State Street HQ | One Congress | Bulfinch Crossing | West End

[Charlie_mta]

Exactly my point Charlie. I agree totally with you (I left the Washington Street shopping off my comments for the reason you cite). The areas spared of the most vicious urban renewal (after swaths of the South End had been already razed) were kept intact by default, not by imagination. We could have lost much more. And the vibrant shopping area soon went south when suburban malls became the rage. If only they could have predicted the future then. Everything that got bulldozed could have been fantastic as refurbished housing, office space, and retail.

I also forgot to mention the former Combat Zone that was spared 1960's urban renewal obliteration, even though it was run down and depraved at the time. Fortunately it was left in place and eventually revitalized itself very well.
The huge BRA urban renewal projects were encouraged by the funding policies of the Federal Government in the late 50's/early 60's, which favored big land-clearing mega-projects rather than redevelopment of small parcels scattered about an existing neighborhood. I remember reading about that at the time in the Boston Globe. I've been following this stuff since I was 15 or 16 years old. The one thing that really ended the BRA urban renewal juggernaut of the 1960's was the diminishment of federal funding due to the cost of the escalating Vietnam War in 1967 and several years after. The "Butter" part of LBJ's "Guns and Butter" policy couldn't be sustained with the cost of the War. The Downtown/South Station urban renewal project never happened (thankfully) because of that loss of Federal funding at the time.

 

[shmessy]

I also forgot to mention the former Combat Zone that was spared 1960's urban renewal obliteration, even though it was run down and depraved at the time. Fortunately it was left in place and eventually revitalized itself very well.
The huge BRA urban renewal projects were encouraged by the funding policies of the Federal Government in the late 50's/early 60's, which favored big land-clearing mega-projects rather than redevelopment of small parcels scattered about an existing neighborhood. I remember reading about that at the time in the Boston Globe. I've been following this stuff since I was 15 or 16 years old. The one thing that really ended the BRA urban renewal juggernaut of the 1960's was the diminishment of federal funding due to the cost of the escalating Vietnam War in 1967 and several years after. The "Butter" part of LBJ's "Guns and Butter" policy couldn't be sustained with the cost of the War. The Downtown/South Station urban renewal project never happened (thankfully) because of that loss of Federal funding at the time.

Great info.

With apologies to Edwin Starr: 'War...ba, ba, ..... HUH....ba, ba.....yeah!!! What is it good for? (for cities) Absolutely somethin'!!!!!'

 

[Nibbles O’Plenty]

You can now see it poking up from The Greeneway.

 

[Charlie_mta]

You can now see it poking up from The Greeneway. View attachment 8763

Gonna be nice to have that garage gone.

 

[Massachoicetts]

Wow that's rising fast. Like really fast. Great capture!

 

[Boston02124]

 

[DZH22]

12/21 from BU Bridge

IMG_5471 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_5473 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_5480 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_5482 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_5484 by David Z, on Flickr

 

[DZH22]

12/24 from Lo Presti Park

IMG_5607 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_5608 by David Z, on Flickr

 

[DZH22]

12/24 from Piers Park

IMG_5670 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_5691 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_5695 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_5717 by David Z, on Flickr

 

[jdrinboston]

Some shots I took on 12/28

 

[citydweller]

The core looks as big as the new residential tower on Causeway St.

 

[DZH22]

12/24 from Orient Heights

IMG_5739 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_5744 by David Z, on Flickr

 

[Neon]

Today

 

[DZH22]

From 12/24

IMG_5825 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_5838 by David Z, on Flickr

 

[DZH22]

12/26 from Arlington. Core looks huge, to the right of Alcott.

IMG_5864 by David Z, on Flickr

 

[cburns]

12/26 from Arlington. Core looks huge, to the right of Alcott.

by David Z, on Flickr

Seeing this core in person is really fascinating given it's sheer size.

I've seen concerns voiced about the sheer width of this building, but given how well 50 Sudbury turned out, I have high confidence that this will be a showstopper, even from it flank.

 

[617]

No doubt this will be a showstopper. There’s nothing round in the skyline. Plus the interesting top this is our “shard”.

 

[Gunner02]

12.31.20 - Nice view from the elevators in my building.

 

[Massachoicetts]

It almost looks like the core is about 1/3 of the way there already lol. This moved FAST!
Great Photos

 

[DZH22]

No doubt this will be a showstopper.

Yes, critical centerpiece for the "insta-skyline" that has developed north of Government Center.

There’s nothing round in the skyline.

1 International Place, 2 International Place, 111 Huntington...