Winthrop Center | 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

Java King said:
Glad to see an actual water feature and not just steam or a drizzle. Looks nice!
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Hopefully, in 20 years, if the zombie apocalypse/nuclear winter/runaway global warming hasn't set in, those trees will be 2x their current height and starting to spread a serious canopy, like back when old Burnsie ruled the Winthrop Square roost... as it is now, they're obviously not providing any shade from the summer swelter.
 
it'd be a perfect time for One Winthrop to get a wash down and let that façade steal the show.
 
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BosDevelop said:
Exactly. This does look nice now. We'll see in 5-10 years. These fountains often have a way of eventually breaking down and never being fixed due to the cost.
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Which has always baffled me, because certain cities in similarly cold (or colder) areas -- Philly, NYC, Chicago -- have way more fountains and they all (or most, anyway) seem to be working just fine whenever I visit. Brewer Fountain by Park Street wasn't functional for nearly (more than?) a decade a while back and even now is often a very sad mini trickle. Many of the small fountains in the otherwise meticulously maintained Public Garden also seem to be perpetually in a state of semi-busted-ness.

I don't get it.
 
Some of this has to be about low cost selections - either poorly built structures, maintained finishes, or a combination of both - and generally low levels of QC.

Most of you know that I live in CX. I interact with DivCo West fairly regularly and asked, during the previous two winters, why our lane striping was in such horrid condition. (Recall: most of DivCo's work (at least, when they took over CX), was on the west coast - specifically, the Bay Area.)

Their response was that cold weather, salt, and plowing degrade stripe materials. When I reminded them that they don't use salt here (confirmed), they said it's the cold and that plows "rip them up". When I mentioned that I grew up in upstate NY and that my municipality repaired and restriped roads every ~5-ish years, their response was something defeatist about these are the materials available to us.

So, yeah: some of our construction projects feature inspired designs and materials (not referencing CX). But the firms undertaking them are also often guilty of using absolutely atrocious materials (crumbly finishing cement) and underplanned/underfunded QC (brand new, high end LED lamps that are not plumb or level). Given the level of detail attention I've seen during CX's most recent paving and striping (in progress), I'd say it's mostly bargain basement materials and "we're done - and it's close enough".

I apologize for the rant. I really like Winthrop, and absolutely love the new fountain!

Cheers.
chrisbrat said:
Which has always baffled me, because certain cities in similarly cold (or colder) areas -- Philly, NYC, Chicago -- have way more fountains and they all (or most, anyway) seem to be working just fine whenever I visit. Brewer Fountain by Park Street wasn't functional for nearly (more than?) a decade a while back and even now is often a very sad mini trickle. Many of the small fountains in the otherwise meticulously maintained Public Garden also seem to be perpetually in a state of semi-busted-ness.

I don't get it.
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ivyhedge said:
Some of this has to be about low cost selections - either poorly built structures, maintained finishes, or a combination of both - and generally low levels of QC.

Most of you know that I live in CX. I interact with DivCo West fairly regularly and asked, during the previous two winters, why our lane striping was in such horrid condition. (Recall: most of DivCo's work (at least, when they took over CX), was on the west coast - specifically, the Bay Area.)

Their response was that cold weather, salt, and plowing degrade stripe materials. When I reminded them that they don't use salt here (confirmed), they said it's the cold and that plows "rip them up". When I mentioned that I grew up in upstate NY and that my municipality repaired and restriped roads every ~5-ish years, their response was something defeatist about these are the materials available to us.

So, yeah: some of our construction projects feature inspired designs and materials (not referencing CX). But the firms undertaking them are also often guilty of using absolutely atrocious materials (crumbly finishing cement) and underplanned/underfunded QC (brand new, high end LED lamps that are not plumb or level). Given the level of detail attention I've seen during CX's most recent paving and striping (in progress), I'd say it's mostly bargain basement materials and "we're done - and it's close enough".

I apologize for the rant. I really like Winthrop, and absolutely love the new fountain!

Cheers.
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Informative and well-written post -- thanks! Also: curious how you're enjoyng life in CX. It's a really fascinating development not that far from my own digs.

Oh, and I, too, really like the new Winthrop park, especially the fountain (both are better than the "tower" and certainly less underwhelmong than the Connector).
 
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Back to the "Connector" - The main restaurant is just about to open. It's called The Vermilion Club and like the other spots in the lobby is run by John Fraser. I actually had a chance to eat here during the soft opening and it was phenomenal, much better than I would have guessed. It's very expensive as you might guess but it's a really nice space. It formally opens June 11.

The area still doesn't feel like a world-beating open forum for the masses, but it's pretty inside and will probably do huge numbers with the office employees. With the more casual spots closing early, this might be a way to check out the space after work hours, grab a drink, and take a look.

boston.eater.com

Chef Known for His Michelin-Starred Vegetarian Cooking Opens a Boston Steakhouse

At the Vermilion Club, chef John Fraser riffs on steakhouse traditions with tomato tartare, a foie gras Boston cream pie, and more
boston.eater.com boston.eater.com
 
chumbolly said:
I never really know and should be given no heed.

My opinion of it not feeling like a connector is based entirely on Patrick's picture that makes it look, to my eye, like a food court obstacle course. I'm glad to hear that, in fact, it is serving its purpose as a cut-through. Given that, unlike you, I've not actually walked through the space, I'll shut my mouth now.
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But you are right - - there is an awful lot of obstacle they threw in the way of "connecting" there. It's obvious they don't want it as a "Connector" but as a "sit down there" lobby. Add in the good info posted in the post above by Justbuildit - - this is turning more into a gated private club than a public "world-beating open forum for the masses".

Take away 80% of that jersey barrier furniture shit and then it is a "Connector".
 
The new park is pretty nice. Its completely protected around the perimeter with bollards and bike racks so turd drivers will have to go elsewhere to run down pedestrians and park on the sidewalk. This needs to be the status quo around the city based on the amount of terrible drivers and useless cops. We need protective infrastructure wherever possible.
 
shmessy said:
But you are right - - there is an awful lot of obstacle they threw in the way of "connecting" there. It's obvious they don't want it as a "Connector" but as a "sit down there" lobby. Add in the good info posted in the post above by Justbuildit - - this is turning more into a gated private club than a public "world-beating open forum for the masses".

Take away 80% of that jersey barrier furniture shit and then it is a "Connector".
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I think there's some common ground in this thread in that we agree it's a beautiful space but that it isn't a real draw for pedestrians yet. You guys were right that even during the work week its still pretty dead. A new restaurant might help a bit. Something a bit less elitist--like a Chipotle--would be ideal. There is a ton of space for sitting in there. I really like the stadium seating along the periphery surrounded by plants. But ya, currently no one uses it.
 
Kinopio said:
The new park is pretty nice. Its completely protected around the perimeter with bollards and bike racks so turd drivers will have to go elsewhere to run down pedestrians and park on the sidewalk. This needs to be the status quo around the city based on the amount of terrible drivers and useless cops. We need protective infrastructure wherever possible.
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Was the fountain on? I went by yesterday and it was off and there was work going on.
 
resisttheist said:
This got a post this week on the British design website Dezeen:

www.dezeen.com

Handel Architects completes "world's largest Passive House office building" in Boston

Handel Architects has completed a Boston skyscraper with Passive House-certified offices, which will be the largest in the world according to the team
www.dezeen.com www.dezeen.com
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Boston on the big screen!! Let's check the comments:

Yawn or a sad sigh. Yet another huge ugly glass box, decent interiors.
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Looks passive-aggressive in the context. It is the matter of scale and proportions (Mies). Another glass box from the school of developers' glass boxes with the incumbent green band-aids.
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I had to read this twice to wrap my head around what they are suggesting here. Maybe the US LEED definition of "passive house" is very different from the European one, or this "Passive House Institute" is just an industry marketing tool, but there is no way to reach a passive house standard with a triple glassing curtain wall façade without exterior sun shading.
...
This above project contradicts everything we know about passive houses. So either they changed the rules or they bullshit-ed their way through this process.
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I gotta say, this looks awful...
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Another ugly modernist box cancerfying Boston.
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Dezeen's comments are always negative, but it is disappointing this is what 'Boston' warrants worthy of a fancy design article, and the comments are warranted in that respect.

I've had my own questions about how they're really achieving Passive House standards here without any typical assemblies you'd see with such a building.
 
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