The Hub on Causeway (née TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

This is being reviewed by the BCDC tonight

BPDA Board Room (room 900) on the 9th floor of Boston City Hall
Meeting starts tonight (March 6, 2018) at 5:15 pm
 
The spire needs to come back. It was an homage to the Boston Garden and was more unique than this ugly roof.
 
Great comments per the usual. I'm kinda sad about this parcel. I'd really love height to happen for the resident tower to avoid another buzzcut effect. But a higher aspect ratio tower combined with moderate height is underrated here to be the Gateway at the West End.... A strong, becoming design is what this parcel needs the most.
 
cjbski said:
The spire needs to come back. It was an homage to the Boston Garden and was more unique than this ugly roof.
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In addition to that it gave the building a definite vertical axis which helped to counteract its girth. This new version generally emphasizes layered horizontal lines, making it look even fatter than it is.

The new roof would be very appropriate for a W Hotel. But it isn't a W so it just sucks.
 
There are some proposals I really want to like, but I can't. That describes the original box-with-spire proposal.

This proposal: I really want to hate it, but I can't.

Somehow, the whole is more than the sum of the parts. It's eclectic and decadent, messy and the antithesis of sterile. With the (still very well-done) base, it gives the impression of layered history, of lively vertical urbanity.
 
meddlepal said:
Not sure how anyone can look at the old proposal and call this one any worse. The previous one was a box with a dumb spire and this is a box with a dumb overhang.
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The dumb overhang is even dumber than the spire.

Architecturally it seems garbage. I mean maybe it provides some rain protection depending which way the wind is blowing, although the trade off is blocking the view of the sky from that patio which I would think would be nicer to have most of the time.

To me just drop the overhang as an expensive, unnecessary and ugly architectural element and call it a day.

Unless there is a helipad up there... that might be kinda cool.
 
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It looks like there was a halfhearted attempt to make it look like the blue section is "sheathing" the tower.

I think if they had just gone with that it could have been interesting.

e7U7gqg.jpg


Obviously a rough photochop, but I think it is less bad than the proposal.
 
Justin7 said:
It looks like there was a halfhearted attempt to make it look like the blue section is "sheathing" the tower.

I think if they had just gone with that it could have been interesting.

e7U7gqg.jpg


Obviously a rough photochop, but I think it is less bad than the proposal.
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Please no. That looks like three massive balconies
 
Dreams: crushed!

Seriously though, I know it's not pretty, but why would three large balconies be a bad thing?
 
JSic said:
As bad as this is it actually improves the West End area.
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Yep. To me, the podium was all that ever mattered -- it is so fantastic. My experience with this development is going to be entirely street level, and the podium is a slam dunk for that.

As for the idea that the towers are the gateway to the city from the North, well yeah, sort of true, but honestly, whatever goes there is just going to be in the way of everything behind it. Further, with so many towers of similar height going in at this general location, ultimately the view from the North will not seem like any distinct, individual building anyway. If it won't stand out, why not let it just blend in by being indistinct.
 
that's a fair point. i mean, conceptually it would be cool if every new tower was groundbreaking, iconic, daring, etc., but i don't know -- i feel like the tendency is to go way negative and act as if every other city gets architectural gems and all we get are "boxes." i was just down in NYC and for every chrysler building there are 20 nondescript boxes. we've got the customs house tower, JHT, international place, soon 1 dalton, federal reserve -- all pretty cool towers -- and then there's all the 18th-early 20th century stuff that's as good as, or better than, anywhere in the world. i'd love it if the ultimate design of this thing is truly special, but if it (as HenryAlan just said) winds up just mostly "blending in," is that the end of the world?
 
Not the end of the world at all. On the other hand, it was an opportunity - missed - to do something iconic in an area that deserves it. Utilizing the full 600’ of permitted height to the top of the last occupiable floor, with some nonoccupiable architectural statement above it, could have distinguished it from the other towers around it and provided a dramatic gateway into the City from the north.
 
Shepard said:
There are some proposals I really want to like, but I can't. That describes the original box-with-spire proposal.

This proposal: I really want to hate it, but I can't.

Somehow, the whole is more than the sum of the parts. It's eclectic and decadent, messy and the antithesis of sterile. With the (still very well-done) base, it gives the impression of layered history, of lively vertical urbanity.
Click to expand...

"Somehow, the whole is more than the sum of the parts."

Yeah, but the parts are splattered all over Causeway Street like a clumsy suicide bomber.

Honestly, it's grotesque enough to warrant blurring the renders for the sake of the children.
 
bigpicture7 said:
...and the giant ugly blue glass waistband.
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well yes... if they want more square footage then just go up a few stories and keep the tower consistent. Tower mid to upper floors of the tower are ok.

But that overhang with the big W supporting it just seems gratuitously ugly without function (unless it is a helicopter pad then I am totally on board)
 
Let's add insult to injury. Are these idiots proud that they chose not to build to the zoning height on top of one of the 2 busiest transit centers in the city, without FAA or shadow law encumbrances? Why even show this line at all? It's sad where even a shithole city like Detroit can emerge from bankruptcy with far more guts and vision than Boston. Pathetic.

On the "bright side" it looks like there's mech box on top, that will be practically invisible, keeping this thing just over 500'. Whooooop de dooooo.

Capture by David Z, on Flickr
 
It's one thing to blend in. I'd have loved to see two towers that just do their job. The original proposal wasn't iconic; the built Avalon tower is as ordinary as they come. It's another thing entirely to call attention to yourself and have nothing beautiful to offer.
 
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