Seaport Neighborhood - Infill and Discussion

[Java King]

All these recent excellent pictures makes me wonder if the Seaport will go through another phase like Kendall Square? When I moved to the area in 1987, Kendall Square was pretty suburban with very little housing, restaurants, or retail. I'm encouraged by all the new development there being much more urban. I wonder if the Seaport will go through another transformation in 30 years to make it more dense, urban, walkable, and interesting? The Seaport is WAY better than Kendall Square in 1987, but it's not quite a cohesive neighborhood yet.

 

[393b40]

All these recent excellent pictures makes me wonder if the Seaport will go through another phase like Kendall Square? When I moved to the area in 1987, Kendall Square was pretty suburban with very little housing, restaurants, or retail. I'm encouraged by all the new development there being much more urban. I wonder if the Seaport will go through another transformation in 30 years to make it more dense, urban, walkable, and interesting? The Seaport is WAY better than Kendall Square in 1987, but it's not quite a cohesive neighborhood yet.

I don't think you'll see any substantial changes in the Seaport area until Logan is either rendered obsolete, or there are fundamental changes to radar and air traffic control, or the runways are re-aligned, or planes start using VTOL technology. The neighborhood as it currently exists is basically built-out or has active proposals and there's not exactly an abundance of remaining open parcels once the full build out is complete except maybe the District Hall site.

We'll continue to see more development connecting the Seaport with South Boston over the next several decades especially around the back and sides of the BCEC.

 

[xec]

View attachment 10185

View attachment 10209

I'm so very very happy that Seaport office architecture has moved beyond the glass box...

 

[stefal]

I'm kind of digging the high-tech style the World Trade Center is taking on during the demo. Like a conservative Richard Rogers piece.

 

[whighlander]

All these recent excellent pictures makes me wonder if the Seaport will go through another phase like Kendall Square? When I moved to the area in 1987, Kendall Square was pretty suburban with very little housing, restaurants, or retail. I'm encouraged by all the new development there being much more urban. I wonder if the Seaport will go through another transformation in 30 years to make it more dense, urban, walkable, and interesting? The Seaport is WAY better than Kendall Square in 1987, but it's not quite a cohesive neighborhood yet.

Java -- if you walk about or look at the recent pix -- you will see that the Seaport [including Fan Pier and near-by Massport properties] in the modern connotation of "Dense, Urban and Walkable" -- its already there -- -and I think its even fairly interesting -- nothing at all like Kendal in the AI Alley era

 

[Java King]

Java -- if you walk about or look at the recent pix -- you will see that the Seaport [including Fan Pier and near-by Massport properties] in the modern connotation of "Dense, Urban and Walkable" -- its already there -- -and I think its even fairly interesting -- nothing at all like Kendal in the AI Alley era

I've walked around the Seaport area A LOT recently. It's not horrible, but I wouldn't really call it interesting or dense. Quick example: Just walk around Tatte Bakery between that building and the Pier 4 residential. It feels like a delivery alley to me. The wind was blowing and it was cold, and it certainly was NOT a space I wanted to linger in. That's just one example. I realize there are many excellent parts, but overall I'm just a little disappointed in the urban fabric of the Seaport.

 

[whighlander]

I've walked around the Seaport area A LOT recently. It's not horrible, but I wouldn't really call it interesting or dense. Quick example: Just walk around Tatte Bakery between that building and the Pier 4 residential. It feels like a delivery alley to me. The wind was blowing and it was cold, and it certainly was NOT a space I wanted to linger in. That's just one example. I realize there are many excellent parts, but overall I'm just a little disappointed in the urban fabric of the Seaport.

Java --its the edge of the harbor in February -- the North End is kind of clammy by the harbor as well

I suggest the walk be done in mid July toward sunset -- I did it last year and it was very pleasant

 

[atlantaden]

Whoa, Dimitri, you hit it out of the ballpark and right into the harbor with your first time post! Thanks for the pics.

 

[whighlander]

Whoa, Dimitri, you hit it out of the ballpark and right into the harbor with your first time post! Thanks for the pics.

I'll second that -- especially the Fidelity / World Trade Center pix

 

[Dimitri71]

Whoa, Dimitri, you hit it out of the ballpark and right into the harbor with your first time post! Thanks for the pics.

Thank you! Hopefully I haven't hit my peak too soon.

 

[whighlander]

Thank you! Hopefully I haven't hit my peak too soon.

Keep it up -- there are at least a few more years worth of interesting things to photograph where you've been already and in the immediate surrounds

 

[goldenretrievers]

parcel comparisons for reference

 

[BeeLine]

Anyone know what the activity on the eastern side of parcel G is related to? It looks like half the parcel has been fenced off. You can also see earth moving equipment and a couple of construction field offices. Seems to be a lot of pipes/tubes on the site. Infrastructure work??
IMG_4098 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_4100 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr
IMG_4101 by Bos Beeline, on Flickr

 

[cjbski]

Drives me NUTS that they are waiting on Parcel G. Should have finished that first.

 

[stellarfun]

Beeline,
Buried treasure?

Frank is still alive. And so too apparently are his excavators. See:

https://pando.com/2013/09/20/how-th...parking-lot-into-bostons-hottest-tech-center/

 

[shmessy]

Beeline,
Buried treasure?

Frank is still alive. And so too apparently are his excavators. See:

https://pando.com/2013/09/20/how-th...parking-lot-into-bostons-hottest-tech-center/

Jeebus, open the window QUICK and maybe it will fly out!!!!!!!!!

 

[dshoost88]

Totally random thought: Dry Dock No. 4 would be a really intriguing place to move the New England Aquarium. I imagine integrating a below-level harborquarium with an activated ground level park lining the perimeter (and extending the Harborwalk). It’s easily accessible from the interstates and would give the aquarium more space to expand.

The existing NEA site downtown could become a more purposefully-designed ferry terminal hub for Massachusetts Bay passenger ferry activity. It’s pretty fragmented right now and feels like it’s only accessible to “people in the know.”