Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre | Washington St | Downtown Crossing

Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

I wouldn't want to lose it, though it's far (really far) from my favorite.
 
Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

nm88 said:
I wonder if we'd all feel different about the Hurley if the last element of Rudolph's design had been built: a tower.
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Would have released the tension in the coiled base with a skyward thrust. The whole composition would have made sense beautifully. This building has always been a ruin --like an amputee.

Philistines performed the amputation with budget for an axe.

Pity.
 
Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

I would say that the Hurley is one of the five worst buildings in Boston from an urban design perspective. Like most modern buildings it has not aged well- ie the patina of age is not nearly as flattering as it is upon neo-classical structures. And while the composition may have succeeded as a sculptural monument had the tower been added, the complex is a hostile imposing megalith that does not care or relate to its surroundings.
 
Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

All true, all true...but it's still a moment in time. Can its failings be modestly repaired? Would prefer the tower (which I thought was handsome), though probably a non-starter.
 
Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

The tower is a moot point now, since the Edward Brooke courthouse was (much later) built on the site where the tower should have gone.

Implode it. (The Lindemann-Hurley, not the courthouse.) Let Suffolk start over on a blank slate.
 
Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

My bad.
 
Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

Maybe they could bring in a bunch of dirt and make a burial mound with the Hurley as the Corpse

Suffolk could then build on top of Hill wit ha bunker underneath in case things really go to pot

Too Bad they didn?t think about it when all that free dirt was available from the Big Dig

Westy
 
Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

^ This is in the right thread?
 
Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

is renovation underway or is it still waiting approval
 
Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

From The Globe:
Modern blueprint for historic theater
Suffolk expansion plan heads to hearing phase

By Richard Thompson, Globe Correspondent | June 1, 2008


After spending 15 months and 13 public meetings together, the task force reviewing Suffolk University's expansion has signed off on the major elements of a proposal that includes a 12-story residence hall and studio theater on the site of the historic Modern Theatre, and a 10-story academic building on Somerset Street.


The two projects are part of the university's 10-year institutional master plan, which officials filed with the Boston Redevelopment Authority in April and is scheduled for a hearing with the BRA board this month. While community activists have some lingering concerns, the task force meeting last week indicates that the school has built a substantial consensus with its neighbors.


The Modern Theatre proposal calls for 200 beds in the top 10 stories, as well as a 185-seat studio theater and art gallery located on the ground floor. Suffolk purchased the 1876 building from the city last year.


While it has been sitting vacant at 523-525 Washington St. for more than two decades, the building had been home to Boston's first movie theater, which opened in 1913. As part of its negotiations with the city, university officials agreed to preserve and maintain the structure's distinctive High Victorian and Gothic fa?ade as part of the estimated $42 million project.
Plans for the academic building at 20 Somerset St. include relocating Suffolk's New England School of Art & Design from leased space on Park Street to a spot that was once the Metropolitan District Commission Headquarters building. It's the same site where university officials had planned to construct a 550-bed dormitory two years ago.


Mayor Thomas M. Menino rejected the earlier plan, after initially supporting it, because of opposition from Beacon Hill residents who were concerned about rowdy student behavior. Instead, Suffolk officials moved quickly to purchase the 10 West St. condominium project, which was already under development. The building opened last January as a 274-student residence hall next to the Modern Theatre.


In addition to providing up-to-date facilities for the art school, the Somerset Street project would have 400 classroom seats, according to John A. Nucci, Suffolk's vice president for government and community affairs.


Several of the 16 members on the city-appointed task force, most of them officials of neighborhood organizations, reiterated questions at last week's meeting about rising enrollment and the possibility of future university expansion into Beacon Hill and other neighborhoods.


"The housing issue has come up a lot tonight," Gerald Autler, project manager for the BRA, said near the end of the meeting. "We can debate that until the cows come home, but everybody agrees that Suffolk needs to house more of its students."


A dissenting voice is the Beacon Hill Civic Association, which wants the school to remove some existing classroom seats from other areas on Beacon Hill before building the Somerset Street project.


"We're trying to put forward our concerns, and it's not too late," said Robert Whitney, a member of both the task force and the civic association's board. Whitney said he's hopeful that negotiations with Suffolk will produce a resolution in the next few weeks.


Despite the issues outstanding, task force member Mary Ann Ponti, who also is a board member of the Downtown Crossing Association, said Suffolk officials "listened to our concerns diligently."


"I'm just happy with the fact that we had an opportunity to discuss what needed to be discussed, to be able to ask questions, get answers, look at documents, ask more questions and get more information," Ponti said.
Acknowledging that a rising student population was "a valid concern," Nucci said the master plan limits enrollment to 5,000 students over the next decade, compared with 4,700 enrolled this year. Capping future enrollment "really goes a long way to ensuring our neighbors that we're going to meet up to our projections," said Nucci.


The BRA will compile comments and questions during the public comment period, which ends June 18, and has scheduled a June 24 hearing before the BRA board, Autler said. This Tuesday, the Boston Civic Design Commission will hold a hearing on the Modern Theatre proposal.
Also this week, Suffolk officials plan to form an outreach committee,


Nucci said, which will include neighbors, administrators, and faculty members who will "find specific ways to integrate our educational and cultural assets into the community."
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? Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company
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Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

BRA approves Suffolk, Simmons projects
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 - 4:38 PM EDT
Boston Business Journal


The Boston Redevelopment Authority approved a 10-year master plan proposed by Suffolk University to build a 12-story residence hall and to redevelop the Modern Theater in downtown Boston Tuesday.

Boston-based Suffolk plans to spend $100 million on the two projects, which were approved after it gained the support of neighborhood group the Beacon Hill Civic Association.

Simultaneously, the BRA approved Simmons College?s plan to expand its dining hall at 300 The Fenway. The college plans to add 5.898 square feet to its existing dining hall and will spend $6 million on the project.


Link
 
Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

I noticed a much taller tower on this spot in the BRA's model. I assume it's just an out-of-date remnant of a former proposal? Anyone know anything about this?

bra_model_1.jpg


bra_model_3.jpg
 
Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

It's not Hayward Place because it's in front of the Millennium Tower in the picture. I also like to add that in the picture, TNP does look a little out of scale with the surrounding.
 
Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

Was there at one time a proposal to build over the Paramount Theater?
 
Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

Where and when can I go check out that model? I work downtown and roam around alot during my lunch break and want to check it out.
 
Re: Suffolk Dorms / Modern Theatre

JimboJones said:
Dear god, Hayward Place???
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It's definitely not Hayward Place. If you look closely at the blowup you can just barely make it out as the blueish translucent model behind the Ritz Towers or whatever they're called now. In the model, they appear to be a trio of midrises rising from a plinth. Here they are poking up from another angle:

hayward_place_model.jpg



Ginjitsuman said:
Where and when can I go check out that model? I work downtown and roam around alot during my lunch break and want to check it out.
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I believe the model room is open to all members of the public, weekdays between 9am-5pm. It's located in the BRA offices on the 9th floor of City Hall.
 
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