WGBH Headquarters | Brighton

lexicon506

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I had completely forgotten about this project until I stumbled onto a website a few minutes ago. According to the webcam, they're pretty far along already. The location for the new headquarters is right off the turnpike in Brighton.

Here's the link to the project's website,
http://campaign.wgbh.org/index.html
And also the architect's website,
http://www.polshek.com/prog_wgbh.htm

I thought that the building looked familiar, and then I saw that Polshek also designed the Clinton library in Little Rock, which I went to a couple of weeks ago. The two designs are kind of similar (although the library is MUCH better, imo).
 
Heres a link to a Boston Globe article about this. Theres also another link that takes you to a gallery with more pics and info.

1150518933_0931.jpg


http://www.boston.com/realestate/ne...wgbhs_new_home_to_open_citys_western_gateway/
 
I drive by this regularly, and they are somewhat far along with the development of this. I expect them to be completed with the exterior as early as the end of the year, and no later than probably this time next year for the rest of the building. I must say though, it is somewhat ugly in real life. I will hold my final judgement till the end though.
 
I drive by this regularly, and they are somewhat far along with the development of this. I expect them to be completed with the exterior as early as the end of the year, and no later than probably this time next year for the rest of the building. I must say though, it is somewhat ugly in real life. I will hold my final judgement till the end though.
 
palindrome said:
I must say though, it is somewhat ugly in real life. I will hold my final judgement till the end though.

its somewhat ugly in the renderings too. and its urban merits are just about nil. Its only appealing feature is the giant video screen....

....to be seen by drivers on the pike.
 
This project should have taken place smack down on the should-be-demolished Midtown Hotel on Huntington Ave across from the Christian Science plaza. That would put it right in the middle of the Avenue of the Arts district, half a block from Symphony Hall, and guarantee that it would be a major destination. WGBH's concept for what goes on inside the building is excellent, but they totally botched the location. Unless they have some obscure reason for not being in the city, their touting how environmentally friendly their building is while locating it nowhere near transit (or anything else, for that matter) is either stupidity or hypocrisy. They say they'll have "Shuttle buses and other incentives to encourage alternatives to on-site staff parking", which means you might be able to get there without driving, but it's probably going to suck.

The only hope is that that whole area someday gets built out really well- I believe this is near where Harvard's proposing its huge Allston Landing development, and where someday there may be "Fast Track" commuter rail service.
 
quadratdackel said:
The only hope is that that whole area someday gets built out really well- I believe this is near where Harvard's proposing its huge Allston Landing development, and where someday there may be "Fast Track" commuter rail service.
You can count on the NIMBYs to derail that.

And anyway, the architects' preliminary plan is anything but inspiring.

Merper, I think your relocation of WGBH is brilliant.

And the building under construction is a sad, suburban abomination. Fie.
 
...

actually, that was Quad doing the relocating, and I concur, that would have been better than this.
 
Re: ...

Merper said:
actually, that was Quad doing the relocating, and I concur, that would have been better than this.
Thanks, Merper. Sorry, Quad; that's a really good idea you had. Too bad you couldn't have gotten that idea to them before they started. Fits like a hand in a glove.
 
Too bad they couldn't have moved into the Christian Science Colonnade building, which the church is now planning to vacate. It even has a history of housing TV and radio studios, having been the home of the ill-fated Monitor Channel and Monitor Radio.

But from WGBH's point of view, the main virtue of Brighton Landing is simply that it's a very short distance from their current location, thus minimizing the disruption to employees.
 
...

that still doesn't explain why a brand new, purely suburban piece of crapcitecture was put up.
 
Ron Newman said:
Too bad they couldn't have moved into the Christian Science Colonnade building, which the church is now planning to vacate.
Yeah, but then we'd still be stuck with the Midtown. ;)
 
Re: ...

Merper said:
that still doesn't explain why a brand new, purely suburban piece of crapcitecture was put up.

It's not a new building, it's a fit-out of an existing building.
 
...

thats still not a good excuse, and anyways, i think most of the structure is new
 
Re: ...

Ron Newman said:
Merper said:
that still doesn't explain why a brand new, purely suburban piece of crapcitecture was put up.

It's not a new building, it's a fit-out of an existing building.

Actually, Ron, half of the new WGBH facility will be in an existing building, while the other half (studios, etc) will be in a brand-new state-of the art suburban piece of crapcitecture.
 
Macomber to transfer WGBH project to Turner Construction
Boston Business Journal - 11:38 AM EDT Fridayby Michelle HillmanBoston Business Journal


Macomber Builders is transferring one of its major projects, the new $76 million headquarters for WGBH Boston, to Turner Construction.

The news that WGBH and Boston-based Macomber would part ways with one of its remaining clients is the latest setback for the 102-year-old construction firm. In April, a fatal accident occurred at the site of a Macomber project on Boylston Street, where it is finishing a residence hall for Emerson College.

"WGBH and Macomber have been working closely to assess the best way to keep the WGBH headquarters project on track, moving forward to a successful completion," Jeanne Hopkins, vice president of communications for WGBH, said in a statement.. "Together we have determined that it is in the best interests of the project to transfer the construction management to another company. WGBH and Turner Construction Co. are working on a proposal for Turner to assume management of the project."

Hopkins said in a statement that the final transfer is pending completed discussions involving WGBH, Turner and Macomber. She said that Macomber and WGBH are working "cooperatively" and it appreciated the "honorable way in which Macomber is handling this matter with us."

"We respect and value their integrity and fine work. Given the financial strength of WGBH, and our commitment to the success of the project, we are confident it will move forward seamlessly and be completed on a timely basis," she said.

James Loud, senior project manager at Macomber, sent a memo to subcontractors Wednesday regarding the transfer. John Macomber, president of the construction company, was not immediately available for comment.

Turner officials did not immediately return calls for comment.

Following a final decision to transfer WGBH's Brighton project, remaining Macomber projects include Emerson's $50 million Residences at Piano Row, the $41 million headquarters for the Institute of Contemporary Art on the South Boston waterfront and the Woburn High School project.

John Macomber, the fourth generation to run the company, had recently notified employees that the company would not pursue a planned renovation project at Harbor Towers. Macomber, in a previous interview with the Boston Business Journal, said he decided that the renovation project, which is valued at less than $100 million, had become too large for Macomber and that it was "beyond what they would be prudent to take on with us at this time."

John's father, George Macomber, lives in one of the condominium units at Harbor Towers, which overlooks the Boston Harbor and the future Rose Kennedy Greenway.

Macomber said in the previous interview that he is focusing on finishing existing projects and is not taking on any new jobs. Though he admitted the company was losing staff -- from 110 employees two years ago to 60 employees by the end of this year -- he said he didn't think the company was in danger. He said the company would decide this winter "how aggressively to crank the company back up at that time."
 
BBJ said:
John's father, George Macomber, lives in one of the condominium units at Harbor Towers, which overlooks the Boston Harbor and the future Rose Kennedy Greenway.

Huh..wha...WHAT? Why is that in there? :?:
 
Hate to drag up an old thread like this, but I was in the area the other day and hastily took some photos while running to the bus.

WGBH1.jpg


WGBH2.jpg


WGBH3.jpg
 
Super!

Where's the video board or did they scrap it?
 
ZenZen said:
Super!

Where's the video board or did they scrap it?

The video board is still a go last I heard/saw. It is barely visible as an unfinished looking area at the far end of the glass section in the last photo. Last I went by it on the Pike (2 months ago), it looked like it was being worked on slightly.
 

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