The Beacon | 819 Beacon St. | Fenway

PNF:

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2020-09-09_Project Notification Form (PNF)_819 Beacon Street.pdf | Powered by Box

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Answers my earlier question about the giant plaza - the Green Line runs underneath it and they didn't want to build around it. Also, this is an interesting citation:

Adjacent to the Project Site on the southern border is the planned Fenway-Yawkey Multi-Use Path – a proposed 600-foot pedestrian path along MBTA land that would aid in connecting Riverway Park in the LMA to the Fenway and Lansdowne MBTA stations for bicyclists and pedestrians. Currently, public realm improvements associated with the Fenway Center Phase 1 development include a connection between the planned Fenway-Yawkey Multi-Use Pathand Lansdowne MBTA station via the completion of David Ortiz Drive.The southern portion of the Project Site is adjacent to the once contemplated Urban Ring Project – a long-term planning effort aimed at providing improved circumferential public transportation infrastructure commissioned by the MBTA and MassDOT. Until such a time that the Urban Ring is designed and implemented, the planned Fenway-Yawkey Multi-Use Path will be located primarily along this right of way and partially on the Project Site. If the Urban Ring is implemented, the Fenway-Yawkey Multi-Use Path will be moved into a designated colonnade area at the southern edge of the Project garage. The Proponent has met with the MBTA, MassDOT and Boston Transportation Department (BTD) to discuss the potential impact of the Urban Ring to the Project Site.
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What is that 15-30 story building two units to the left of the project in the all glass/red trimmed facade?
 
I wish they would've kept this part and ran with it somehow for the rest of the project. It looks like a mess as a whole. I'm sure it would've been a lot more expensive, but something other than a grid of windows in dark grey brick could've been figured out.

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I wish they would do something remotely urban with the site!

Give Maitland St. a proper streetwall. Fenway Center is building retail on the corner of Maitland and David Ortiz Dr. Instead of placing the loading area opposite of it, they should hide it by the garage entrance and allow that whole corner to be activated!

I'm not an expert on construction techniques, and I understand that it might be prohibitively expensive to build over the green line tunnel. Put the core in the center of the parcel and float a smaller low rise structure on the Beacon facing side of the lot? I don't know. I would prefer most solutions over what they have now.
 
I guess if they want to avoid the costs of building over the GL, a wooded plaza is nice, but it opens up a huge gap in the streetwall. Granted, it would be an improvement over what is there now.

Sitting in that park, however nicely-manicured, would not be the nicest activity because of the nearby roar of I-90 right there.
 
#bancars said:
I guess if they want to avoid the costs of building over the GL, a wooded plaza is nice, but it opens up a huge gap in the streetwall. Granted, it would be an improvement over what is there now.

Sitting in that park, however nicely-manicured, would not be the nicest activity because of the nearby roar of I-90 right there.
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Will you be able to hear it? There are a lot of buildings to block the noise...
 
Equilibria said:
Will you be able to hear it? There are a lot of buildings to block the noise...
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I may be mistaken, but I don't think the plans call for building over the portion of the highway that is pretty much right across the street from this parcel?

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I park on that Beacon Street bridge all the time and the noise really isn't terrible. This looks like it should be insulated just enough where it shouldn't really affect the experience.
 
Besides the Green Line, I'd also note that a park is a pretty important amenity for this building, which is partially intended for families with kids in inpatient care. They'd probably really appreciate a place to sit outside.
 
Equilibria said:
Besides the Green Line, I'd also note that a park is a pretty important amenity for this building, which is partially intended for families with kids in inpatient care. They'd probably really appreciate a place to sit outside.
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Also - looking at that stretch of Beacon Street, a nice place to rest on a long walk/bike ride is very welcome. I think that park is situated at a very good location. There's really no other green space with benches between Kenmore Square and Park Drive on that stretch. That park adds to the city there.
 
While the park does feel a bit awkard, but after looking at the plot it realy feels like they placed the building exactly where it needed to go and a park is probably the highest use at this point in time for over the tunnel. As with all parks what will really matter is the programing of the park. This one needs a good playground, some open grass, and an acoustically seperate quiet area for patients needing that. Also, more actual program such as a farmer's market, free concerts, and other events would probably help this neighborhood a ton.
 
found5dollar said:
While the park does feel a bit awkard, but after looking at the plot it realy feels like they placed the building exactly where it needed to go and a park is probably the highest use at this point in time for over the tunnel. As with all parks what will really matter is the programing of the park. This one needs a good playground, some open grass, and an acoustically seperate quiet area for patients needing that. Also, more actual program such as a farmer's market, free concerts, and other events would probably help this neighborhood a ton.
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I agree, here. Not an ideal situation, but best given constraints --- and, frankly, cities need variety and this will add to the urban fabric.
 
I don't think I've noticed the plans for a 2-way bike lane on Maitland, as well as the "multi-use path" behind the project--is that something the proponent is building?

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#bancars said:
I don't think I've noticed the plans for a 2-way bike lane on Maitland, as well as the "multi-use path" behind the project--is that something the proponent is building?
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I think that's a long-standing MBTA agenda item - the PNF talks about it if you want to look it up.
 
Yes, the multi-use path is being constructed independently from this project, to connect the Muddy River path network with Fenway and Landsdowne stations. It's a city of Boston initiative.

www.boston.gov

Fenway Multiuse Path

The proposed path will connect residents to jobs, public transportation, cultural institutions, and green spaces. Its route crosses under Park Drive along an MBTA-owned parcel. The walk- and bike-friendly path will extend for 1,700 feet. The path will be completed in phases: Phase I, Maitland to...
www.boston.gov www.boston.gov
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Equilibria said:
I think that's a long-standing MBTA agenda item - the PNF talks about it if you want to look it up.
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Yeah, there is existing unused RR ROW connecting David Ortiz Drive to the Emerald Necklace but the T has been dragging its feet on this path for years.
  • The T has been waiting to complete the section from Ortiz to Miner/Fullerton (which is their responsibility) until the Fenway Portal Flood Protection Project was finished. That Flood Protection project wrapped last week, so maybe they'll make progress before too long.
  • Samuels completed the section from Miner/Fullerton to Fenway Station.
  • The T has been slow-rolling the section from Fenway Station to the Emerald Necklace (hugging the S side of the GL tracks) for no apparent good reason.
That final section (which requires no bridges, no grade crosses, nothing) will be the most beneficial, as it'll allow bikes and peds to go directly from the Emerald Necklace path to Fenway Station and to connect to the Fenway neighborhood without having to cross through the nightmare intersection at Riverway and Park Drive.

As for 2-way bike path on Maitland St, that seems pretty silly to me. Maitland is short and steep (about two stories of grade change over about 65 meters). To ride all the way down Maitland from Beacon to Ortiz/Overland you coast for about 3 seconds, but to ride up Maitland you really need to climb. Putting the bi-directional lane on W side of the road advantages those riding down the street but requires those climbing to cross the street twice over 65 meters. If I'm riding up Maitland (which I do often) once that bi-directional lane is in place, I'm probably just going to stick to the right side of the road and take the lane.
 
Connecting the Riverway to Fenway station would be huge. That path would get a lot of traffic just to avoid the crossing.
 
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