirm to me that it's gonna be a great place to hang out. The pics of the Memorial Park are a big surprise as to how busy it was and how grown in the vegetation already is considering it's practically brand new.

 

[JumboBuc]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Great pics xec, as always.

I read the other day comments in the Globe about the Seaport, almost to a person, they all were so critical of the Seaport...no parks, bad architecture, dead streets, etc. Your pics, especially of the people sitting around on park benches, café tables, or eating at an outdoor restaurant with new buildings in the background totally blow those arguments away.

I too have never understood this prevalent Seaport narrative; it doesn't comport with reality in the slightest. I suspect that lots of the people who trash the Seaport for its "lack of parks and dead streets" haven't been there in years and/or have an agenda (i.e., if they admit that a newly developed neighborhood is working then that weakens their case against all forms of new development).

Is the Seaport perfect? No, far from it. We can all spout off a list of unfortunate design decisions that have taken place there over the years. But the neighborhood is alive and thriving, especially on a nice summer evening or sunny afternoon. For some reason everyone still describes the Seaport as if nothing has changed there since 2007.

 

[fattony]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

xec, a great pictorial journey! I read the other day comments in the Globe about the Seaport, almost to a person, they all were so critical of the Seaport...no parks, bad architecture, dead streets, etc. Your pics, especially of the people sitting around on park benches, café tables, or eating at an outdoor restaurant with new buildings in the background totally blow those arguments away. I've always had great hope for the success of the Seaport and your pics of a sunny midweek afternoon confirm to me that it's gonna be a great place to hang out. The pics of the Memorial Park are a big surprise as to how busy it was and how grown in the vegetation already is considering it's practically brand new.

Couldn't agree with this more.

Thanks XEC!

 

[xec]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Thanks everyone. Glad you liked the pics. I think the Seaport has a lot more potential than people give it credit for.

 

[Galactic]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

I also love taking walks at lunch around Seaport and can also confirm that there is far more activity and stuff going than you'd expect. It's honestly really exciting from an urban planning perspective. Even though tons of roads are blocked for construction, and lots are torn up, people are still out and enjoying the area.

I used to be one of the people who always considered Seaport to be a forced, artificial place where nobody actually went. I honestly think that was fairly accurate just 2-3 years ago. But now it's honestly blending in with downtown across the channel, and there are tons of people doing "normal" things in the Seaport just like any other part of the city. It's going to be really fun watching it fill out in the next few years.

 

[jl326]

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

I also love taking walks at lunch around Seaport and can also confirm that there is far more activity and stuff going than you'd expect. It's honestly really exciting from an urban planning perspective. Even though tons of roads are blocked for construction, and lots are torn up, people are still out and enjoying the area.

I used to be one of the people who always considered Seaport to be a forced, artificial place where nobody actually went. I honestly think that was fairly accurate just 2-3 years ago. But now it's honestly blending in with downtown across the channel, and there are tons of people doing "normal" things in the Seaport just like any other part of the city. It's going to be really fun watching it fill out in the next few years.

I honestly think that the problem will turn into it be too crowded eventually.