Volpe Transportation Center Development | Kendall Sq | Cambridge

[393b40]

Here we go again with the "Not Tall Enough" chorus.

 

[DZH22]

Here we go again with the "Not Tall Enough" chorus.

Here we go again with the "mediocrity should be good enough, even in the only spot of an entire city where tall & iconic is possible, as long as we get a nice coffee shop" chorus.

 

[393b40]

Here we go again with the "mediocrity should be good enough, even in the only spot of an entire city where tall & iconic is possible, as long as we get a nice coffee shop" chorus.

Nice straw man.

 

[DZH22]

Nice straw man.

Not really, it's literally the only place in Cambridge that can go tall. It can either become an iconic centerpiece of Kendall, or it can be more of the same we are used to. Obviously some of us take more pride in our city than others. You'd think a "cutting edge" and "forward thinking" city like Cambridge could do a little better in the architecture department than it has been doing. This is the best chance to make a statement.

Anything less than 180m wouldn't even crack Boston's Top 10 buildings by the time this is built. So either it can stand out as an iconic area with at least 1 iconic building, or it can blend into the crowd and continue to be overshadowed by 20+ buildings across the river.

Boston/Cambridge deserves better than small minded people with small minded ideas. Sensible growth, particularly with good transit access, continues to be stunted. Instead we insist on being a city of inaccessible, aesthetically marginal stumps. This is why we can't have nice things.

By the way, calling something a straw man doesn't make it so. We don't need you here raining on everybody's parade. It's totally your MO to bash anyone who thinks an underutilized proposal should go taller. It's not like we already get a ton of tall buildings and are being greedy. Most substantial proposals around here DO NOT GET BUILT IN UNDER 10 YEARS, IF EVER!!! It's really tiresome to have people like you say a heaping pile of garbage is "good enough" because it has a café or some other bs. I want to have as much pride in the present and future of our city as I have for its historical aspect. Go be a negative nancy somewhere else.

 

[393b40]

Not really

By the way, calling something a straw man doesn't make it so.

Yes really. I said nothing about quality. You implied height equals quality and that I'm against quality because I don't support height and then set that up as the argument to attack.

You can go mid-size (and really 250 - 300 ft is not short but mid-size) and get very high quality. This plan is all about ground level interaction and fixing the broken Volpe sides of Broadway and Third.

 

[RandomWalk]

What is the minimum distance between the new Volpe and adjacent buildings? Have the Feds specified a minimum floor plate size?

I ask because why not go tall and thin with the Volpe, to offset the likely squat boxes on the rest of the site?

 

[odurandina]

You can go mid-size (and really 250 - 300 ft is not short but mid-size) and get very high....

gimme a fucking break.

i guess you hate Mark Levinson and Krell too.

 

[stick n move]

Vople.Mit.edu

https://postimage.io/

https://postimage.io/

https://postimage.io/

 

[odurandina]

i disagree with DZH on one point; i don't think Volpe is the last opportunity to go tall.

i won't be here to see it. But, the height apologists and hysteria peddlers will be gone and long since forgotten. ....113 years from now, Cambridge may very well be home to well over a dozen skyscrapers and several supertalls.

with deep underground tubes serving the Boston/Cambridge/Middlesex/ urban core.

Over in Boston, 691 Mass Ave will be the lastest redo going 870' w/ a nice highrise.

 

[BKNA]

What is the minimum distance between the new Volpe and adjacent buildings? Have the Feds specified a minimum floor plate size?

I ask because why not go tall and thin with the Volpe, to offset the likely squat boxes on the rest of the site?

The feds were very specific in all criteria for their building (inside and out) and tall and thin was not an option for many reasons.

 

[RandomWalk]

Sounds like they should have made the construction documents an addendum to the RFP.

 

[stellarfun]

I believe the construction specs for new Volpe were made available to all bidders, but were not and will not be publicly released. For obvious reasons.

 

[bayvillagebrahmin]

I emailed the design team - didn't get a response back.

I feel strongly that this development has the opportunity to really shift the opinion of Kendall as living-hub and entertainment destination. One thing I focused on:

Whatever the tallest building is - create a public 270 degree observation deck that faces Boston, along with a 2-3 story restaurant bar underneath it. It would be the hottest establishment in the city if done right and would drive increased traffic to the area.

 

[Gameguy326]

I emailed the design team - didn't get a response back.

I feel strongly that this development has the opportunity to really shift the opinion of Kendall as living-hub and entertainment destination. One thing I focused on:

Whatever the tallest building is - create a public 270 degree observation deck that faces Boston, along with a 2-3 story restaurant bar underneath it. It would be the hottest establishment in the city if done right and would drive increased traffic to the area.

That's a strangely specific request.

The things this neighborhood needs more than anything for more activity is denser retail and more housing. If they can nail those two things, while adding a few fun attractions (whatever they may be), I'll be happy.

 

[KentXie]

Here we go again with the "mediocrity should be good enough, even in the only spot of an entire city where tall & iconic is possible, as long as we get a nice coffee shop" chorus.

We haven't even seen the actual rendering yet. How do you know that it's mediocre? Last time I check, you don't need something tall to be iconic.

 

[DZH22]

Last time I check, you don't need something tall to be iconic.

With the amount of buildup in the area, you need something tall for people to actually see it. More height also tends to allow for better design in order to actually be iconic.

Also, keep in mind that MIT will be approximately a BILLION dollars in the hole before they get to start seeing any sort of returns! If you're going to drop a billion, the most iconic building in Cambridge SHOULD be part of the deal, and it SHOULD be as visible as possible!

We haven't even seen the actual rendering yet.

This is true, but if it's anything like the massing models, it's mediocre. Cambridge deserves better than mediocre. It's funny how Cambridge and Boston are basically as cutting-edge and forward-thinking an area as anywhere in the country, except for the architecture.

 

[KentXie]

The Custom House Tower did it at 496 ft. At one point, you're going to have to put the onus on the architect for not being more creative.

Hell, I would consider the leaning tower going up at Hynes as iconic and that tower is not much taller.

 

[odurandina]

Acting rudely and insensitive in 3.... 2... 1... i love your's alls posts, but why do we need retail up the ass on every other block of every neighborhhood in the goddamn metro? Brookline residents once made the unforgivable < 4 mile treks to Coolidge Corner, Brigham's Circle, Sears, Copley, Filene's, Jordan Marsh and you'll really laugh (Lechmere by God) for centuries despite getting upgrades to their own mall, the (then) new Atrium, etc.

i agree; the horrors of those times must never be forgotten (they all drive up in their Range Rovers now).

 

[JumboBuc]

Also, keep in mind that MIT will be approximately a BILLION dollars in the hole before they get to start seeing any sort of returns! If you're going to drop a billion, the most iconic building in Cambridge SHOULD be part of the deal, and it SHOULD be as visible as possible!

Where are you getting "a billion" from? The deal was $750 million.

 

[found5dollar]

yeah, short buildings in modern cities can't be iconic.