The Boulevard (née The Times/Littlest Bar) | 110 Broad St | Downtown

[tobyjug]

Not orange. Copper.

And don't get me started on the "we've lost all the craft of the past" thing. There is not a thing on that original building facade that was not the cheapest, quickest, get-it-done technique for building a building at its time. If this forum existed at the time that building was being designed we would have crucified it for being lazy, and probably for being too short (just kidding about that one).l

Good one!

200 plus years ago a utilitarian building was more likely to follow "classical" rules of design. Because technology was basic and there was no cheaper tech, profit didn't suffer from design. Profit was preserved by less sumptuous fabric and fitment, not by altering the traditional design formula . That's why even a cheap old building often looks good today.

When building technology evolved, profit and classical design diverged. Today we can hope for a profitable, clever design, but often get hack jobs like this project.

 

[cca]

Good one!

200 plus years ago a utilitarian building was more likely to follow "classical" rules of design. Because technology was basic and there was no cheaper tech, profit didn't suffer from design. Profit was preserved by less sumptuous fabric and fitment, not by altering the traditional design formula . That's why even a cheap old building often looks good today.

When building technology evolved, profit and classical design diverged. Today we can hope for a profitable, clever design, but often get hack jobs like this project.

Yes. You get it. We need to understand that what we value is nostalgia and not really craft. There are thing about today building and construction that are FAR superior to the past ...however, it does not generate work that will be around for 200 years. Its a tradeoff.

 

[cca]

We get that it's all relative, but it's hard to deny that even the cheapest buildings of the era required more craftsmanship and sturdier materials than most modern buildings. Even if was simply out of necessity.

Building modern buildings requires a different set of skills (CNC design, working at tremendous heights, wielding complex machinery, etc) all of which is impressive, difficult and in a lot of cases still dangerous. But it is not the same as a hand-laid brick masonry bearing wall or a hand hewn post and beam structure. That particular type of craftsmanship is very rarely seen in modern construction (for good reason) so it becomes more and more important that we preserve the examples we have.
This is a hill I will die on.

I will never argue that we should not conserve shining examples of the past techniques and skills necessary to build. To forget the past is a mistake. All I am saying is this argument of "superior craft" is just not true. It is a very different set of skills. The craft is there. I promise.

cca

 

[AmericanFolkLegend]

When building technology evolved, profit and classical design diverged.

This.
And the divergence has been exacerbated by the fact that profit trumps design for almost all large developments now. Buildings used to be financed by companies or individuals (both with egos). Now most large developments are financed by institutional money, REITs or PE funding. All three of which have no ego and are strictly vehicles for maximizing returns.

 

[CSTH]

^ I'm with you, but at the same time I think that there are additional reasons beyond 'nostalgia' to appreciate old buildings like this one, even if we ackknowlege that craft is not one of them.

Scale, materials, agreeable proportions ('classical design'). These things have value.

To be clear not trying to disagree with your points... maybe i'm saying something like there's a venn diagram and this is at the intersection of 'nostalgia value' and 'other redeeming qualities', even if we agree that there is no overlap with 'high-value original craft work'.

 

[CSTH]

https://flic.kr/p/25Scfon

https://flic.kr/p/24v2rMn

So is the design intent here to frame the reflection of IP in this angled glass wall, from the perspective of a pedestrian standing on the corner of broad st?

That was featured in the renderings, but not sure if the intent was to make that an explicit design feature...

 

[stick n move]

The idea isn't terrible. But, the execution is poor.

i hate the colors and how they're paired. is this thing really orange?

i wish there was a way they could age it ...or soften the blow.

They showed us exactly what we were getting. I think its more of a copper color than orange and looks fine to me, but with everything to each his own.

 

[cca]

^

Scale, materials, agreeable proportions ('classical design'). These things have value.
.

To who exactly does it have value. To anyone who has a stake in the project? If so ...can you introduce me to that person? I would like to work with them.

cca

 

[Justin7]

Society?

 

[statler]

I think he meant financial stake, not personal.

 

[BeeLine]

https://flic.kr/p/GtRLMT

https://flic.kr/p/23o8q2G

https://flic.kr/p/23o8qP3

https://flic.kr/p/24LV18x

https://flic.kr/p/GtRMAX

https://flic.kr/p/265edFu

 

[RandomWalk]

The facade reads as too flat right now. I hope they have some more articulation added before completion.

 

[tobyjug]

That would be nice. But this was designed to look like a cheap cardboard box.

 

[odurandina]

which shade of orange is closest to orange?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shades_of_orange

the one in the middle.

which is the closest to the orange cladding at 110 Broad?

the one on the lower left.

not a bulls eye but it's close.

 

[stick n move]

Orange is exactly half way between red and yellow on the visible light spectrum. To me this looks like copper and I think it looks really good. I like this whole development over all. The ground level is tan/grey colored bricks that look good, theres going to be retail, and the slanted glass corner looks good as well. Im glad they chose brick at the base because it looks good next to the littlest bar vs if the "copper" cladding had abutted right up to the brick it probably would have looked terrible. I think this is a win over all. The greenway was lacking retail along its edges and this adds more of that. It also brings the ground floor of buildings closer to the greenway as well, and just brings the "city" closer to the edges of the greenway in general. Eventually you'll be able to walk the greenway and stop at all the different types of shops/stores/restaurants...etc that line its edges and its going to be really nice, where before it was kind of a secluded space.

This also fits right in height wise with the area. Its good to not have a 600 footer right against the greenway, its nice when the buildings dont box you in and still let light in to something especially as important as the greenway.

https://flic.kr/p/22uH82U
https://flic.kr/p/22uGTAq

https://flic.kr/p/23GbxuN
https://flic.kr/p/23GbwG5
https://flic.kr/p/24Hddhj

 

[odurandina]

i am a novice, and can only offer my unremarkable opinion.

i strongly admire the concept and execution.

Unfortunately, in both instances (opposite walls), the color + pattern of brick seems a miss.

The shades of gray is just slightly off; but off.

But that pale orange. i just can't let it go in such an prominent location.

It's so close to being a great result. Dammit.

 

[Poolio]

I'm liking the orange. It's not pale at all. More of a dark, "burnt" orange. It's bold enough to add a nice punch of color to the Greenway, and muted enough not to be an eyesore. Still waiting to see how it plays out across the entire facade, but I'm optimistic. I also don't think the facade is too flat or two-dimensional. It's not a lot, but the windows are recessed enough to create shadows and give some impression of depth.

My only problem with this building remains its ill-treatment of the Bulfinch. I don't know why they couldn't just give it a little more space to breathe so it looks less like a museum piece and more like an actual building.

 

[stick n move]

The good thing is we are all entitled to our own opinions and I like this. I personally think this looks great, has good scale, and adds needed space to ground level.

Im more worried about 55 india than this tbh, but I think that will be fine too.

These along with the Boston Public Market, Blackstone market, Bulfinch triangle buildings, Bulfinch triangle hotel going up next to the Merano, the retail going up in the north end parking lots, and a few others are going to really change the Greenway a lot. Now it will be like a strip where you can use it to walk along a retail corridor along with your everyday uses for it from before.

 

[mdd]

Call the police, someone left their luggage on the sidewalk.

 

[jl326]

Not sure if already posted (I don't follow this particular thread much), but here are some interior renders of various units. Units started to drop on various sites at the beginning of the month, ranging from ~$2.8 - $5.75M at about $1300 - $1600/sqft for the curious. Unit sizes are pretty good too actually.

Penthouse Unit:

I will never for the life of me understand the need for a large floor to ceiling window here

Non-penthouse (I think):

Lobby: