Worst Empty Parcel

[briv]

Please choose one. Polls close 11:59pm on March 1.

A list of all previous winners can be found here: http://www.archboston.org/awards/

In no particular order:

1. Seaport Square Site
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/briv1/Worst%20Empty%20Parcel/seaport_sq_parcels.jpg

2. Dartmouth & Newbury Lot
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/briv1/Worst%20Empty%20Parcel/dartmouth_newbury_lot_gstreetv.jpg

3. North End Municipal Lot
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/briv1/Worst%20Empty%20Parcel/ne_municipal_lot.jpg

4. Former Columbus Center Parcels
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/briv1/Worst%20Empty%20Parcel/columbus_center_parcels_gstreetv.jpg

5. East Boston Wharfs
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/briv1/Worst%20Empty%20Parcel/east_boston_wharves.jpg

[BostonUrbEx]

Toss up between Eastie and Seaport, IMO.

[czsz]

Jesus, they're all so awful, it's hard to choose.

I suppose it's a factor of both size and location. That would make the worst scar the North End...

[found5dollar]

^ agreed.

[NJBostonFan]

Perhaps they can expand Piers Park over the adjacent desolate piers, like Brooklyn Bridge Park. Hell, for the expansion, they should hire the same landscape architects used to design Brooklyn Bridge Park. Their head office is in Cambridge. Plus, they should also make a mod or two to the existing park, for consistency reasons.

[DZH22]

I chose Columbus Center, because it's the only parcel I know of that HAD a great project slated to go, and failed for various reasons. I don't think any of the other parcels have had such a promising development go by the wayside. (you could argue Seaport Square, but I wouldn't say that I am sad to have lost any past iterations of the plan, probably due to the height limit just keeping the area "more of the same")

[whighlander]

Hands down the North End Municipal Lot

How can the city sit on such a critical parcel right on the Greenway and with no subsurface constraints on building -- that should have been offered to the Y for their community center or for a Year Round Roofed but Open Food Market or for a Hotel,etc.

[kz1000ps]

I'm with czsz and whighlander......no parcel makes my "there needs to be a building here!!!!" alarm go off more than the North End lot. And it becomes even more of an annoyance now that you can sit and stare at it from the one place on the whole damn Greenway that's actually worth sitting down and spending time at.

[whighlander]

Hands down the North End Municipal Lot

How can the city sit on such a critical parcel right on the Greenway and with no subsurface constraints on building -- that should have been offered to the Y for their community center or for a Year Round Roofed but Open Food Market or for a Hotel,etc.

I presume this was the winner as it got 33% of the vote

the worst part of this lot being a Municipal Lot -- it makes it somewhat immune from market pressure -- worse even than the old city-owned 50's era above ground garages. At least in those monsters the city could see the trade-off between parking and development revenue. This lot though has no revenue as it just parks city owned or city employees' vehicles.

The only hope for development is that after the Amenian Shrine becomes a global pilgrimage site -- the Armenian community is going to want to develop a large complex to support the visitors - this lot would be well sited for that.

[Ron Newman]

On old Big Dig maps, the BRA has this lot designated for housing development. I suspect this awaits a stronger economy.