South Station Tower | South Station Air Rights | Downtown

MjolnirMan said:
My understanding is (and I have experienced this myself), on peak use trains, they are so over-capacity and under-staffed that conductors don't have time to check all tickets between stops before they have to run to the doors, or there's so much crowding they can't even make it down the hallway, meaning that some people could theoretically not buy a ticket and get a free ride in cramped, unpleasant conditions.

Clearly, the best solution imaginable to rectify this scenario is to make sure everyone boarding at South/North pre-pays just in case the conductor can't reach them (but of course this only affects boarding from that one station so conductors will still be assigned to try to check every ticket since you have no way of knowing who boarded from where).
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Ah right, LIRR and Metro North have automatic doors and high-level boarding at basically every stop, so the conductors don't have to run to the doors. Another reason for electrification and high-level platforms across the Commuter Rail.
 
Saturday 8/30
 

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Now that this is beginning to reach substantial completion, has anyone heard anything about the following next phases? I have to assume the Phase 3 office space is unlikely for the foreseeable future, but what about the Phase 2 res/hotel midrise? After all, Hines has already spent substantial time, money, and effort building the Bus Terminal and parking garage potion that would underpin it.
 
Stlin said:
Now that this is beginning to reach substantial completion, has anyone heard anything about the following next phases? I have to assume the Phase 3 office space is unlikely for the foreseeable future, but what about the Phase 2 res/hotel midrise? After all, Hines has already spent substantial time, money, and effort building the Bus Terminal and parking garage potion that would underpin it.
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I think between this, One Congress, and Suffolk downs, Hines has reached pretty deep into their and others' pockets. As I understand it, they protect themselves from individual projects "faltering" and impacting other projects as a standard business practice, but I would imagine they're going to need to show some income on a project or two (millions of square feet of office space coming online in a slower office market and luxury housing in Revere are both higher on the risk scale than most would like), before they gather interest in more investments for another project with minimal returns.

*mixed up Hines and HYM, two different developers. Hines as noted below includes SST and a few other buildings across the city, while HYM includes One Congress and Suffolk Downs.
 
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stefal said:
I think between this, One Congress, and Suffolk downs, Hines has reached pretty deep into their and others' pockets. As I understand it, they protect themselves from individual projects "faltering" and impacting other projects as a standard business practice, but I would imagine they're going to need to show some income on a project or two (millions of square feet of office space coming online in a slower office market and luxury housing in Revere are both higher on the risk scale than most would like), before they gather interest in more investments for another project with minimal returns.
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Are you perhaps mixing up Hines and HYM? I could be totally wrong and maybe it's me that missed something...but I didn't think Hines was involved in One Congress or Suffolk Downs. Hines is the Texas-based mega-developer doing South Station. HYM is locally-based, doing Bulfinch Crossing, Suffolk Downs...
 
bigpicture7 said:
Are you perhaps mixing up Hines and HYM? I could be totally wrong and maybe it's me that missed something...but I didn't think Hines was involved in One Congress or Suffolk Downs. Hines is the Texas-based mega-developer doing South Station. HYM is locally-based, doing Bulfinch Crossing, Suffolk Downs...
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You're correct, it is HYM. Hines properties in Boston include SST, a couple of buildings in the Back Bay, and partnership in the Cambridge Point scheme near Alewife.
 
bigpicture7 said:
Are you perhaps mixing up Hines and HYM? I could be totally wrong and maybe it's me that missed something...but I didn't think Hines was involved in One Congress or Suffolk Downs. Hines is the Texas-based mega-developer doing South Station. HYM is locally-based, doing Bulfinch Crossing, Suffolk Downs...
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Oh damn, my bad... I'll edit.
 
SMCYB said:
You just made Bill Blass' point by completely mischaracterizing my points to 1) diminish me, 2) defend Boston.

I love Boston. In this case, Boston's train station is far from the best. It could have been so much better. I wish people here would put hometown pride aside and admit that. Openness to accepting constructive criticism is a good way get out of the echo chamber and improve things.
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Honestly it's a really good job for a Train Station Shell with gates and platforms. I highly doubt we paid them for a whole new station with commercial spacings, organizationing, and waiting and info areas. They gave us what we asked unless the contract said to enclose it. Tower, Bus Station, Parking, Platforms and gate area. No??
 
I havent been to the new platform area yet, is it as dark and penn station looking as it comes across in pictures? Or is it not that bad. Because in pictures it looks like we modeled it after penn stations platforms and thats not a good thing. Do you think theres enough room that after we switch to electric and theres no diesel smoke that they could put up some type of white ceiling to make it brighter and more inviting?
 
stick n move said:
I havent been to the new platform area yet, is it as dark and penn station looking as it comes across in pictures? Or is it not that bad. Because in pictures it looks like we modeled it after penn stations platforms and thats not a good thing. Do you think theres enough room that after we switch to electric and theres no diesel smoke that they could put up some type of white ceiling to make it brighter and more inviting?
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Brake dust is still going to make that a cleaning issue even with electrics, albeit over longer intervals.
 
stick n move said:
I havent been to the new platform area yet, is it as dark and penn station looking as it comes across in pictures? Or is it not that bad. Because in pictures it looks like we modeled it after penn stations platforms and thats not a good thing. Do you think theres enough room that after we switch to electric and theres no diesel smoke that they could put up some type of white ceiling to make it brighter and more inviting?
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Honestly in person I find it pretty bright, the lights are very bright and a nice color temperature. The dingiest thing is the platform surfaces themselves since they didn't get replaced. I think a deep clean of the concrete and some new tactile pavers along the edges would go a long way.

I think compared to Penn the higher ceilings and wider platforms of SS help.
 
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