Shreve, Crump & Low Redevelopment | 334-364 Boylston Street | Back Bay

Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

Harvard University Library has an online copy of a pamphlet called The history of the Women's Educational and Industrial Union.. The pamphlet is dated 1927 and celebrates the organization's 50th anniversary. The title page gives an address of 264 Boylston Street. An illustration on sequence #6 (not page #6) shows a five-story walk-up brownstone across from a park. I can't tell whether it's the Common or the Public Garden.

In any event, they weren't at 356 Boylston back then.

I agree, WEIU's relatively short history at 356 hurts our historic preservation argument. I'd like to learn more about whom 356 was built for, and who occupied it before WEIU.
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

The two bow fronted row houses look like the ones that were torn down to make way for "Heritage on the Garden", but I can't be positive.
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

Bingo.

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Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

So the swan motif makes sense, as they were across from the Public Garden. I don't know why they moved in 1975, as Heritage came much later than that.
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

This is speculation of the wildest sort, but it wouldn't surprise me if there was some premature tenant clearance in advance of the "construction" of Park Plaza. I am trying to remember if their was a McDonalds in the location you wonder about, and if there was a subsequent demolition in the 70's.

I'm sorry. My only lucid memories of that area in that era are of the neighboring Playboy Club and the Hillbilly Ranch (is "The Human Jukebox" Sleepy LaBeef still with us?)
 
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Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

I just called the Crittenton Women's Union. The guy answering the phone didn't seem to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, or really in the drawer for that matter. After saying that nobody there would know how long they were at 356, he said he'd talk to the communications director, then came back to say they moved into 264 Boylston in 1888. He said he found that information in a book, and that he didn't have any idea when they moved into 356. He's supposed to leave a message for the president to call me back.

I also called and left messages at the historical societies that published the two authors who have written books about Victorian Boston and mention WEIU as being at 356.

I have seen various mentions to 356 as WEIU's "store" or "retail space." I don't know what this is supposed to mean. Both mentions came fairly recently, so I have no evidence that the WEIU used 356 for some retail purposes while its headquarters was still at 264, though that is possible...

I'll try to keep digging as much as I can.
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

Boston Gas was going to build a new headquarters on that site. I assume they are the ones who cleared the property.

A far as the SCL building I hope there is a compromise. Save the front of teh building and build higher in back. The addition of that much office space and the people it would bring into the area would be great. I haven't been in Boston that much in the last 20 years but that part of Boylston Street was kind of a ghost town especially on weekend.

On the other hand one of the things that makes Boston a great city is it's streetscape and how it relate to the pedestrian. Another important thing is our history, not was the Womens Union located there but the look and feel of the city.

We compete against every other city in the country and to a good degree the world. We don't have the climate, or Wall St, or Hollywood or oil or gambling or any of the things that have made other cities great. What we have is we look and feel like Boston and no other city does. We can't lose this, especially for a cheap knock off. Has Pelli even seen the designs he's credited with. I bet the closest he comes to being involved is when he cashed his check.

Philip Johnson said in regard to International place that he's a whore. I'd say Pelli is a whore these days too.

Unfortunately Druker is close to Menino and Menino's friends have done very well by him. Atilier505.
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

A male secretary at the Women's Union....hmmmm
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

WEIU operated a retail store at 356 Boylston Street until 2004. I assume it moved there in 1975 along with the rest of the organization, but I don't know that for sure.
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

So who's going tonight?
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

I'll definitely be there. I've put together a sweet PowerPoint presentation, which I'm hoping they'll let me show...

For anyone who needs the info, the meeting's at 6:30 PM in the Mezzanine Room of the BPL's Copley Square location.
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

Good luck on the BRA letting you show a presentation, but great work doing it. Perhaps you could post it on the SCL blog?

I'll be there around 6:15 -- look for a pissed-off looking guy in an old red Red Sox lid.
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

I'll be in the lame-ass "business casual," right off of work.
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

Is it possible to put a PowerPoint presentation on a blog?
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

Please convert it to PDF before putting it on the web, because not everyone has PowerPoint.
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

I just got in and I'm very tired, but I just wanted to let people know that I attended this meeting tonight. Itchy put on an amazing presentation which was received by applause--very impressive. Nearly all of the comment/question portion of the meeting was devoted to preserving the existing buildings. It was very encouraging.

I'll post more about the meeting tomorrow. I'm sure Itchy himself and others who attended will chime in as well. But now...must...sleep.
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

Itchy made a hell of a showing. Jay Rourke (representing the BRA) looked like the he didn't know whether to shit or wind his watch. Druker looked pissed.

Power to the people!

(nice meeting you guys!)
 
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Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

Wow. Bravo.
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

you guys are heros!!
 
Re: Shreve, Crump & Low bldng may be replaced w/ new develop

Good job, guys.
 
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