Skanska Office Tower | 380 Stuart Street | Back Bay

Any news from last nights meeting? Or the meeting on the 20th? Feel like this is the hottest topic in Boston Real Estate right now. Did not get anything from the BBJ or BRA website.
 
bayvillagebrahmin said:
Any news from last nights meeting? Or the meeting on the 20th? Feel like this is the hottest topic in Boston Real Estate right now. Did not get anything from the BBJ or BRA website.
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BRA just tweeted me feedback:

It's clear that Hancock wants to open up the base. BCDC just asked for a little more thought given to issue.

BCDC asked John Hancock to look at alternatives for ground floor programming/passageways.

It was a constructive conversation from what I gather. BCDC expressed hope for more iconic building.
 
What were the changes or was the delay absolutely pointless?
 
This project sucks. Way to roll over and die BCDC.
 
Rachel Slade critiques the tower in Boston Magazine.

Striving SOM, in its zeal to make a statement, bottoms out the building on a huge north-facing arch capped with a heavy canopy—a thick-lidded eye opening wearily to Stuart Street. Where else have we seen big arches? Rowes Wharf, St. Louis, the McDonald’s sign. They’re meant to make big, generous public gestures, welcoming you to…well, in this case, a shallow lobby and elevator core open to the building’s tenants. Do not go inside, people.
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Newest PDF linked above does anticipate a full-service restaurant with outdoor seating as well as a street-facing cafe. I don't recall those being mentioned in the prior iterations.
 
This building is garbage.....come on nimbys we actually need you here where are you at?
 
If this is what careful civic review produces one is left to wonder: is the city being well served? In my opinion, with this latest example, the answer is no.
 
Just curious, why the hate for this building? And I'm totally serious when I ask this question.
 
This thread will probably go just like the Liberty Mutual one did. A lot of people didn't like that one either until it was built.
 
cca said:
This is an interesting comment. What do you see as similar? I am honestly interested in your opinion.

cca
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I see what he means... if you look at the image he posted, it shows the curving corner of the building projecting forward which looks somewhat similar to the perspective of the LM building.

I can't say Im a huge fan of the renders - looks like an overly smooth, too-many-curves in a Dubai-ish kind of way.... silly against our skyline, and certainly messes up the nice, staid character of Stuart St which is a very nice, somewhat repetitive and monolithic road...

But then again, Im not reacting that strongly and would rather just see this one built. Don't have much hope for anything better and the street level doesnt bother me much.
 
atlantaden said:
Just curious, why the hate for this building? And I'm totally serious when I ask this question.
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Personally I like most buildings built recently. With this I just think it is too much of a mash up of clashing pieces that don't look good together. It is kind of a tease because it has really nice glass but one of the worst bases/crowns I have ever seen. I think it is just the potential that is right in front of you that is quickly ruined by the cheesy base that does not fit the tower at all, and the crown that does not work with the tower either. Its like a sandwich, horrible base, very nice glass with a subtle chamfer, topped by a cheesy crown. The glass just ends at the base in an awkward precast arch that looks terrible. There is no rhyme of reason to any of it. The same is true with the crown, as you look up the nice glass all of a sudden it just ends at this stupid half glass half precast crown. Look at this base this is one of the ugliest things I have ever seen in my entire life and this is replacing a perfectly fine building.

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I could have designed a better base on a used napkin. Honestly they could have been lazy and just brought the glass to ground level and it would have been fine this is just a filler anyways. The problem is when you try to do too much and it just ends up bad. The crown is terrible also, but its manageable. This is Boston though, street level is everything and they royally screw that part up.
 
I'm ok with it. As long as it is a "one off".
 
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