South Station Tower | South Station Air Rights | Downtown

[bip05]

South Station was never built with the "grand hall" of places like Grand Central, Union Station, 30th Street Station. Not that it doesn't deserve an upgrade.
The historic North Station was much more "grand" by comparison.

In my dreams we'll have a "Grand" "Central" Station at Aquarium

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

South Station was never built with the "grand hall" of places like Grand Central, Union Station, 30th Street Station.

Sure it was:

It was demolished when SS was downsized in the 60's, with only a tiny remnant (see the ceilings) surviving by the Amtrak ticket booths. But it used to be a very grand waiting area.

 

[bdurden]

^I'm aware of what it looked like before some of the demolition. It was certainly an improvement over the current iteration, but I wouldn't go as far as to say it was "grand" like some of the other examples.

 

[chrisbrat]

South Station was never built with the "grand hall" of places like Grand Central, Union Station, 30th Street Station. Not that it doesn't deserve an upgrade.
The historic North Station was much more "grand" by comparison.

while not a “grand hall” a la grand central, the former waiting area (and current Amtrak platinum lounge or whatever it’s called) is pretty impressive (what’s left of the original design) - coffered ceiling, lots of flourishes and detail, etc. I’ve never understood why the choice was made to effectively hide that space from 90% of the travelers and sightseers who pass through SS, rather than opening it up and expanding on the motifs throughout the/a larger waiting area.

 

[chrisbrat]

Sure it was:

It was demolished when SS was downsized in the 60's, with only a tiny remnant (see the ceilings) surviving by the Amtrak ticket booths. But it used to be a very grand waiting area.

damnit! Beat me to it!

 

[JeffDowntown]

^I'm aware of what it looked like before some of the demolition. It was certainly an improvement over the current iteration, but I wouldn't go as far as to say it was "grand" like some of the other examples.

This feels plenty grand to me (and still exists).

 

[bdurden]

while not a “grand hall” a la grand central, the former waiting area (and current Amtrak platinum lounge or whatever it’s called) is pretty impressive (what’s left of the original design) - coffered ceiling, lots of flourishes and detail, etc. I’ve never understood why the choice was made to effectively hide that space from 90% of the travelers and sightseers who pass through SS, rather than opening it up and expanding on the motifs throughout the/a larger waiting area.

I agree with this. I was simply responding to the comment regarding a Grand Central comparison, a Beaux-arts designed station built in the City Beautiful area of station building. I would suggest that the MFA evokes more of that "grandness," if you will.

 

[chrisbrat]

I agree with this. I was simply responding to the comment regarding a Grand Central comparison, a Beaux-arts designed station built in the City Beautiful area of station building. I would suggest that the MFA evokes more of that "grandness," if you will.

absolutely on board with your take.

 

[chrisbrat]

View attachment 39134
This feels plenty grand to me (and still exists).

I really dislike the "modern-day" additions that totally disrespect and marginalize the opulence of the original room. The whole re-use of that area (broken record-ing my previous post) is idiotic, poorly executed, and ugly.

 

[lynqueezy]

 

[Suffolk 83]

That Chinatown gate shot is awesome

 

[SMCYB]

That parking garage in the same photo is the most poorly designed parking garage in history. I suggest people go visit it just to be astounded at its complete lack of logic.

And according to the flag it's also Taiwantown, which I completely approve of.

 

[North Street]

so oddly, the climber that's clearly visible in themissinglink's photos is missing as of this morning. I'm pretty confident that despite its new height, the crane is not tall enough to clear the eventual top of the core.

I’m still wondering about this. Do they need to install a new climber or will the shorter crane take over later on?
3

 

[AndreyD]

Oh wowowow I’ve been waiting for this since I was 15 years old (thread start in 2006)!

Actually, according to this article, they started this project 30 years ago.

"The first phase of the decades-long project, which started with developer Hines seeking permits 30 years ago, is expected to wrap up in 2025."

South Station Tower continues to take shape; condominium sales to start in the fall

While the transformative South Station Tower project is still years away from completion, the building is taking shape. Around 500 construction workers are on site a day, and that number will incre…

www.bostonherald.com

 

[DBM]

And according to the flag it's also Taiwantown, which I completely approve of.

My understanding is that Ten Ten Day--which used to be celebrated both on the mainland and in Taiwan, but, following the capture of China by the Maoist forces in 1949, morphed into a holiday of exclusively Taiwanese identity--is a fairly big deal still in Chinatown.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Day_of_the_Republic_of_China

It occurs to me that that ongoing celebration AND the Tiananmen Square Memorial at the Chinatown Gate are a bit of a one-two assault on CCP orthodoxy (if they care)...

 

[Texasian]

My understanding is that Ten Ten Day--which used to be celebrated both on the mainland and in Taiwan, but, following the capture of China by the Maoist forces in 1949, morphed into a holiday of exclusively Taiwanese identity--is a fairly big deal still in Chinatown.

Not to completely derail the thread, but folks are mixed on 10/10 in Taiwan. It’s the National day of the Republic of China, a republic which was a pretty brutal military dictatorship under the rule of the KMT up until the 1980s. Like all things Taiwan, it’s complicated… and it’s further complicated by the KMT’s long running outreach programs to the ethnic Chinese diaspora all over the world. Another example of the “weirdness” of the situation is the fact that the KMT maintains offices in the US distinct and separate from the Taiwanese government, with one opening f in DC just last year.

 

[DBM]

Not to completely derail the thread, but folks are mixed on 10/10 in Taiwan. It’s the National day of the Republic of China, a republic which was a pretty brutal military dictatorship under the rule of the KMT up until the 1980s. Like all things Taiwan, it’s complicated… and it’s further complicated by the KMT’s long running outreach programs to the ethnic Chinese diaspora all over the world. Another example of the “weirdness” of the situation is the fact that the KMT maintains offices in the US distinct and separate from the Taiwanese government, with one opening f in DC just last year.

I'm not at all surprised to hear... thanks for the fascinating elucidation!

NOTE: recently and by sheer coincidence, I happened to discover Taiwan has an embassy in DTX just yards from Chinatown:

https://www.taiwanembassy.org/usbos_en/index.html

"Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Boston" sure is a mouthful but I presume that is also a very carefully selected name in terms of its messaging?

 

[Arenacale]

 

[beck4537]

 

[#bancars]

6.19.23