Tall and Thin

Unfortunately, the North End has been gradually going the other way -- losing first-floor commercial space to residential conversions. I'd love to discourage this trend, but otherwise the North End is fine as it is and doesn't need any large-scale redevelopment.
 
Really? I've noticed a lot of bricked up former storefronts turned back into relatively open commercial space, especially along Salem St. Where are you seeing the residential conversions?
 
I'm not really speaking in terms of whether or not its needed in the North End, I just see it as a valuable addition to better transcend the cultural & urban fabric of the neighborhood to underused pedestrian pathways - specifically in that area around North Church and perhaps even Salem Street. By converting those small streets to mixed-use residential/commercial zones & incorporating outdoor restaurants and cafes, I feel like it will provide for any even better experience of immersion into what the North End has to offer for the first time viewer as well as the experienced veteran and or resident. I feel like that would completely transform & improve the aesthetic of those dense, stark areas. I'll draw up a few renderings for the areas around Tileston Street & Unity Street.
 
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Figures I would remember to bring my camera on a crappy, rain day.

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Neither picture really highlights the need for a tall and thin there, but when you are standing in the area you can see it.
 
They can get rid of that monstrous BSC parking garage while they're at it.
 
^^ If they were going to do that they would have done it when they were building 33 Arch. I believe it is part of the same complex.

I don't know why they didn't. Missed opportunity.
 
Ya, the CVS is SOOO outta place like that in downtown Boston. That sort of building should not be allowed in that area, so something tall and thin definitely should be built there. Also, 33 Arch Street looks sooo sleek, i love it. I forgot how sleek that building is, and it really stands out in that area. Boston needs more of those sleek, glass towers in downtown, preferably in the place of that CVS.
 
I'm curious if the ex-CVS building used to be taller, and lost floors somewhere along the way? I agree that it should be replaced by something of a more appropriate scale. Doesn't have to be a skyscraper; 5-7 stories would be just fine here.
 
As for the BSC garage building -- isn't that the former Woolworth's, now containing TJMaxx, Marshall's, and H&M? It's not lovely, but the last thing we need to do in Downtown Crossing right now is displace any more large retail stores.
 
I wonder if it could be at least reclad somehow...
 
^^ Only in two dimensions.

Look in the background.
 
Even if there weren't several taller buildings in the immediate vicinity, I still don't think "that's what it's surrounded by" is enough of an argument on its own. By this rationale, taller buildings could never be built?something has to be the first and therefore stand out from its surroundings. In this location, you are right in-between State and DTC, and if we're going to build up anywhere in Boston...this is it.
 
I agree that something in the vicinity of 5-7 floors would be best for the location. Something much taller would not fit in with the street wall and be visually disruptive to that section of the street.
 
a tall thin skyscraper wouldnt disrupt anything... its near the corner and there's talls behind it. I'd have to see a rendering to be 100% but thats my two cents
 
You could always do a "base" that is in scale with the building next to it and the parking garage and then step one of those thin residential towers in a bit to not over power the streetscape.

It is not just NYC where those thinner, tall residential towers are going in (although not as thin as the CVS location), that is what they are putting up in downtown Austin, Texas right now. Most of the buildings around all of them are no more than 5 stories or so.
 
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