Photo of the Day, Boston Style - Part Deux

[Ron Newman]

Why raze the telephone company building? I think it can, with some care, be turned into an asset.

[czsz]

Boston has little art deco, though. In fact, I've seen some guidebooks that use this building as an example of the mode. A bit of a "stump," yes, but its symmetry also allows it to form a nice "head" for PO Square. It also provides some much needed architectural diversity, being a prewar building, in this part of the Financial District.

[shiz02130]

there are so few art-deco buildings in Boston, that i think this one can't, in good conscience, be demolished. check out that antenna/work of art at the top - they don't make 'em like that anymore.

[bdurden]

raze an art deco masterpiece? blasphemy!

[kz1000ps]

That thing is no freakin masterpiece! Maybe the United Shoe or the Batterymarch is, but definitely not this one.

When I say tear it town, I'm taking a real long-term view here, meaning that while maybe I don't see the need to tear it down right now or in the next decade or two, I also don't see the need to keep this one forever and ever... Eventually it should go and make way for something bigger and (hopefully) better.

But of course we all know this will never happen, because the Friends of P.O. Sq Park will complain about the shadows and that will be the end of it.

[dirtywater]

There may be an opportunity here while still pleasing (or at least neutralizing) the preservationists. I'm not a student of the history of the building, but the building appears to consist of two elements - the art deco wedding cake structure fronting on Franklin Street and what appears to be a newer addition tacked on to it fronting on High Street. Whatever you think of the portion of the building on Franklin Street, the piece on High is far worse and (hard to believe) even more pedestrian unfriendly.

I don't know whether the economics would justify it (it may of course depend on how high you could go), but tearing down this piece and building a modern skyscraper connected to a renovated and opened up building on Franklin Street could make for one hell of a project. Plus the new structure would be set far back from PO Square Park at least ameliorating shadow and other impacts on the par.

[statler]

This is very late Deco ('47). And not an especially great example either. If there was any deco building in this city that Boston could afford to lose, it would be this one.
The question is, can Boston afford to lose any of its Deco, good or bad*?


*The assumption being that bad Deco is better the average Modern+

+The assumption being that Boston won't build good Modern, just average Modern.

[dirtywater]

The following is a piece on art deco buildings in Boston from http://bostonia.blogspot.com/2005/01/art-deco-boston.html:

Monday, January 17, 2005
Art Deco Boston
Widely known for its bow-front townhouses and cobblestone streets, Boston is not a city that one typically associates with Art Deco. In large part this is due to the economic circumstances of the decades that surrounded the movement, for while the years following the Great War were boom times elsewhere, in Boston they were ones of stagnation and decline. By the time Art Deco reached the height of its popularity, Boston, as Jane Holtz Kay describes, "was idling in the economic slough of Depression...her mills in decline, her port slipping, her financiers cautious." It was a city that "lived on past glories...not great expectations."

Yet scattered throughout Downtown, one can spot a handful of buildings designed in the Art Deco style. They are rare, yes, and are often ignored by both tourists and historians, whose interests typically do not extend beyond the Revolution. But they do exist, and your humble correspondent hopes that this quick guide to Art Deco Boston will open his dear reader's eyes to this hidden and overlooked aspect of our city.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/narcissisme/wyndham.jpg

First is the Wyndham Hotel, formerly known as the Batterymarch Building. Located at 89 Broad Street, it was designed by Harold Field Kellogg, and was the tallest building in Boston when it opened in 1928. Like most Art Deco designs, the Wyndham is a rather plain-looking affair except for the entrances and first floor, which are highly stylized and embellished. What makes this building unique from other such examples of the style in Boston, however, are the three "towers," shown above, that dominate the side facing Batterymarch Street ? where the building's main entrance was located until its restoration by David Manfredi.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/narcissisme/federalist.jpg

75 Franklin Street, seen above,was completed in 1929, having been designed by Thomas M. James. For a time this building served as the headquarters for State Street Bank; today its 21 floors house individual offices for many private businesses. At the very bottom of the photograph, where the first and second floor of the building meet, one will note a series of bronze panels running the length of the building. These are original bas-reliefs that were restored in 1997, depicting ? in addition to many muscular and semi-nude men ? industry, agriculture, finance, art and other such testaments to human achievement.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/narcissisme/paramount.jpg

Paid for by Paramount Studios and designed by Arthur Bowditch, the eponymous Paramount Theater was opened in 1932 as a place to show "talkie" films. Although it has been closed for decades, the Paramount still represents an era when Washington Street was a vibrant, party-all-night district of jazz clubs and vaudeville acts, and is accordingly both a prominent fixture of Downtown Boston and a National Historic Landmark.

Until 2002, the Paramount was in a horrid state of disrepair, as can easily be seen in the photograph below. Its marble facade was crumbling and stained, its sign entirely burnt out, and the once-grand interior torn to pieces owing to asbestos removal. It was only due to pressure from the hyper-prestigious Ritz Carlton Towers, located across the street from the Paramount and only recently opened, that prompted the restoration of its facade and roof. For the time being the interior remains desolate, though there are plans afoot to have it entirely renovated and re-opened.

http://www.historicboston.org/99cb/entryimages/paramount.jpg

Image: Historic Boston

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/narcissisme/suffolk.jpg

Plans for the "new" Suffolk County Courthouse, located at Pemberton Square behind Cambridge Street, were initiated as early as 1928, it having long been known that the old Suffolk County Courthouse ? today known as the John Adams Courthouse ? provided insufficient space for both the city and county's judicial needs. The Great Depression stalled construction of the new building, however, and it was only through the intervention of the federal government in 1936 that real work on the Courthouse finally get underway. Yet even then it would take another three years for the new Art Deco tower to be completed and officially opened.

Long considered but one of many hideous buildings that fill the West End and Government Center, the new Suffolk County Courthouse is actually a rather interesting and attractive structure. It contains especially interesting architectural minutae, such as the granite Zodiac signs that surround the level between the first and second floor, and the beautiful bas-relief that looms over the main entrance.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/narcissisme/justice.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/narcissisme/zodiac.jpg
Those aspects of the Courthouse that today seem unappealing are largely resultant of neglect and laziness. Witness, for example, the dozens of air conditioners that fill its column-like windows; a lackluster solution to the question of temperature control that interrupts and ultimately ruins the building's Art Deco design. Fortunately, the new Courthouse is undergoing renovation along with its sister-courthouse and Pemberton Square as a whole. The air conditioning units are being removed, the interior wholly redesigned with modern amnenities, and the facade restored to its original appearance.

http://www.picturesmartgrowth.org/images/postofficesquarebirdseye.JPG

Image: Smart Growth

The New England Telephone and Telegraph Company Building, now owned by Verizon, serves as a particularly late example of Art Deco design in the United States. Constructed in 1947, it is unclear as to why such an outdated and unfashionable mode of architecture was employed by the firm of Cram and Ferguson in designing the building. Still, it is an interesting structure that vaguely resembles a step-pyramid or Mayan temple, the lobby of which contains a 160-foot tall mural bearing scenes from the history of the telephone.

Thus it would seem that, after decades of neglect, the Art Deco buildings of Boston are getting a necessary facelift. Indeed, of all the examples given above, only the Paramount Theater remains vacant and unused, and even that charming structure seems to have a bright future in store. This movement toward preservation and reuse is undoubtedly an excellent thing for the city, serving to enrich it for the generations that are to come, and that may wish to view first-hand the works of their grandparents.

[Please note, dear readers, that many of the photographs shown here were taken by your humble correspondent; those that were not were given proper credit. Your humble correspondent would also like to extend a heatfelt thank you to his two stalwart and capable assistants, Tony Z. and Bill B., without whose companionship and aid this project would undoubtedly have been much less fun. Gentlemen, thank you both for your time and energy.]
posted by Joyce Jun'r at 4:00 AM

[vanshnookenraggen]

What?! No Landmark Center!

[Ron Newman]

Emerson College is now restoring or renovating the Paramount's interior. Whether it will still have Deco elements, I don't know.

[kz1000ps]

The question is, can Boston afford to lose any of its Deco, good or bad*?


*The assumption being that bad Deco is better the average Modern+

Like I said before, I'm taking the long perspective here and saying that, regardless of how much or how little art deco we have in this town, the building is not worthy of being preserved forever -- meaning at some point it should come down.

The time when it makes economic sense to tear down an 875k s.f. building is definitely a ways off, but I say that day will eventually come, and when it does the archictecture of this building won't be (and currently isn't) enough to save it.

[Ron Newman]

There are plenty of other Downtown buildings I'd rather have torn down long before Verizon (such as the ex-Bank of Boston "pregnant buildilng", or One Boston Place, or Fiduciary Trust near Dewey Square)

[kz1000ps]

Fiduciary Trust maybe -- it's the smallest of the three you mentioned, and I remember hearing that its build quality is bad -- but the other two will be around in one form or another for a long time to come. Maybe they're ugly on the outside, but they're big buildings, and as of now I don't know of any tower approaching their size (or height) that has been taken down in the US due to the market declaring them undersized or obsolete.

Also, although One Boston Place is smaller than 185 Franklin (782k versus 875k sf), the lot 185 sits on is about three times the size, meaning it should be able to (at least in theory) support a structure of at least two million square feet.

[statler]

To get this back on the topic of "Photo of the Day", there is an excellent series on Boston.com right now called Secret Spaces II (http://www.boston.com/travel/boston/gallery/more_secret_places/)

It includes this awesome photo:
http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2007/07/19/1184879984_0707-1.jpg
High atop the gold dome of the State House
The view from the top of the Boston skyline's brightest sight is equal parts inspirational and dizzying as it looks over Beacon Street. In 1802, Paul Revere & Sons put a copper shield on the dome to stop water leaks. About 70 years later, the dome was gilded with 23 carat gold leaf. The dome was most recently regilded in 1997 for $300,000 ? more than 100 times more costly than the original gilding. During that process, six pounds of gold leaf were delivered in a shoebox to the State House. The leaf is as thin as the cellophane that wraps around a box of cigarettes, Kraus said.
(John Tlumacki/ Globe Staff; Caption by Glenn Yoder/ Boston.com Correspondent)

[Charlie_mta]

This one looks like what a fat guy would see looking down on his pot belly:

http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2007/07/19/1184879984_0707-1.jpg

[lndscpr]

in that article i liked the shot looking out at Cambridge and the Charles from the penthouse of that new condo/hotel.

[czsz]

Is it just me or does the State House dome look like some crude 3rd-grade art project from close up?

[kz1000ps]

Two things to this photo. One -- Best Buy is either opened or is just about to open.

And two, which is perhaps more exciting -- take a look at that dark blue Chrysler PT Cruiser to the right of the pic and note what it has on its roof... I don't know if it's Google or Microsoft, but whoever it is they're gathering up pics for the "street view" function of their map apps. Neato!

(yes, I just said neato, deal with it)
http://img455.imageshack.us/img455/3633/img8950oi6.jpg

[palindrome]

hey good find with that pt cruiser lol.

[Ron Newman]

Best Buy opened last week -- I think July 27.

[vanshnookenraggen]

Oohhhhhhh snap!

[TheBostonBoy]

Wow that is pretty cool! What street is this on? I can't place it...
And also when will Google and/or Microsoft be adding this neato street view thing to Google Earth/Windows Live? That truly is neato lol

[Ron Newman]

That is 360 Newbury Street, the former home of Tower Records and later Virgin Megastore. Frank Gehry was involved in redoing the fa?ade back before Tower moved in. You are looking northeast at the intersection of Boylston and Mass. Ave.

Historically this was an office buliding, but I believe it has been changed to residential condominiums.

I'm pretty sure it had a Mass. Ave. address before the Gehry renovations in the 1980s.

[Lurker]

Transit Building at 104-112 Massachusetts Avenue, ca. 1930
http://rfi.bostonhistory.org/boston/full/000820.jpg

[TheBostonBoy]

And two, which is perhaps more exciting -- take a look at that dark blue Chrysler PT Cruiser to the right of the pic and note what it has on its roof... I don't know if it's Google or Microsoft, but whoever it is they're gathering up pics for the "street view" function of their map apps. Neato!

Here is a story about that I think, it is in the Globe Today, it has some pictures and stuff so if you haven't already seen it, check it out.

Online maps take a new direction

By Scott Kirsner | August 5, 2007

In the manner of the great cartographers Gerardus Mercator, Abraham

restaurants in my neighborhood have high chairs," says Povo cofounder Max Metral. "So I might go on Povo to find those, but I might also tag other restaurants that I know have high chairs."

Sitting in the 1369 Coffeehouse in Cambridge's Central Square, cofounder Hasty Granbery demonstrates how easy it is to add an entry to Povo that lets users know there is an hourly charge for using the cafe's wireless network. Metral pulls out an Apple iPhone, and shows off a version of the site specially designed for the device.

Povo will succeed or fail based on whether users discover the site, like it, and are willing to contribute to it over time. The potential is intriguing: Neighborhood historians could "tag" landmark buildings with links, photos, and information about their history, and crime-watchers could indicate an alley where car smash-and-grabs regularly take place.

EveryScape, the company using camera-equipped cars to photograph cities, also has an element of user participation with the potential to make the site a major destination. EveryScape wants to make it easy for anyone to upload panoramic photographs and have them added to the company's three-dimensional maps. "We're trying to allow the world to help us build the world," says chief executive Jim Schoonmaker, alluding to the company's ambitious vision. For more prolific and experienced photographers, the company is dangling the incentive of cash payments.

When EveryScape was founded in 2002 -- and called Mok3 -- it was a cool technology in search of a market. Cofounder Byong Mok Oh developed software at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that could examine photographs and make assumptions about the geometry of the objects in them, transforming the pictures into three-dimensional environments. The original plan was to sell the software to video game designers and architects to help them speed up the process of creating digital environments and also create virtual tours for luxury properties like The Breakers in Palm Beach.

But in 2005, investors lost patience with that strategy. "We had all this great technology that we knew had promise," explains Ham Lord, managing director of Launchpad Venture Group, one of EveryScape's backers. "We saw that it was going to take more money to build a high-quality, shrink-wrapped software product, and we felt like the biggest opportunities tended to be Web-based. We weren't afraid of going after that." The investors agreed to put in more money (EveryScape has raised about $5 million so far), and replaced cofounder and chief executive Yonald Chery with Schoonmaker.

EveryScape decided to start mapping cities, beginning with San Francisco and Boston, and build an advertising model atop the maps. Though Schoonmaker is a bit coy about the specifics, a business like a furniture store will be able to pay EveryScape to have its interior added to the map, or for advertising on the site that will help users find it in the real world. (Unlike Povo, users won't be able to add information to interiors that have been underwritten by companies -- so there'll be no digital graffiti about the tacky couch or cheap-looking rug.)

EveryScape believed there was the potential to forge a partnership with Google, and met with representatives of the search giant's mapping team late last year at a conference. Schoonmaker demonstrated the new stuff the company was working on, and showed how it integrated with Google Maps, but Google didn't say much about its future plans.

Google's reaction to EveryScape's demo, recalls venture capitalist Scott Johnson, was that they didn't want to show favoritism to EveryScape over other companies. "They said, 'Gee, this is great, but it's our policy that we want the world to think of things like this. We don't want to compete; we want to enable,' " Johnson says. (A Google representative didn't respond to requests for comment.) But this year, EveryScape started to hear rumors that Google was going to integrate street-level photographs into Google Maps. "We started preparing for a surprise launch by Google," says Johnson, managing director of DFJ New England and an investor in EveryScape. The company learned Google was planning its launch for the Where 2.0 conference in May, and quickly hired a public relations firm and prepared a preview version of its site.

That hustle helped the company earn some ink when the media wrote about Google's new Street View feature. Google had partnered with a Toronto company, Immersive Media, to take photos of five US cities from a car. (EveryScape's photos seem to be crisper, and Street View doesn't allow users to enter buildings -- yet.)

Competing with big players like Google and Microsoft can be nerve-racking. They might become allies, or they might decide they need to buy a company to aid their competition with a rival. Or they might assign 100 people to do exactly what a small company is doing with 25 people, just four times faster.

While building another company, Firefly Network, Max Metral was quoted on what it was like to compete with Microsoft. "If you find something that can make you ridiculously rich, then that's something Microsoft is going to want to take from you," Metral told The New York Times Magazine. "All we can do is meet with them and try to see what they're going to do to us when they feel like doing it." (Microsoft apparently took Metral's quote as a compliment, eventually buying Cambridge-based Firefly in 1998 for an estimated $40 million.)

But if competing with monoliths is too scary, then you're probably not an entrepreneur. Because entrepreneurs are not deterred by the text that warns, "Here be dragons," and they're willing to start sailing toward the edge of the world to find out what's there.

[czsz]

Wow that is pretty cool! What street is this on? I can't place it...

A telling question. How long is it going to be until that part of the Mass. Pike is developed over? The area has to have one of the highest pedestrian flows in Boston; it's begging for a "re-knitting". I mean, wow, look at the size of the tree that's managed to grow down on the Pike's level...

Also, what is happening to Newbury Street? First a Filene's Basement and a Borders, now a Best Buy? So much for being a luxury brand...

[kz1000ps]

^ File this one under "uncanny similarities between Boston and NYC," but it's funny how Best Buy has done almost the exact same thing in Manhattan in taking the retail space at 15 Central Park West.

And unfortunately for the treehuggers out there, that huge one has been dead for the two and a half years I've lived across the street from it.

[Ron Newman]

I wouldn't say Tower Records was a "luxury brand" either, but I sure liked having it there. Best Buy is not really a worthy replacement.

[czsz]

it's funny how Best Buy has done almost the exact same thing in Manhattan in taking the retail space at 15 Central Park West.

The stretch of Broadway that store is on isn't really the city's most upscale stretch of street, though. There's a Bed, Bath, and Beyond just up the street, and quite a few unremarkable delis and restaurants. The surprise comes more in the fact that the building it's located under was otherwise seen to have a upscale effect on the area. People were expecting the Upper West Side's first Prada or whatever.

By contrast, this isn't merely a case of unmet expectations for Newbury. It feels more like a downgrade. I guess it's only appropriate that while the Natick Collection draws Boston's newest upscale shopping, Newbury accepts retail detritus worthy of Rte. 9...

[kz1000ps]

True, but two things: this end of Newbury is much less upscale than the Arlington St end (I don't think anyone was expecting a Barneys to open up shop here), and the size of the space (46,000 sf) narrowed down the list of potential tenants quite a bit.

This all raises the question: what retailer would've been a good fit here?

[Ron Newman]

This was never an upscale block, really. In the late 1970s it was best known for a couple of quality photo-finishers, Subtractive Technology and Colortek, along with Johnson Paint and Trident Books (still there) and Avenue Victor Hugo Books (sadly gone). There's also a Newbury Comics (presumably the original one), and until recently a large chain music store (first Tower, then Virgin).

A useful block, rather than an upscale one.

[commuter guy]

This all raises the question: what retailer would've been a good fit here?

I've always thought LL Bean would be a hit in Boston.

[Ron Newman]

That would have been excellent. Maybe it would be a good fit in the future Downtown Crossing?

Bean is moving very slowly and conservatively into the branch-store business. They may want to see how the Burlington store does before adding more here. But I do see this on their website: "New Stores Opening Soon - 11/16 Mansfield, MA". (Anyone know where?)

[Bos77]

http://bradys-doghouse.smugmug.com/photos/170977253-L.jpg

[czsz]

(sigh)...lasting materials, sharp design. It was ahead of its time.

It does look nicer without the suburban lawnscape out front (and office parky rear end out back), admittedly.

[Beton Brut]

It was ahead of its time.

Sure was -- Nice pic, Bos77. If forward thinking is a measure of a building's value, this may be our finest tall building. I love the Hancock, but it's the end of the line -- the last of the great glass-curtain skyscrapers, sublime in its minimalism. But in the Fed, Stubbin's presaged Foster, Rogers, and Piano and opened the door to High Tech Expressionism. He also designed some modest but lovely homes that were forthrightly modern, but earthy in their materials and relation to their sites.

I don't hate SOM's mostly sympathetic addition to the Volpe Terminal (Terminal E) at Logan, but it saddens me a bit that the original Stubbins design has been lost. With all of that white enameled space-frame, it was Boston's first High Tech building.

[singbat]

Here's a random shot sort of showing 185 (to the right) and the wasted space that is the plaza in front of 100 Federal a.k.a. the "pregnant building."
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/3439/img8087sq6.jpg


depends on what you call wasted. this area is/was pretty heavily used by bank employees (i was one 10 years ago) during lunch and coffee breaks.

the entire area (and more?) below the driveway and plaza is a cafeteria--or was in 97. the glass that sticks out from the building goes over an escalator that goes to the near end of the cafe. I always thought it would be cool to have that glassed in area extended. the cafe is large enough for a considerable fraction of the 5k employees to sit down at one time, which means that it is long, wide, low, and dark. good food though.

switching gears -- on the Art Deco front, is the telecommunications building across from the JFK, just down from Gov't Center an example?

[czsz]

this area is/was pretty heavily used by bank employees (i was one 10 years ago) during lunch and coffee breaks.

But how much valuable land in Boston ought to be surrendered for the purpose of a one-hour seasonal activity? Especially when Post Office Square is practically across the street...

[vanshnookenraggen]

There is a theory that open space is the cure for the city's ills. The problem is that not all open space is equal and too much can create dead zones.

Boston Common, Union Sq in NYC and in San Fran all are lively active places with diverse peoples and uses. But there are plenty of other parks that no one uses, for various reasons.

Modernist plazas fail miserably because there is no real use for them. They were created because it allowed the towers next to them to be built taller. The problem is that open space still equals "good" and if you ever tried to fill it in there are still people who would fight tooth and nail against it. This is not the case for places like Government Center but it is the case for small and equally underused spaces that could just as well be used for housing.

[KentXie]

Well....what else could you put there?

[singbat]

this area is/was pretty heavily used by bank employees (i was one 10 years ago) during lunch and coffee breaks.

But how much valuable land in Boston ought to be surrendered for the purpose of a one-hour seasonal activity? Especially when Post Office Square is practically across the street...

i wouldn't defend this little area from any kind of development -- but there are less used "front yards" in the downtown. biggest problem is the way the building hangs over. A couple story building would fit, but wouldn't be worth the effort for the land owner.

[kz1000ps]

Two-fer Tuesday

http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/8711/img9318jm5.jpg

http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/7268/img9298au6.jpg

[TheBostonBoy]

Awesome! I especially like the first picture, you never really see that building from that perspective, and it is hard to notice the ridges unless you're right there. Great! 8)

[kz1000ps]

Ok so I'm catching up on my car news for the week, and one of the big events was Honda releasing official images of their 2008 Accord. So I'm going through them, and I come across this:

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/2740/2008hondaaccordcoupe14ru9.jpg

Holy familiar sights, Batman -- I know that place! And sure enough there's a couple other photos with Boston as the background, such as this one:

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/5985/2008hondaaccordcoupe12ry3.jpg

Say what you will about the car's styling (de.ri.va.tive), but it's cool to know that auto companies are aware of the wondrous paved facilities our waterfront has!

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2008-honda-accord-coupe/360893/

[AdamBC]

Found this photo (not mine):

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/38/123719583_3aba9b287b.jpg

At this link:
http://www.cheapshooter.com/2007/08/24/tilt-shift-photography-its-a-small-world-after-all/

[kennedy]

That's a wicked good Fenway model...so detailed...

[statler]

^^ Are you joking or did you not read the link?

[bowesst]

Don't have access to Boston at the moment so...

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/8549/img0376mb5.jpg

[vanshnookenraggen]

See, New York has plenty of ugly buildings.

[atlantaden]

^^^^^^^^^^^
And many more beauties!!! It's like people watching, you see all kinds! Only in NYC...maybe Hong Kong comes in second with the # and variety of high rises.

Bowesst, very cool! You made it to the "Top of the Rock!" Have yet to make it there when I'm in NYC though it's on the top of my list of things to do.

[ablarc]

St. Patrick's looks like a miniature jewel box from this view. Nice.

[kennedy]

I was joking. I'm not retarded/too lazy to follow the link.

[xec]

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r289/trixecol/20070901-253.jpg

[awood91]

Will the Lobster parcel of land ever be redeveloped into a tower?

[czsz]

I certainly hope not!

It's one of the greatest juxtapositions in Boston.

[kz1000ps]

It will, but not for a little while yet -- they just put a fresh coat of paint on the building a month ago.

[Ron Newman]

This is the last remaining part of the working waterfront. Why would anyone want it to move out?

[bowesst]

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r289/trixecol/20070901-253.jpg

Say what you will about the failures of the Greenway but you have to admit this picture is really encouraging. You do remember what it looked like 15 years ago right? Nice shot xec.

[Ron Newman]

I don't in fact remember what used to be where International Place is now. Can you remind us?

[PaulC]

I don't in fact remember what used to be where International Place is now. Can you remind us?

The Travers Insurance and the Fort Hill Garage:
http://architecturalboston.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=948&highlight=implosion

Note the now lost detail on the top of the Coast Guard building.

[Ron Newman]

I thought Travelers was to the left (south) of the Moakley Bridge, while Int'l Place is to the north. Also, wasn't Int'l Place already built when the Travelers was imploded?

[PaulC]

I thought Travelers was to the left (south) of the Moakley Bridge, while Int'l Place is to the north. Also, wasn't Int'l Place already built when the Travelers was imploded?

I think you are right. It must have just been the Fort Hill garage which I think was imploded during a football game, super bowl?

[Waldorf]

I thought Travelers was to the left (south) of the Moakley Bridge, while Int'l Place is to the north. Also, wasn't Int'l Place already built when the Travelers was imploded?

You're right Ron. In the implosion pictures International Place is just to the right (north). The Travelers Building is what is now 125 High Street. It also houses the BFD Downtown Ladder Unit.

To even further orient you, this building is directly across the the street (Purchase Street and Atlantic Ave, respectively) from the Intercontinental.

[xec]

Say what you will about the failures of the Greenway but you have to admit this picture is really encouraging. You do remember what it looked like 15 years ago right? Nice shot xec.

Thanks bowesst. I agree the state of the Greenway is pretty encouraging. To give some idea of what it looked like 15 years ago here's a picture of a picture in Campbell & Vanderwarker's "Cityscapes of Boston", published in 1992.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r289/trixecol/0709100003.jpg

And here's one from "Over Boston" by David King Gleason (1984) that should answer some questions over what used to be where.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r289/trixecol/0709100012.jpg

[briv]

http://architecturalboston.com/ica_panorama.jpg

[czsz]

^ Very nice. A couple of my own shots from the Founders' Gallery:

http://www.pbase.com/czsz/image/74653460.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/czsz/image/74653458.jpg

[Cojapo]

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/81440005.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/IMG_2658.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/81440028-1.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/81440026.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/81440027-1.jpg

[briv]

Courthouse Station's very brief Blade Runner period -- just before the ads were installed. All those lit panels and concrete made it feel more like a dystopian spaceport than a...bus stop.

I wish they left it like this:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/briv1/courthouse_station.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/briv1/courthouse_station_2.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/briv1/courthouse_station_3.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/briv1/courthouse_station_4.jpg

[whighlander]

I was at the Implosion

Standing in the cold near a corner of the Federal Reserve Bank
When the explosions began there was aloud cheer

As the smoke cleared a voice rang- out " They blew-up the wrong building" as International Place was still standing

Westy

[ledjes]

I guess it's about time that I got into the image posting scene. AdamBC made it sound simple enough in reply to rayray...I think I can handle it. A couple shots from the top of the Dock Square garage:

60 State and 28 State forming a gateway to the Financial District
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/692/picture017rs1.jpg

Pointy hats
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/6110/picture012pw0.jpg

[JSic]

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r289/trixecol/0709100003.jpg
This is a great picture. As a child, I remember walking over that overpass. It was scary, with all the traffic whizzing below. Pretty much as pedestrian-unfriendly as you could get. The Greenway has its faults but has gone a long way towards humanizing this space. I'll take it over what was there before any time.

[KentXie]

From JFK station
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y226/DarkFenxmon/DSC00772.jpg

[AdamBC]

ledjes, glad I was able to help. Pictures turned out great!

[castevens]

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/castevens12/DSC_3985.jpg

[Lrfox]

Catstevens, what a fantastic shot. i hope you don't mind, but it's now my desktop background.

[TheBostonBoy]

Haha ya, it is mine too now!
And wow, that is an amazing picture, it is the skyline view you never really see. The contrast of the lit up buildings and the sky is amazing...one of my favorite pictures of Boston I have ever seen.

[castevens]

Thanks! I got plenty more from that night:

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/castevens12/DSC_3957-1.jpg

[castevens]

Now that's it's officially a new day, I can post another photo of the day!

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/castevens12/DSC_3976.jpg

even MIT joined in on the lighting fun

[castevens]

New Day, New Pic:

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/castevens12/DSC_3948.jpg

[Lrfox]

An old one I stumbled upon... July 4, 2005.

http://img26.picoodle.com/img/img26/6/11/1/jfoahs04/f_RandomPrum_9f67fc7.jpg (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?img=/6/11/1/jfoahs04/f_RandomPrum_9f67fc7.jpg&srv=img26)

[castevens]

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/castevens12/DSC_3967edit.jpg

[Patriots_1228]

DarkFenX-i love those view where you are driving into Boston and you see the whole skyline in front of you.

[briv]

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/briv1/fh_dome_night.jpg

[nm88]

Briv and Castevens, the quality of the photos is really remarkable. Thank you.

[castevens]

Thanks! :)

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/castevens12/DSC_3933.jpg

[briv]

Thanks nm88
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/briv1/bch_1.jpg

[kennedy]

These photos are remarkable. Thanks.

[briv]

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/briv1/bch.jpg

[ledjes]

This last image could have been painted by Edward Hopper...beautiful, lonely, evokative...Hopper-esque.

You have some skill (understatement) with a camera, Briv. Keep 'em coming.

[Bos77]

I'll keep to the night time desolation theme... Boston Light

http://bradys-doghouse.smugmug.com/photos/170972452-M.jpg

[singbat]

bravo, the last two pages -- you guys are doing some amazing night work!

[endus]

http://www.desolatemetropolis.com/dm/archives/IMG_9175-IMG_9182_blended.jpg

Newbury Corner

[philip]

Alot of these photos show real talent. I have seen many books with photos of Boston but have not seen some of the angles and shots of the city that have been captured and posted here.

I wonder if an Archboston photo book is possible? (raise money for a pizza party)

Anyone have any connections in the publishing industry?

or am I just thinking a little wacky/

[vanshnookenraggen]

http://www.desolatemetropolis.com/dm/archives/IMG_9175-IMG_9182_blended.jpg

Newbury Corner

Holy shit, that's awesome. Is that a filter or just Photoshop?

[briv]

Ledjes, that's quite a compliment there. Thanks a lot.

Endus, thats beautiful. Your site has some great stuff on it as well. Welcome to the board.

[endus]

Holy shit, that's awesome. Is that a filter or just Photoshop?

Thanks :)

It's a pano processed in photoshop. Most of my stuff has some degree of processing.

[endus]

Endus, thats beautiful. Your site has some great stuff on it as well. Welcome to the board.

Thanks!

[statler]

Welcome endus!

I've just spent some time on your site and all I can say is:

Wow.

[TheBostonBoy]

Wow, endus you are amazing. That picture, and the pictures on your website are breathtaking. It is a different side of Boston, and the creativity is spectacular. Thank you for these pictures. And everyone else, thank you for all these great pictures. Archboston really should make a picture catalog/book because some of the pictures on here are like nothing I, or anyone else for that matter has ever seen of Boston. bravo!

[TheBostonian]

Alot of these photos show real talent. I have seen many books with photos of Boston but have not seen some of the angles and shots of the city that have been captured and posted here.

I wonder if an Archboston photo book is possible? (raise money for a pizza party)

Anyone have any connections in the publishing industry?

or am I just thinking a little wacky/

There are self-publishing options that are pretty reasonable for photobooks.

[Lrfox]

Alot of these photos show real talent. I have seen many books with photos of Boston but have not seen some of the angles and shots of the city that have been captured and posted here.

I wonder if an Archboston photo book is possible? (raise money for a pizza party)

Anyone have any connections in the publishing industry?

or am I just thinking a little wacky/

Not wacky by any means. I know plenty of people who would buy a photo book of the images from this site, myself included.

[statler]

The only problem is why would folks like bowesst and endus contribute when they could just as easily publish books of their own works?

[vanshnookenraggen]

Because it is expensive to publish a book. If we all chipped in then the loss wouldn't be so great to one person if it didn't sell well (just being realistic).

[singbat]

Because it is expensive to publish a book. If we all chipped in then the loss wouldn't be so great to one person if it didn't sell well (just being realistic).

it can be expensive to publish a book. probably is for books with pictures.

however, if it were a serious consideration I would suggest looking into the options before reaching any firm conclusions. I've done publishing with on-demand printers that put out quality product at unit cost+, leaving the publisher to set their royalty -- without up-front charges. Unfortunately my experience was with educational materials where the cover was the only color/glossy so I don't know what you would find if you looked.

another consideration is that it is darned hard to do a book right. the printing i oversaw was pretty simple stuff, really, and it wasn't a cake-walk. my wife was a high-end textbook editor on some very complex books and it was far more work than I had imagined. i'd assume a handsome photo book would be on the tougher end.

still, would be great to get some of these in print. maybe with prose by Ablarc...

[castevens]

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/castevens12/DSC_3630.jpg

[Patriots_1228]

found this on google.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~robertof/photos/boston_snow.jpg

[vanshnookenraggen]

So... pretty.

[KentXie]

I swear didn't Bowesst take that picture or something similar to that around 1 to 2 years ago?

[kz1000ps]

Yeah I think it was him. Here's another from that set I had kicking around on my hard drive. I'm pretty sure the pictures were taken about a year ago.

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/1394/bostonaepruyu0.jpg

[Patriots_1228]

sorry bout that then, I found it on google image and didn't remember seeing it here yet so I posted it.

[justin]

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/3065/boston1107194ra9.jpg

[kz1000ps]

Menacing!

[bowesst]

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/6913/panosmallestjj0.jpg

[justin]

Is that what they mean by 'Manhattanization of Boston?'

[castevens]

Bowes - welcome back :)

[Suffolk 83]

What's the name of this thread again? Can someone remind me I seem to have forgotten.

[unterbau]

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1044/1272273781_1db662a6cc_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/10992731@N08/1272273781/)

Not sure which Vent number this is, but one of these won the Harleston Parker Medal...

[bowesst]

Would everyone rather I not post an occasional NY picture in this thread? Made more sense to me than creating a new thread but if you rather I not post, thats fine.

[statler]

^^Doesn't bother me one bit.

I don't care where you post your stuff. as long as I get to see it.

Thanks.

[Ron Newman]

But if you're going to post NY pictures semi-regularly, why not create a new thread for them?

[justin]

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/3593/boston1107223jw8.jpg

[whighlander]

Looks forlorn and abandoned amidst the parking lots waiting to be called to their future roles

westy

[nm88]

I understand the front faces the water, but couldn't the street-side have been a tad more inviting. And the mohawk is unfortunate. Still like it, though.

Again, thanks to all responsible for the pix.

[statler]

I wonder if static or even moving images could be projected on those walls at night?

[castevens]

That's actually a great idea. You should somehow contact them with that idea

[endus]

A theater in Boston...

"Silent Applause"
http://www.desolatemetropolis.com/dm/archives/IMG_4977a-IMG_5003a.jpg

[Lrfox]

That's actually a great idea. You should somehow contact them with that idea

If you go to the ICA website ( http://www.icaboston.org/about/contact/ ) or just email info@icaboston.org with that proposal, chances are that they'll listen and at least give you a good response. I emailed them a few months back asking about the docks right in front of the ICA's Media Room in the Fan Pier renderings and got back a few not-so-brief responses including one i posted in the ICA thread. I would suggest emailing them with your suggestion and also including that desolate looking photo.

[Suffolk 83]

Bowesst, I would say make a thread sayin " NY pics" or even " Bowesst pictures". I like your NY pictures, just not in a Boston pic thread, its not about NY. Make your own thread, do you. Everybody likes seeing pictures.

[Ron Newman]

What theatre is that? (Is it the abandoned St. Alphonsus Hall that someone posted here a year or two ago?)

[Beton Brut]

I believe so. A bloody shame...

Check out endus's link -- cool images of Mission Church and post-industrial desolation. Nice shot of the Transamerica Pyramid as well...

[kmp1284]

I may be incorrect but I do not think it is that theater. Looking at the exterior images on ms live earth, it looks too small to be this and also, the curvature along the side windows is absent on the outside.

[endus]

Wow, I guess it really WAS worth signing up here if you guessed where that was from an interior shot. I was gonna be all secretive and stuff but since you guys guessed it on the first try...

The curvature is just an artifact of the pano....it's a 180 degree pano so its pretty distorted.

There's some more shots on my site. This is one...

http://www.desolatemetropolis.com/dm/archives/2007/11/behold.html

Thanks for the compliment on the transamerica pyramid. :) Had to shoot it even though it's been done to death. Glad someone liked. :D

EDIT: Here's the old thread...

http://www.archboston.org/community/showthread.php?t=1433&highlight=Alphonsus+Hall

...its funny because I know the person who took those shots. At the time, though, I didn't feel comfortable asking her where it was. I spent about an hour in google earth using the 3d buildings feature to try and triangluate a position, then went out and drove around til I found it.

[endus]

Spired

http://www.desolatemetropolis.com/dm/archives/IMG_9014.jpg

[briv]

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/briv1/BPL_lion_1.jpg

[briv]

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/briv1/mit-pp.jpg

[ckb]

Beautiful shot, Briv.

Should we be surprised that the design of the power plant at this Institution better reflects its mission, culture, and location than many other recent construction projects?

[briv]

Should we be surprised that the design of the power plant at this Institution better reflects its mission, culture, and location than many other recent construction projects?

My thoughts exactly.

[briv]

I know I've been posting a lot these lately. I just got a new camera.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/briv1/bpl_sarg.jpg

[kz1000ps]

Fantastic shot -- I love that stairwell.

[endus]

Infared from Mt. Auburn Cemetary

Afterlife
http://www.desolatemetropolis.com/dm/archives/IMG_9106.jpg

[Suffolk 83]

endus, those pics in the abondonment section on your website look STRAIGHT out of a horror movie. That's some creepy stuff I'm not gonna lie.

[Bos77]

Ghosts of DTX-mas past...

http://bradys-doghouse.smugmug.com/photos/143521785-M-1.jpg

[Cojapo]

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture132.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture133.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture127.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture128.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture118.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture130.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture120.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture122.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture115.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture107.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture100.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture101.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture091.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture096.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture088.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture083.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture073.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/Picture061.jpg

[Scott]

^
Excellent Cojapo! Thank You!

[TheBostonBoy]

Very very nice. We haven't seen a lot of pictures of the city in a while, with all this snow no one has gone out to get pictures and post em. Thank you for this!

[Suffolk 83]

wow cajapo, you got up early to take those huh

[Cojapo]

wow cajapo, you got up early to take those huh

I had a rare mid-week day off, so I had to take advantage! I don't get into the city much, so I tried to make an all day thing of it.

[vanshnookenraggen]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2282/2159349456_51cfa867ac_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2222/2158547143_c46a0ea568_b.jpg

[GMACK24]

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1015/739147186_aa3dda9508_b.jpg

More Info :

470 Atlantic Ave / Independence Wharf
For a bird's eye view of the Fort Point Channel, head to the 14th floor observation deck at 470 Atlantic Ave. From there you'll be able to see Logan Airport, the Harbor Islands, including Deer Island -- site of the Boston Harbor treatment plant -- and the Blue Hills Reservation. Binoculars and benches are available on the exterior observation deck. There is also an interior viewing area adjacent to the 14th floor observation deck which is also open to the public. Although there is still debate about where exactly the Boston Tea Party occurred, review of historical Boston maps and accounts of the event indicate that the location may have been at Griffin's Wharf, adjacent to Independence Wharf. For more information on the history of the site, there is an excellent video presentation in the lobby at 470 Atlantic Ave. Restrooms for the general public are available on the ground floor. As of 22 March 2007, visitors can enjoy an uninterrupted walk along this segment of the HarborWalk, thanks to the newly opened connection between the InterContinental Hotel and Independence Wharf.

If you are in the area I highly recommend going in and taking a walk around the Observation deck some stunning views.

[Ron Newman]

I'm surprised that the interior part of that 14th floor hasn't been rented out to someone by now! Only the exterior part is mandated to be open to the public, I think.

[jass]

Is it free? if not, how much do they charge?

[Mike]

What's the deal with bringing cameras up there?
For awhile they didn't allow them, and a couple people who posted pics on here had to sneak their cameras up there.
Did they get rid of the no camera policy?

[Ron Newman]

It is free. It was closed for a few months last year due to construction, but apparently it's open again.

[Corey]

I recall wandering around the empty spaces a few years ago. At the time they seemed to be pretty anti-camera.

[shiz02130]

Imagine that view without the harbour towers garage!

[GMACK24]

I'm surprised that the interior part of that 14th floor hasn't been rented out to someone by now! Only the exterior part is mandated to be open to the public, I think.

You are correct. The 14th Floor is rented to a company called Huron ( I believe)

and there is a small observation deck that spans the East Side ( I think)
The side closest to the Intercontential. so you get some great views of the Rose Kennedy Greenway from South Station to about where the Rowes Wharf Hotel is.

And on the Flip Side out the Rear of the building you can get some nice views of the Fort Point Channel, Summer Street, congress street and old northern ave bridges. Can see a little bit of logan but not much.
There are also a set of binocilior thingies (sorry tired and not doing a spell check.) ha ha

[GMACK24]

What's the deal with bringing cameras up there?
For awhile they didn't allow them, and a couple people who posted pics on here had to sneak their cameras up there.
Did they get rid of the no camera policy?

I will answer a few of the questions posted here.

Q. "is it free?"
A. Yep it is free. All you need to provide is your valid drivers licence for proof of residence. I assume for their protection.
You also have to sign in and put the floor you are visiting.

Insofar as taking pictures. The only gear I have is a point and shoot and It sits nicely in my inside pocket.
I am not so sure how they would react if you had a bag full of gear.

And usually I am only up there for like 15/20 minutes cuz it gets windy and cold.

I hope that answers most of the questions.

- Greg
(I work on
Franklin Street
Boston. ) - BTW ... so its about a 3 minute walk for me

: - D

[Ron Newman]

Proof of residence? As far as I know, it is supposed to be open to all, not just Boston or Massachusetts residents.

[GMACK24]

Proof of residence? As far as I know, it is supposed to be open to all, not just Boston or Massachusetts residents.

sorry I think maybe they just need an ID to prove its you.
sorry for the confusion. I believe it is open to all.

[Corey]

archboston should have rented out that 14th floor and set up a lounge for all of us when we are in the area.

[GMACK24]

not sure exactly what's happening but at the Former courthouse in Post Office Square there appears to be some FIRE Activity.

Anyone have a scanner ?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2027/2162700343_ebb0c73dd2.jpg

[statler]

Are you a Verizon employee?

[Lurker]

The building is being 'greened' & generally renovated (asbestos gone, green roofs, all new mechanical, upgraded security, new windows,historic restoration, etc.) and turned into EPA division 1 HQ, the post office was moved for logistics and security reasons, and the courtrooms will be used for Federal Environmental cases.

[Ron Newman]

Seems a shame not to have a post office in a building designed for that purpose.

[statler]

Was it?

When was it retrofitted to a courthouse?

[Roxxma]

not sure exactly what's happening but at the Former courthouse in Post Office Square there appears to be some FIRE Activity.

Anyone have a scanner ?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2027/2162700343_ebb0c73dd2.jpg
I walked by on my way back from lunch and noticed five or six tower trucks with their towers extended on the Devonshire side of the building. I could see a light haze in the air above PO Square when I walked down Congress near State St, but I wasn't sure whether it was actually smoke or steam.

[GMACK24]

Are you a Verizon employee?

Yep : )

[GMACK24]

Was it?

When was it retrofitted to a courthouse?


The John W. McCormack Post Office and Courthouse (POCH) was constructed in downtown Boston in 1931-1933 as a monumental expression of the city's regional and national stature. It replaced a handsome but overcrowded Second Empire style Post Office and Sub-Treasury Building that had occupied the site on Post Office Square since the early 1870s. Design of the replacement building resulted from an unusual collaboration between the Supervising Architect of the Treasury's office and the noted private architectural firm of Cram & Ferguson. Government architects provided the general interior layout, which was based on their standardized plans, while Cram & Ferguson designed the exterior and the primary interior spaces. Along with the United Shoe Machinery Corporation Building (1928), the Batterymarch Building (1927), and the State Street Bank & Trust Company Building (1929), it is one of the finest Art Deco style buildings constructed in downtown Boston in the 1920s and 1930s. Its history embodies the strength of Boston's community in the early to mid-20th century, and the inception of federal relief programs developed in the 1930s to counteract the effect of the Great Depression.

These four buildings had a major and unprecedented impact on the center city as their bulk loomed above all predecessors to pierce Boston's skyline. They served as urban beacons, providing orientation for both pedestrians and motorists. All but the slightly earlier Batterymarch Building responded to a 1928 zoning amendment that allowed buildings to rise above 155 feet if they followed defined setback rules. This distinctive "ziggurat" massing, fostered by zoning laws in Boston and other large cities around the country, was a hallmark of the Art Deco style.

Although Art Deco was in vogue at the time, its choice for the POCH was unusual for several reasons. First, it was seldom used for Federal buildings, most of which were designed in a spare interpretation of the Classical Revival style. In addition, Boston was known as a conservative city, one which generally favored classically oriented approaches to architectural design rather than experimentation with modern ideas. Finally, Ralph Adams Cram, who produced the exterior design, was a vocal critic of modern architecture whose published diatribes reached a national audience. According to Charles G. Loring, writing about the POCH in the November, 1933, issue of AMERICAN ARCHITECT, Cram chose the Art Deco style because Gothic trappings on such a large building would have been a sham, and a false interpretation of the style he admired so much. Whatever Cram's rationale, the resulting design was praised for its response to the dense urban environment that formed its context.

Linky
http://w3.gsa.gov/web/p/interaia_save.nsf/cf0d4c7c0de34938852563d3004975f3/940edda3cb0a7532852565d900539f46?OpenDocument


and insofar as the retrofit.

http://www.viridianee.com/mccormick.html

Project Summary
The McCormack office tower is an architectural, Art Deco?era landmark in Boston. Viridian worked closely with Goody Clancy Architects and Cosentini Associates, the MEP engineers, to renovate the building into energy-efficient, sustainable offices for the regional EPA. The challenge, embraced by the design team, was to create a model of historically sensitive, environmentally considered rehabilitation
This was all I could find.....

[statler]

Yep : )

Heard anything on the sale of the building?

[GMACK24]

Heard anything on the sale of the building?

well word on the street is that we are to be out by June but you didn't hear that by me : )

and No Potential Buyer info and no info regarding the building.

They are VERY MUM about the whole thing.
I think they are gonna sell off Bodoiwn square as well. (Can never spell that)
ARGH.

[GMACK24]

Article Highlights:
Verizon executive Lee Brathwaite is quoted. Verizon executive Lee Brathwaite is quoted.




Verizon to sell building at Post Office Square
By Carolyn Y. Johnson and Thomas C. Palmer Jr.
499 words
Sat Jul 28, 12:00 AM ET
Boston Globe



Verizon Communications Inc. said yesterday it would put its 18-story building at Post Office Square on the market in August and plans to relocate workers to other Boston office space. A spokesman said the proposal to sell the building is part of Verizon's ongoing evaluation of real estate holdings and reduction of operating expenses. In 2005, the company sold its headquarters at 1095 Avenue of the Americas in New York City.

"Verizon continually reviews work space needs and occupancy levels of buildings we own," Lee Brathwaite, vice president of real estate for Verizon said in a statement. "In today's competitive telecommunications environment, it is particularly important that we make the most efficient use of our facilities."

Verizon's Boston building has 875,000 square feet of office space and could fetch hundreds of millions if it is similar to other high-profile sales.

One Federal St., a prominent downtown tower, sold for $514 million, or $471 per square foot, in March 2006, which was a near-high for the time.

The Verizon building is located in the center of Boston's business and financial district, along prominent Congress Street, and has the acclaimed Post Office Square Park as its front yard.

"It's a triple-A location," said David I. Begelfer, chief executive of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties' Massachusetts Chapter. "Prices are reaching all-time highs. It's going to be very competitive bidding for that building."

The company said there would not be layoffs related to the potential sale, and the 1,700 employees who work in the building will move to other locations -- possibly a building the company owns in Chinatown or one in Bowdoin Square. The building contains a central office used to switch and route calls throughout the area, and the company will make provisions to keep that operation in the same space.

For now, the art deco building at 185 Franklin St. is like a slice of telephone history. In an alcove off the lobby, a small exhibit open to the public gives a history of the development of the telephone. A massive mural circles the lobby, showing the history of the telephone -- from Alexander Graham Bell's invention, to operators manning manual switchboards, to linemen working on phone poles.

Thousands of employees have worked in the building over the years. And the changing names of the companies that have operated from the site chronicle the ever-changing telecom landscape.

New England Telephone and Telegraph Co. built the downtown headquarters 60 years ago. In 1984, the company became NYNEX. In 1997, NYNEX merged with Bell Atlantic.

Finally, in 2000 Bell Atlantic and GTE merged, creating the company known as Verizon today -- a telecommunications firm that is facing a host of competition from cable and cellphone companies and providing phone, Internet, and video service, with a 55 percent share in Verizon Wireless.

"This is a development opportunity," Begelfer said. "Anyone coming in there is going to be looking at doing a serious upgrade on the property."

Carolyn Y. Johnson can be reached at cjohnson@globe.com., Thomas C. Palmer Jr. at tpalmer@globe.com.

[whighlander]

A great opportunity for development -- not just renovation

First the location is top notch -- with PO Square Park next to it and T stops all around it. It's also right next to ramps for the Tip Tunnel with nearby connections to the Pike and Logan.

A deep pockets developer should build a slender 30 or 40 stories of glass tower on top of the existing building. The Tower should be located toward the back of the building {away from Franklin} on top of the section of the building where Verizon and its predecessors had a big garage for telephone trucks and a large storage area for local customer maintenance items, a large auditorium, cafeteria and the company library.

None of the above is needed for the new development. Verizon wants to keep the core of the building's current function -- the Telephone Exchange. However, today that requires a lot less floor space than it once did -- to handle far more traffic.

Thus there should be a golden opportunity to develop a building with a mix of retail on the ground floor, condos or hotel in the existing base and offices in the new tower. The lobby of course should be preserved intact -- with its great mural on the evolution of telecommunications {through about 1950} and the small museum depicting Bell's old Exeter Place lab where the telecommunications industry was birthed in 1876.

Of course the existing building would also form a fine base for a Super Tall tower {80 floors of glass?} that could co-exist with the art deco. Just a thought.

Westy

[Bos77]

http://bradys-doghouse.smugmug.com/photos/235375772-L.jpg
http://bradys-doghouse.smugmug.com/photos/235375024-L.jpg

[statler]

I love how they designed 125 High to echo some of the setbacks.

[czsz]

Nice; I never noticed that before.

[Lrfox]

I love how they designed 125 High to echo some of the setbacks.

I was thinking that as well. Really evident in that photo. Does anyone know how long Verizon's been a tenant in 125 high (as long as i can remember, but that's not too long, so i'm not that sure) and whether or not that played a roll in it's development?

[GMACK24]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2286/2177289679_2f22df533a.jpg

The The Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge This time Photographed from :

North Point Park

Neighborhood: East Cambridge
1 N Point Blvd
Cambridge, MA 02238


Original Here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gmack24/2177289679/


and best viewed LARGE >

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2177289679&size=l

Camera: Canon PowerShot A570 IS
Exposure: 15 sec (15)
Aperture: f/5
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 80
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

[unterbau]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2179/2186245046_a41aa54d56_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/unterbau/2186245046)

[Suffolk 83]

we get alot of federal building pictures. im goin in on monday (unless the entire city is shutdown) I might get some interesting snow shots. Just throw some randomness in here in locations. I gotta go to the 20th floor of some building I forget the name right now hopefully I can snap some off quick... great state house views.

[castevens]

Yeah be careful on Monday. If you're watching the Packers/Seahawks game right now, you'll see the storm system that will be hitting us on Sunday night/Monday morning. Stay off the roads if you can help it.

[Suffolk 83]

I'm no professional so no making fun.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa205/jwebbs24/PICT0003.jpg

[GMACK24]

This is the View out my Office Window.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2228/2193825762_63a16ac161.jpg

Took this Last Night

You can see the Intercontential and the Former Southeast Expressway. Now the Rose Kennedy Greenway.
Also in the distance is the South Boston Convention Center and the Boston Wharf Company Sign as well as the Russia Wharf Project.

[atlantaden]

Both cool pics, thanks! I didn't realize that the Intercontinental lit up it's top in blue. Looks good in the pic; does it look as good in person?

[awood91]

gmack, you're going to have an awesome view of russia wharf going up and its shiny blue glass when its done. great pic, looking foreword to future ones!

[GMACK24]

Atlanta yes the Intercontential is all lit up. its very cool in person you should come down to the Financial District.

And Awood Yes I am very excited to watch this major project unfold in front of me.
Hell I used to drink beers at "Three Cheers" and walk past this site daily.

here are two more of the Intercontinental

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1347/1359368509_b111d48d92.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2227/2091664687_82eb840760.jpg

[Suffolk 83]

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa205/jwebbs24/PICT0006.jpg

[type001]

@GMACK24: Nice shots!! A tiny taste of Hong Kong :-)
@Suffolk 83: Also Nice Shots!! Your photos tell a story about a city that seems to be closed due to a snow storm.

[Suffolk 83]

I have more of those...

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa205/jwebbs24/PICT0004.jpg

[unterbau]

Big brother is watching you...

[GMACK24]

Taken from the Observation Deck at 470 Atlantic Avenue.
Colored to mimic an old tyme Postcard.
Photo taken Jan 17, 2008 But looks like it could have been taken Jan 17, 1908 .
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2100/2201208639_309d1ac83f_b.jpg
Link Back to FLICK?R
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gmack24/2201208639/

[GMACK24]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2223/2201170559_bb3e481059.jpg

Camera: Canon PowerShot A570 IS
Exposure: 10 sec (10)
Aperture: f/8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 80
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

Link Back to FLICK'R

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gmack24/2201170559/

Here is a segment of the Boston Harborwalk near Necco Court and Binneford Street.

Binford Park: Binford Park, adjacent to Gillette's worldwide headquarters on Mt. Washington Street, is a half acre park boasting a lawn area, a beautiful pergola with benches, and a wonderful bulb garden. Before the park was constructed, more than 450,000 cubic yards of dirt were excavated from the area, creating a gigantic casting basin large enough to hold three ships the size of the Titanic. The casting basin was used to construct six sections of the tunnel that were floated into the Channel and submerged in a trench only feet above the MBTA's Red Line, extending ten underground lanes of the Masschusetts Turnpike to Logan International Airport. During the warmer months, this is a wonderful location to have lunch under the pergola while gazing at Fort Point Channel and the Boston skyline.

Any Comments / Suggestions / Kudo's / Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down ?

[vanshnookenraggen]

Great shots, I like the night ones a lot. My only qualm with the pic that says "Greetings From Boston" seems way too cold of an image to use that slogan on (unless you are being sarcastic). If that same shot was taken from across the harbor then you could make some sort of touristy post card out of it.

[Corey]

The greetings from Boston shot looks kinda retro, I like it.

[Suffolk 83]

i used: a camera, can't remember the name of it.

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa205/jwebbs24/PICT0001.jpg

But, I like pictures, so I'm guessing others do as well.

[Padre Mike]

I love all the pictures here. This latest one will be one of the final times we'll be greeted by the ugly Filenes building in the winter. Next year....new steel on that spot!

[GMACK24]

Thanks guys ! ! !

and suffolk those are some great photos too ! ! ! !

[Suffolk 83]

here's a played out repeatable photo but I thought the snow added something....

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa205/jwebbs24/PICT0005.jpg

[jass]

These are from December, but what the hell

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/IMG_2406.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/IMG_2399.jpg

[TheBostonBoy]

Wow, beautiful snow shots. I love it, and the night waterfront shots by GMACK are absolutely stunning, by far my favorite. Good job GMACK!

[czsz]

Whose face is in the City Hall Plaza "Big Brother" shot?

I've walked by that thing often wondering why it doesn't get more attention...

[kz1000ps]

I'm gonna make up for lost time a bit..

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/1647/img0177yr9.jpg

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/5715/img0096av1.jpg

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/8453/img0258ei8.jpg

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/1885/img0303dg2.jpg

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6999/img0445dm1.jpg

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/3162/img0454dk5.jpg

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/3231/img0592jp7.jpg

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/696/img555ib8.jpg

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/9010/img305kx4.jpg

[Cojapo]

From burislav on www.skyscrapercity.com

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/2213953860_cfc1a839ba_o.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w294/cojapo/2213953732_6a2531a1dd_o.jpg

You think how different this view "should" look in about 5 years. The Clarendon, Columbus, W Hotel, Residences at Kensington, 29 Kingston, SST and Russia Wharf all on this right side.

[statler]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2080/2228839126_54710f8572_b.jpg

[czsz]

More ammo for my case against BCEC - it looks like the Berlin Wall severing Southie from the rest of the city here.

[ckb]

Judging from some of the quotes from Southie residents in the MacAllen thread, Southie might actually like that Wall aspect. i.e. "We don't want gentrification", "we don't want students", (and perhaps tacitly (or not), "we don't want diversity")

[PerfectHandle]

More ammo for my case against BCEC - it looks like the Berlin Wall severing Southie from the rest of the city here.

Southie the neighborhood has always been separated from Downtown. The idea that the Waterfront is Southie is artificial and new. Before the BCEC, it was a bunch of industrial businesses.

[Padre Mike]

Foreshortening in photography distorts the closeness and impact of distant objects to closer ones. (I agree with PerfectHandle here.)

[czsz]

You're both missing the point. It isn't that Southie was historically connected to downtown, it's that a massive building straddling many blocks is a barrier to continuous development of active urban space between the two - future development. And yes, I know what a telephoto lens achieves, and it does distort reality, in a sense. But in another sense, it serves as a visual aide to demonstrate the relationship between three parts of the city that would otherwise be difficult to juxtapose in a photograph rather than a more abstract medium, like a map.

[statler]

What is the solution to that problem?

Vertical convention centers? Different orientations? Or should convention centers be place outside city limits?

[Padre Mike]

One way to connect up the neighborhoods in question would be to restore Dorchester Ave. This would have to be done after the Post Office moves and before the FBI gets its greedy hands on the land. Given the history of neighborhoods I really don't think South Boston proper, in order to maintain vitality, needs further connections with the Seaport district, any more than Dorchester wishes further connections with Columbia Point and U. Mass. Boston, or the North End with Charlestown. At least Southie has a direct link via the Red Line, South Station, and the Silver Line. Sometimes getting there is half the fun.

[briv]

What is the solution to that problem?

Vertical convention centers? Different orientations? Or should convention center be place outside city limits?

I always thought the convention center should have been built underground with development above it. As it was built, it's a real neighborhood killer.

[Suffolk 83]

Southie has always been cut off from the rest of the city, I dont get it. That's how it became the way it did.... or used to be anyways.

[kz1000ps]

Boston's past haunts us wherever we go..

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/5219/img0828fn6.jpg

[JoeGallows]

Haven't posted one in a while.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2122/2238126266_c127331397_o.jpg

Link (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrlaskowski/2238126266/)

[GMACK24]

Agreed I havent posted in a while either

Fort Point Channel area taken in August of 06 at the beginning of the FP3 Construction

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2188/2240409989_dd9b2ce36b_b.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gmack24/2240409989/

[GMACK24]

And you guys will love this one
Taken from 185 Franklin 11th Floor

A View of the Post Office Square Park

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2105/2241193734_c4c1cbe30c_b.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gmack24/2241193734/


Taken on May 30, 2007

[GMACK24]

Last one of the Day
Again from PO Square Park

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2385/2241166288_aaacc325cf_o.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gmack24/2241166288/

Photo Taken
August 22, 2002

[Lrfox]

I love all of them, but particularly the second one (the one of P.O. Square from the 11th floor).

[unterbau]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2193/2189379921_91ef50c448_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/unterbau/2189379921/)

Took this photo a few weeks ago. I know it's not actually Boston, but the Holyoke Center a great example of a modern building that interacts well with its surroundings (albeit with some alterations).

[Ron Newman]

Holyoke Center, like the Prudential, is a good example of a modern building that had to be extensively changed before it interacted well with its surroundings. The Au Bon Pain was the first step -- whatever was there before it attracted very little pedestrian traffic and deadened the entire plaza.

[unterbau]

Yes, and all those shops along the side seem to work very well. It's too bad they lost that great pizza shop on the interior, though.

Does anyone have any photos of the evolution of this building? I'd love to see the many steps it took to get to this point.

[kz1000ps]

I love these things..

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/5561/img0479tt7.jpg

[kz1000ps]

and one more for today:

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/8295/img423gz5.jpg

[unterbau]

I love these things..

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/5561/img0479tt7.jpg

I can't believe those sharp edges slipped through to the final product - what were they thinking? Those protective rails are also the goofiest solution to the problem. It's hard to stay made at something so elegant, though....

[Suffolk 83]

very bold by boston standards... its funny when you're using these, you don't really realize it.... along with alot of the buildings, I think thats why the pictures are so nice, even if you walk by the sites everyday, I just don't pay attention...other things on my mind, watching where I'm going, watching the cute girl, rushing to be on time, talking on the phone, etc...plus I dont want to feel like that idiot tourist and stare up at the buildings... not sure why

[kz1000ps]

plus I dont want to feel like that idiot tourist and stare up at the buildings... not sure why

I don't think any of us who take pictures want to feel like an idiot tourist, but it sometimes comes with the territory. Personally, I maintain a sense of superiority in my head knowing that I (most likely) know the city 100 times better than they ever will. Pshh.. ignorant fools!

[jass]

Not even a really good picture, but the silver line doesnt get enough love here.
PS: It was packed, green line style standing room only. As in, stomachs had to be pulled in for the doors to close.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/IMG_2535-1.jpg

[castevens]

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/castevens12/1f1fb332.jpg

[GMACK24]

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i52/castevens12/1f1fb332.jpg

wow this is GREAT - Where was it taken ?

[caravaggiste]

Christian Science Center?

[czsz]

How hard would it be to convert at least the SBWaterfront portion of the Silver Line to light rail (ignoring cost)?

[ablarc]

Holyoke Center, like the Prudential, is a good example of a modern building that had to be extensively changed before it interacted well with its surroundings. The Au Bon Pain was the first step -- whatever was there before it attracted very little pedestrian traffic and deadened the entire plaza.
High-end men's clothing store. Can't remember the name.

[czsz]

If they opened another cafe where the Cambridge Savings Bank is now they could fill the rest of the plaza with seating, too.

Admittedly, though, for most of the year the empty seats outside ABP are fairly worthless.

[kmp1284]

It always bothered me that they never attempted to expand the indoor dining area in front of and perhaps creating a new entrance for Holyoke with a small winter garden of sorts. I used to go to a barber on that side street there, the street name escapes me, but the barber shop was Laflemme or something of the sort. I often would stop into the abp for a coffee and one of those prepackaged sandwiches which were actually edible back then(2003-2005ish) on my way back to beacon hill where I was living at the time and regardless of the time of day there was never room to sit. By the way, is LaFlemme and City Sports still there? I used to party over there all the time as two of my best friends from home lived in Eliot and Kirkland and as I think about it I'm regretting not having spent the time I used to over there of late.

[Ron Newman]

If they opened another cafe where the Cambridge Savings Bank is now they could fill the rest of the plaza with seating, too.

I think you mean Cambridge Trust. However, doing that would eliminate a regular place for street musicians in good weather.

[TheBostonian]

How hard would it be to convert at least the SBWaterfront portion of the Silver Line to light rail (ignoring cost)?

Ignoring the cost we could put infinite resources into teleportation. Then the Silver Line would allow instant transport between any two points in the universe.

[ablarc]

^ Wise guy, huh? ;)

[czsz]

However, doing that would eliminate a regular place for street musicians in good weather.

There's infinite empty sidewalk all over Harvard Square for them. This particular space is too large to be set aside for this, anyway. And I'm sure they wouldn't mind moving a few feet to gain a much larger captive audience.

[kz1000ps]

blah

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/4886/img0618az1.jpg

[czsz]

What's that? Downtown Wichita?

[JoeGallows]

Maybe Dallas? Topeka, perhaps?

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1205/536727342_239a895288_o.jpg

Link (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrlaskowski/536727342)

[Ron Newman]

This is supposed to be built upon eventually, but I don't know if the Turnpike Authority has even tried to sell the air rights yet.

I do wonder why the ramp at the right of the photo (which would allow cars to enter the tunnel from North Street) was never opened to traffic.

[jass]

Looks like a tight merge

[PerfectHandle]

Maybe Dallas? Topeka, perhaps?

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1205/536727342_239a895288_o.jpg

Link (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrlaskowski/536727342)

Topeka ain't that dense. And I doubt Dallas is either. Maybe bigger, but not as dense.

[belmont square]

This is supposed to be built upon eventually, but I don't know if the Turnpike Authority has even tried to sell the air rights yet.

I do wonder why the ramp at the right of the photo (which would allow cars to enter the tunnel from North Street) was never opened to traffic.

I believe it was only ever intended for emergency vehicle access. If you opened this for general traffic you'd get a good amount of traffic from I-93 exiting to take the tunnel (and the intent has been for that traffic to exit earlier onto the Williams Tunnel or for the downtown-originating traffic to avoid 93 altogether and cross the channel to enter the Williams). It would be more convenient for some people, but probably not enough to force a merge with the lanes coming from 93 south or Haymarket. Remember--North Street doesn't run all the way through from Faneuil Hall anymore like it did in the pre Big Dig days.

[czsz]

Topeka from a similar angle:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/174/417694285_6eaf3eff5b.jpg?v=0

Dallas from a similar angle:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/91/263643050_f8f2ca4304.jpg?v=0

I'm not sure, comparing these two images to the one above, that you could really make any claims about Boston's comparative density.

[Lrfox]

right outside the frame of the Dallas and Topeka photos are vast parking lots and single family homes though. Point is, it takes careful photography to make those cities look nearly as dense as Boston.

[czsz]

Well, obviously. But the sad thing is that it doesn't really take very careful photography to get parking lots and highway ramps a la Dallas in a photo of Boston. We're more like those places than not.

[Ron Newman]

I don't know of any US city, including NYC and Chicago and San Francisco, that is devoid of highway ramps. Boston at least tries to shoehorn them into narrow spaces such as the one in that photo.

[czsz]

None of those cities have been nearly as eviscerated by highways within their urban cores as Boston.