Seaport Square (Formerly McCourt Seaport Parcels)

Hopefully diversity among retailers beginning with Seaport Square will help. Active shopping centers bring in the street vendors, performers and livelihood that everyone is looking for here. The pedestrian focused "harbor way" or whatever the hell its called actually looks pretty damn awesome and unlike anything we have in Boston today. I could see the Seaport becoming the top shopping/dining destination in Boston proper - much in the same way that Assembly Row is shaping out to be right outside the city. Sure, much more is needed but I don't see weekend activity being an issue here at all, and I think it's going to start bustling much sooner than many may think.
 
stick n move said:
...Theres still acres and acres of developable land so this project not having a cultural center or library is not the nail in the coffin...
Click to expand...

Whether we're talking about civic facilities, cultural uses, adequate recreational parkspace, adequate residential density or other objectives that were seen as critical when the Seaport District was planned, the game of Kick-the-Can has been the regular excuse for BPDA routinely jettisoning BPDA-approved commitments.

No, there are not "acres and acres of developable land" available for these uses. Fort Point lots have already been rezoned via 100 Acres Plan. And those lots are roughly 1/2 mile from Seaport Blvd, quite a distance from M Block. Fort Point is unlikely to be perceived as the same neighborhood to residents of Fan Pier, Pier 4, One Seaport Square, M Block and the newly proposed G Block.

Anyone can argue that the uses I've cited above are not critical to the waterfront's successful evolution. But the waterfronts worth visiting worldwide evidence all of the these uses. Every top waterfront planning firm and entity engaged in Seaport planning (Coopers Robertson, Urban Strategies, Thompson Design Partners, BSA Seaport Focus Team) registered loud and clear that these uses were critical.

Seaport's trajectory was seen as far greater than an extension of FiDi, with a few thousand residents. Far greater.
 
Last edited:
So long as none of the old buildings in Fort Point are ordained for removal.

The neighborhood is beautiful.
 
Not sure where the quiet on the weekends is coming from. I have lived in 02210 for 2.5 years. The summers are extremely busy and I could argue busier than any other part of the city. Almost every restaurant/bar has a significant wait and its a destination spot for many. Try going to Legals on a Thurs-Sunday. Yes, winters are quiet but I have noticed significant foot and obviously vehicle traffic increases over the past 2.5 years. I expect this to increase even more when the 800 residential units open up this Spring/Summer.
 
Are you my roommate? lol

'Tis true, the past two summers I've been away during the summer weekends, so I wouldn't know. We see the Lawn on D from our windows and that draws a crowd when they have events. I agree, the restaurants get traffic. I believe almost everyone is from other neighborhoods / other cities, though, and they don't stay in the Seaport for any long periods of time once their dinners are over.

It will take 3 years for those 800 units to get occupied, based on what's happened in other large buildings, even with a 4% vacancy rate in the city. People's leases almost always go Sept - Sept.

City Tap House is doing great business, btw, and I recommend checking it out. (10 Boston Wharf Road, edge of Ft Point / Seaport borders.)
 
JohnAKeith said:
It just won't ever be a true "residential" neighborhood, not with the low number of housing units being built.
Click to expand...

I don't think you need residential density for a library.

Based on the BPL hours for branches other than Copley, this seems pretty typical:

Monday 12 p.m.–8 p.m.
Tuesday 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Wednesday 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Thursday 12 p.m.–8 p.m.
Friday 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday Closed
Click to expand...

I don't think I'm alone in finding those hours more conducive to going to the library near my work during lunch or right after work than going near my home.
 
Agreed John - City Tap has been slammed ever since it opened. Great spot in a rather obscure location (right now).
 
Just have to add this: man I love city tap. It's the first "normal" bar in Fort Point/Seaport.

Separately, I find it surprising that people think the Seaport and Fort Point are so distinct and separate. Architecture style aside, of course. I'm at A and Congress. It pretty much feels all the same to me. When I walk to shake shack or even the ICA it doesn't feel like I'm leaving the neighborhood.
 
FortPointGuy said:
Just have to add this: man I love city tap. It's the first "normal" bar in Fort Point/Seaport.

Separately, I find it surprising that people think the Seaport and Fort Point are so distinct and separate. Architecture style aside, of course. I'm at A and Congress. It pretty much feels all the same to me. When I walk to shake shack or even the ICA it doesn't feel like I'm leaving the neighborhood.
Click to expand...

That perception has been commented on -- I think it is the remaining parking lots that still create a feeling of barrier (or barren space). The neighborhoods are melding together as the parking lots fill in -- the perception will change.
 
Rebuild the Channel, and give us 3 to 5 more small to midsize venues for music/comedy/improv/etc. and I'll feel plenty cultured in the Seaport.

I'm not on board with the 1/2 mile reference above meaning anything is too far away. I walk 1/2 mile from Kendall T station to Tech Square every morning. Not far at all. And, picking the furthest point to support these types of statements is not going to help.

I wouldn't expect a stand alone library these days anyways for a smallish neighborhood. I'd see them as a part of a bigger structure like we see with Post Offices nowadays.

"Adequate recreational park space" is also a tough one to quantify. There is a lot going to be in the general area as is. Possibly too much if you ask some. It's all fairly clustered as well, which is part of the problem. Total open space is probably adequate for the build out, but by clustering it, puts it farther away from many new developments. Then people wants parks closer to those developments, and we end up with way too much open space to make a real neighborhood. Pocket parks every other block starts going overboard as well.

These are obviously my opinions, but I don't see the seaport as a softball park, multiple black top b-ball court, soccer field park having neighborhood. The cut up nature of the space does not support this.
 
This picture is hard to place yourself but its looking up east service road with L4 on the left and M2 on the right from Congress St. The circular tower is 121 seaport so that should help. This looks incredible.

https://flic.kr/p/S9no4R by BLDUP Boston
 
^ oh I really hope they're not messing with us. Something like that would be wonderful
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top