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Re: South Station Tower

Based on the renderings posted a couple of days ago, the current height with the mechanical penthouse looks as though it's ~ 690'. Is it that height or is it 678' as referenced before? (Anyways, 12' really doesn't make much of a difference)
 
Re: South Station Tower

gravedigger4444 said:
Based on the renderings posted a couple of days ago, the current height with the mechanical penthouse looks as though it's ~ 690'. Is it that height or is it 678' as referenced before? (Anyways, 12' really doesn't make much of a difference)
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Gravedigger -- based on the document pdf page 1-28 table "Zoning Calculations"
Height Phase 1 640.35 feet to the top of the highest occupiable floor and 677.1 feet to the top of the architectural enclosure of the rooftop mechanical equipment
Height of Phase 2 314 feet to the top of the highest occupiable floor and 334 feet to the top of the architectural enclosure of the rooftop mechanical equipment
Height of Phase 3 229 feet to the top of the highest occupiable floor and 249 feet to the top of the architectural enclosure of the rooftop mechanical equipment
Click to expand...
 
Re: South Station Tower

Didn't see the plans posted...

Previous project ground level:
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New project ground level:
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Previous project skystreet level:
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New project skystreet level:
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New project amenity level:
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New project bus terminal:
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Misc/accessibility diagrams:
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Re: South Station Tower

^Forgive the ignorance, but what's the "skystreet?"

Are they planning an above-ground connection between the bus terminal and rail station?
 
Re: South Station Tower

Lrfox said:
^Forgive the ignorance, but what's the "skystreet?"

Are they planning an above-ground connection between the bus terminal and rail station?
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Glorified sky lobby connecting the 3 new buildings. Notice that at ground level along Atlantic, there are shuttle elevators up to the skystreet/podium (which is above the bus station and expanded parking garage P4) for each service (office tower, res/hotel & office building) where you then transfer to the main elevator banks for that program.
 
Re: South Station Tower

I hope there is abundant natural lighting, don't want a cave-like Penn Station.
A cool, show-stopping video display in the station would be nice:

28673600330_fdec05989e_b.jpg
 
Re: South Station Tower

Other sites such as Harbor Garage migh forgive an offset resident tower (as i have gone so far as to suggest to make the economics work). Here, the symetrical placement of the main tower inside it's visual podium has resulted in a symetrical treatment of the upper tower. Ok. but, i'm still putting my money on an assymetrical tower as the lesser of two evils at South Station. Or simply do setbacks with the upper offices. Did they even bother to think this out?
 
Re: South Station Tower

EdMc said:
I hope there is abundant natural lighting, don't want a cave-like Penn Station.
Click to expand...

Penn Station isn't completely cave-like. I spent a lot of time in my high school and college years going through the LIRR concourse and it felt reasonably airy.

Alas, the plans make it look like the platforms will be completely covered by the podium with the bus station expansion and shit tons of unnecessary parking above.

We're about to get the opposite of Moynihan Station...
 
Re: South Station Tower

But once SSX happens even if it isn't for awhile all the renderings and concepts I have seen so far show the concourse/platform expansion having a glass roof and I would take the shelter from the elements the tower and bus station provide over the currently roofless platform area. The key is that as long as the roof is not too low over the platforms it shouldn't feel like a cave and based on the limited renderings of how the tower will be suspended above the platforms I think there will be plenty of space so it shouldn't feel too closed in.
 
Re: South Station Tower

DigitalSciGuy said:
Alas, the plans make it look like the platforms will be completely covered by the podium with the bus station expansion and ..... unnecessary parking above..
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DigitalSciGuy -- for a complex closing in on the gross square footage of the Pru and conceivably more when the USPS leaves -- with office, residences and hotel -- 1000 cars worth of parking is not a whole lot

And despite your near-maniacal abhorrence of the passenger car -- its not going away anytime soon and that means even inside the city

Consider the family of 2 adults and some kids living in say Chestnut Hill [kinda near the Brady Bunch] wanting to take Amtrak to DC for a weekend at the Smithsonian -- they just might prefer to pile kids and bags into the SUV and drive to South Station and park there rather than say to park at Rt-128 or try to negotiate bags and kids through buses and trains to South Station

e.g. from 92 Glenoe Rd Chestnut Hill MA to South Station -- according to the T
44 mins.
Walk For 9 Mins. To Boylston St @ Hammond St
Walk approx. 1 block NW on Glenoe Rd.
Turn right on Hammond St.
Walk approx. 3 blocks N on Hammond St.
Bus Service 60 Kenmore Sta Via Cypress St
6:43 PM Depart from Boylston St @ Hammond St
7:03 PM Arrive at Brookline Ave @ Yawkey Way
Commuter Rail Service Take Worcester Line - South Station To South Station view route
7:08 PM Depart from Yawkey Station
7:18 PM Arrive at South Station
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Miss one of those connections by a minute and you might not be able to get on the train to DC tonight
 
Re: South Station Tower

^ 128 station exists for and only for those people
 
Re: South Station Tower

Don't let him Whighjack this thread too, guys. He did this exact thing with the Washington Village/Andrew Square thread too.

Idk why he even picked those transit directions. 92 Glencoe Rd is actually right down Hammond St from the freaking Green Line (the Chestnut Hill stop is on Hammond St). A Google Maps directions inquiry tells you (rightly) to take the Green Line. It does not lead you on the crazy bus & Commuter Rail (!) journey Whigh posted. But again, that doesn't fit his narrative. South Station wouldn't even be the best station to use from Chestnut Hill. If you really didn't want to drive & park at 128, you'd probably just go to Back Bay or something.

Also, it's not like South Station doesn't have parking already. There will be spaces for those who want to drive. You cannot just assume EVERYONE wants to drive to a regional transit hub and then base your parking around that ideology.
 
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Re: South Station Tower

Family in Chestnut hill just takes Uber to Back Bay Station.

or jumps on a CR at Yawkee or the Allston/Brighton Train.

eff the Greenline.

Penn Station is amazing. The food. The babes. Except all 3 railroads shutting down their restrooms at the same time from like 1:30 am to 5:00 am.
 
Re: South Station Tower

odurandina said:
Family in Chestnut hill just takes Uber to Back Bay Station.

or jumps on a CR at Yawkee or the Allston/Brighton Train.

eff the Greenline.

Penn Station is amazing. The food. The babes. Except all 3 railroads shutting down their restrooms at the same time from like 1:30 am to 5:00 am.
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I would probably guess Uber to 128 myself - its a pretty fast/easy drive especially without traffic. The last possible thing would be to go from there to South Station regardless of transportation method.
 
Re: South Station Tower

Thanks for proving my point, folks. 1000 spaces (almost) makes sense out at Rt 128/Westwood, not over our largest transit hub downtown. The direct ramp off eastbound I-90 is bad enough; we don't need to further shift the calculus for another potential 1000 people to drive to work/visit here instead of taking transit.

As for the proposed design of the podium and the tower...holy cow. I don't think this could get more underwhelming. I'd almost be happier with something like the Empire State Plaza along Atlantic Avenue:
tumblr_n8bj2v7SBC1qg9gheo1_1280.jpg
 
Re: South Station Tower

DigitalSciGuy said:
As for the proposed design of the podium and the tower...holy cow. I don't think this could get more underwhelming. I'd almost be happier with something like the Empire State Plaza along Atlantic Avenue:
tumblr_n8bj2v7SBC1qg9gheo1_1280.jpg
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...with the lap pool taking the place of the reflecting pool?

9VTzLhGh.png
 
Re: South Station Tower

datadyne007 said:
Don't let him Whighjack this thread too, guys. He did this exact thing with the Washington Village/Andrew Square thread too.

Idk why he even picked those transit directions. 92 Glencoe Rd is actually right down Hammond St from the freaking Green Line (the Chestnut Hill stop is on Hammond St). A Google Maps directions inquiry tells you (rightly) to take the Green Line. It does not lead you on the crazy bus & Commuter Rail (!) journey Whigh posted. But again, that doesn't fit his narrative. South Station wouldn't even be the best station to use from Chestnut Hill. If you really didn't want to drive & park at 128, you'd probably just go to Back Bay or something.

Also, it's not like South Station doesn't have parking already. There will be spaces for those who want to drive. You cannot just assume EVERYONE wants to drive to a regional transit hub and then base your parking around that ideology.
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Datadyne --I did look for an example -- However -- the route picking was done by the T's own database-- plug it in a TRY IT -- DON'T JUST OPINE!

I tried about 4 locations in the vicinity of where the Brady Bunch built until I found one that needed a fairly complex walk and transfer -- and there are undoubtedly many many worse cases which I didn't take the effort to test

AND suppose that our hypothetical family wanted to go to visit an Aunt in Springfield or a even a cousin all the way to Chicago -- then what?

OR -- our Hypothetical family wants to go to the Cape the Greenest way available to them?

BUT -- the overall relevant point is that you have no moral superiority to those who want to take a train and park at the train station that just happens to be the closest to the their house
 
Re: South Station Tower

CSTH said:
...with the lap pool taking the place of the reflecting pool?

9VTzLhGh.png
Click to expand...

CSTH -- your letting your latent Neo-Stalinist Tendencies slip out into the open -- aside from being lousy architecture its destructive to the human spirit to be lorded-over by massive government
 
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