The Lucas | 136 Shawmut Ave | South End

Significantly better than the renders. They ought to have played with a crenelated cornice to hide the penthouse.
 
I think it looks like a snail, but I love it. (I know I'm in the minority here.)
 
1. Glad the goody hat on the tower didn't actually get built.
2. Glad there's actually a litte bit of a curve in the flying buttresses, which i dont recall seeing before
3. Wish the top of the glass box rhymed a little more with the rest of the thing - either crenalation, or some subtle gothic pointiness, or some stone....
 
Van or KZ or anyone,

Sorry to go off topic for the thread, but I have a question after viewing the streetview link? Is there a reason many new mid-block high rises in Manhattan have setbacks from the curb. Zoning incentives? neighborhood pressure? I noticed a quite a few similar high rises going up that had 15 -20 foot set backs from the sidewalk. Seems like it erodes the streetwall on these blocks. If they're worried about massing, maybe a low rise portion compatible with surrounding buildings with a high rise on top set back from the low rise to allow more sunlight etc. would be a better fit.
 
commuter guy said:
Van or KZ or anyone,

Sorry to go off topic for the thread, but I have a question after viewing the streetview link? Is there a reason many new mid-block high rises in Manhattan have setbacks from the curb. Zoning incentives? neighborhood pressure? I noticed a quite a few similar high rises going up that had 15 -20 foot set backs from the sidewalk. Seems like it erodes the streetwall on these blocks. If they're worried about massing, maybe a low rise portion compatible with surrounding buildings with a high rise on top set back from the low rise to allow more sunlight etc. would be a better fit.
Click to expand...

Zoning incentives. This is a hold over from the 1961 zoning code which allowed taller buildings if developers built public plazas out front. They work in small doses but the more you have the more the street wall is blown up and the less useful the plazas become. Some areas have been rezoned but many have not.
 
I absolutely love the way this turned out. So much better than the renders. I can't think of another project in this cycle that has exceeded my expectations as much as this.

My primary criticism is that they should have done a better job of hiding the mechanicals on top.
 
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