49 replies to this topic

[Cotuit]

Discover the Greenway


The Surface Artery Greenway, the parks, and museums are all in the future for the Rose Kennedy Greenway. What's left of the Central Artery is disappearing fast. The Custom House and a piece of steel support for the central artery are left standing for now while construction goes on around the city.

Read the article:
$40m museum proposed for Greenway
(Globe Graphic)


A view of the surface artery. This area will be replaced with greener pastures and gardens. A luxury hotel project will be built in this area.

Read the article:
Luxury hotel project underway on waterfront
(Globe Graphic)


What's left of the Central Artery is disappearing fast. For the first time in many years, North Enders finally have a view of the city from the street. This photo is a view of the North End from the city, looking towards Hanover Street.

Read the article:
Site near Greenway up for development
(Globe Graphic)


Architect's rendering for the Chinatown portion of proposed Rose Kennedy Greenway. This section of Chinatown will have a Fountain Plaza area for visitors.
(Globe Graphic)


This view of Essex Street in Chinatown is the architect's rendering for the proposed Rose Kennedy Greenway, as it approaches the Essex Street Gateway.

Read the article:
Improving adjacent areas will enhance Greenway
(Globe Graphic)


Beech Street in Chinatown is a highly traveled main street with many restaurants for residents and tourists to visit. This architect's rendering shows a view of Beech Street with the Gateway in the background.
(Globe Graphic)


The proposed fountain on parcel 15 in the Wharf district portion of Rose Kennedy Greenway is show here in an architect's drawing.
(Globe Graphic)


The rendering is the wharf district plan for the Rose Kennedy Greenway. The park shown here runs alongside the Atlantic Street entrance to the North End.
(Globe Graphic)


This drawing depicts the plans for the North End portion of proposed Rose Kennedy Greenway.
(Globe Graphic)


The Massachusetts Horticultural Society plans to build a greenhouse on a portion of the Rose Kennedy Greenway.
(Globe Graphic)

[Cotuit]

Study: Improving adjacent areas will enhance Greenway
Changes urged in key places
By Anthony Flint, Globe Staff  |  June 11, 2004

Private property owners all along the Rose Kennedy Greenway are poised to make dramatic improvements that will enhance the mile-long surface of the Big Dig through Boston, according to two studies released yesterday.

"The success of this space will have as much if not more to do with these adjacent spaces," said Paul Grogan, president of the Boston Foundation, which helped fund the studies with the Artery Business Committee, a downtown business group. But the private improvements must be integrated into the planning process for the Greenway, Grogan said.

Buildings that "turned their backs" to the elevated Central Artery for nearly 50 years will now have front doors on dazzling new park space, Grogan said, and property owners want to modify ground floors, lobby entrances, and sidewalks to blend with the new landscape.

The "edges study" for the Wharf District, the central section of the Greenway from roughly Commercial to Broad streets, points out several key spots on either side of the Greenway that could be improved, in a mix of private and public investments.

The study said the improvements in some cases would require "minor modifications" to the basic framework of surface streets, sidewalks, and park spaces currently being built by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, which oversees the $14.6 billion Big Dig and is leading the restoration of the surface of the project.

Fred Yalouris, the authority's top architect on the Greenway, said there was still time to change some elements of the streetscape, but that in some cases the streets and sidewalks will have to be built and redone later.

The goal is convert "blank walls" all along the Greenway to faades that will be inviting and promote pedestrian activity, and to establish a uniform look to the sidewalks and street paving emanating out from the Greenway, said architect Herbert Murray, who authored the Wharf District "edges study" with David Neilson, Jung | Brannen Associates Inc., and Chan Krieger & Associates.

Among the recommendations are a sidewalk cafe at the base of International Place, new pedestrian gateways near the James Hook & Co. lobster pound to invite passage to the South Boston Waterfront, new lighting and trees in front of Rowes Wharf and Harbor Towers, and the conversion of the faade of the Harbor Garage so images can be projected onto it.

Some improvements are in the works, including a small park and a new lobby entrance at the Grain Exchange building, and plans for new plazas and public space around 255 State St., near the Long Wharf Marriott and the New England Aquarium.

Other areas will require major transformations both at the ground level of properties and of the surrounding streets and sidewalks, the study said, such as the buildings fronting on the little-used passageways of Wendell and Batterymarch streets, or at the end of the Long Wharf Marriott, which could be converted to a row of storefronts.

The Wharf District is a mix of office space, tourist sites, entertainment, and hotels, but will become increasingly residential, the study said.

There are numerous opportunities for private improvements along the Greenway through Chinatown and the Leather District as well, said Tim Love, principal at Utile, the architecture and planning firm that authored the "edge study" for that area.

A low-level building wrapped around a ventilation structure near the Chinatown gate could become a branch public library, and the Chinatown park being designed by Carol R. Johnson Associates Inc. could extend down Edinboro and Kingston streets to Essex Street, with a possible sidewalk cafe on the ground floor of a building at the corner of Kingston Street and Surface Road.

In cases where buildings are not set to be redeveloped for several years, the study said, colorful murals could be placed on what are now towering brick walls with no windows. Those walls will soon overlook the Greenway.

The private sector seeks more coordination with the Turnpike Authority and the city so that the streets, sidewalks, and building facades "have some rhyme and reason" all along the Greenway, said Richard Dimino, president of the Artery Business Committee.

"We hope this inspires elected officials" to strive for more coherence along the Greenway itself," Grogan said.

From The Boston Globe

[Cotuit]

$40m museum proposed for Greenway
Planners looking to create a 'cultural commons' for city
By Chris Reidy, Globe Staff  |  June 2, 2004

A "New Center for Arts and Culture" is the latest museum proposal to be unveiled for the Rose Kennedy Greenway. The four-story, $40 million structure, to be located at the edge of the Financial District, is sponsored by the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston and the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston.

The project's architect is Daniel Libeskind, who may be best known as the master planner for the World Trade Center site in New York City. The purpose of the New Center would be to "explore cross-cultural dialogues and traditions in Boston," supporters said.

The center is one of several proposals for an area of the Greenway known as Parcel 18. The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority controls the selection process. The Greenway is a corridor of parks and public space that will replace the Central Artery, the elevated highway now being dismantled.

The same group that wants to build the center recently sponsored an event called "Words on Fire," which should be viewed as a prototype of the project's vision, said Edwin Sidman, chairman of the New Center and chairman of Beacon Cos. Held in several venues, "Words on Fire" was a multimedia festival inspired by the 70th anniversary of book burnings in Nazi Germany. It explored the themes of censorship and freedom of expression through art exhibits, films, and lectures. One exhibit, presented by the Museum of Afro-American History, featured some of the earliest written works by African-Americans.

With 64,700 square feet, the New Center's building would be a curved structure that reflects the contours of the site. Plans call for an atrium, landscaped plazas, a "culture cafe," and a rooftop garden.

A goal of the New Center is to "create a vibrant gathering place for all Bostonians to share the richness of our diverse cultures," said Robert Beal, president of Beal Cos. and a director of the New Center. "The New Center for Arts and Culture will create a cultural commons that will be a vital force in building one Boston through arts and culture."

Building over the depressed artery is as much a financial challenge as an engineering one. To date, the New Center has raised about $2 million, Sidman said, noting that the sponsors have a proven track record for raising money.

The New Center is smaller than another proposal for the site unveiled last week: an $89 million Boston Museum Project and visitors center devoted to local history. Designed by Moshe Safdie, the four-story Boston Museum would bear a resemblance to a ship's hull. It would have 163,000 square feet of space.

Yesterday was the deadline for submitting proposals for this segment of the Greenway. Three qualified proposals were submitted, including those for the New Center and the Boston Museum Project. The third proposal is from Manjushri Prakash, an architect and urban designer from Cambridge. Her $55 million vision is for a multilevel plaza that would include indoor theaters, an outdoor theater, restaurants, and a parking area for tour buses. It would be a place were people of all ages and all parts of the city could meet and interact, she said.

Meanwhile, two other submissions were being reviewed by the authority's legal staff to determine whether they met the guidelines of a qualified proposal, said Doug Hanchett, a spokesman for the authority. Turnpike Authority chairman Matthew Amorello is "very pleased with the responses and the high level of interest in Parcel 18," Hanchett said.

There is no set timetable for selecting the winner, he said. An earlier selection process for another section of the Greenway took several months. If the New Center is the winner, Sidman estimated that it could be completed in 2008.

From The Boston Globe

[DavePaulk]

Asian themed architecture and foliage is a must for any city.  That is a great improvement over the old mess and will provide a wonderful place for Bostonians (or whatever citizens of Boston are called) to enjoy nature.

[Brickell]

It's amazing that this thing is actually finishing.  The real question is was it worth the costs?  That will probably be debated for a long, long time.  Anyway, I may go back to Boston for a trip just to see the finished project.

[prahaboheme]

I've been watching this thing now for three years and what has amazed me is that the noticable progress has only been in the last 6 months or so, pretty much because everything is underground, so its like, finally! something is getting done.. only thing is, its weird to see the North End from government center, its just almost not right! I hope the infill is not parks, but buidlings in that area around hanover.

[wolverine]

Even if in the next decade the tunnels become congested, and the "Big Dig" project goes over budget, I think everyone will look back and agree that the project was an amazing success.  If not providing more functionality to the city's infrastructure, at least the Boston will benefit aesthetically.

[BrandonTO416]

Yes, it was worth the cost. Its an engineering achievement.

[tocoto]

Traffic really is a lot better now with the ted williams tunnel and big dig main tunnel.  The new surface road will add six more lane in each direction.  Prior to this there was no real road to go from north of DT to south of DT.  This project is a huge success.  The cost was high, but the state of MA paid for a lot of it as did the citizens through tolls on the Pike.  There will be new small buildings on some parts of the clreared area.  In the area around south station they are proposing a new high rise district with limits up to 600'.

[Urban_Legend]

I think this is one of the coolest urban projects I've ever seen.  I saw the show on the Discovery Channel, and it showed the old expressway.  It's so nice to have it underground.  I want to visit Boston even more, just so I can see the finished project!

[Scott]

It's hard to describe all the benefits of this project but its well worth it just by fixing alot of big problems with the expressway and building another connection to formally distant East Boston. Before this project started we had the famous merge of rt 1 and rt 93 that made it easily the worst stretch of highway in America, now its only a memory.

Now we need to press 'the powers that be' to deliver the subway improvements promised as mitigation.

[Brickell]

Yes, everything is better, but is it $15 billion better?

[Cotuit]

Brickell, on Jul 7 2004, 11:48 AM, said:

Yes, everything is better, but is it $15 billion better?

yes. Which is good, because it cost 14.6 billion.

[Scott]

Cotuit, on Jul 7 2004, 12:30 PM, said:

Brickell, on Jul 7 2004, 11:48 AM, said:

Yes, everything is better, but is it $15 billion better?

yes. Which is good, because it cost 14.6 billion.

Yes, I think so. Compared to Iraq its dirt cheap and actually accomplishes something.  The added value to the real estate effected by this project citywide greatly exceeds that number and has opened up formerly distant, run down areas like parts of East Boston. Where there where once vacant wharfs are now being turned into parks and housing with fantastic city views. And what price can you put on making the airport almost an hour closer to most of the region. That has spawned a new invigerated cruise industry. You get off the plane and a 5 minute bus ride takes you right to the terminal, skipping the 1 hour cab ride like in NYC.

The point is that only Boston could have gotten this huge multi-faceted infrastructural improvement from the Big Dig because only Boston had so many things wrong with it.

EDIT- Oh yes... not that it means anything but IMHO the Zakim Bridge is truly a modern masterpiece.

Edited by Scott, 07 July 2004 - 03:01 PM.

[Cotuit]

Scott, on Jul 7 2004, 03:40 PM, said:

The point is that only Boston could have gotten this huge multi-faceted infrastructural improvement from the Big Dig because only Boston had so many things wrong with it.

Boston's compact size also give it a far bigger bang for the buck. The Big Dig is far more than a highway project, and the benefits it has created spread across the region. However, if Boston was a more spread out city, a lot of the extended benefits wouldn't have panned out. There's no way that the airport could ever be 5 minutes from downtown if it weren't for the fact that the airport pretty much is downtown. The number of neighbourhoods directly benefitting would have been less, if Boston weren't so compact and interconnected. And the entire project would never have been possible if Boston weren't an easily walkable and well served public transit city.

[Scott]

Boston's Central Artery was also notorious as one of Americas most dangerous stretches of highway because of a poor design and incomplete infrastructure but also because of weather. This is Boston and people aren't going to let anything less than the Blizzard of `78 to stop them from driving. No more scenes like this:

[Brickell]

Cotuit, on Jul 7 2004, 11:30 AM, said:

Brickell, on Jul 7 2004, 11:48 AM, said:

Yes, everything is better, but is it $15 billion better?

yes. Which is good, because it cost 14.6 billion.

ok ok.
just asking.
I'll accept that.

[Scott]

  sorry

Actually its a very fair question because it should have cost a little less and shouldn't have had to cut back on things like tiles for the ceiling of the tunnel. Some shady stuff went down and we may never get all the answers but that shouldn't stop the Feds from funding giant projects for other major cities, there should just be lessons learned about better oversight.  The benefits to the urban environment are enormous.

[Cotuit]

The cost overruns are a legitimate concern, but they have been blown far out of proportion. There is no question that the project went over budget, and that it went over budget further than reasonable. The entire way government projects are bid deserves a lot of the blame for that. Most government projects go to the lowest bidder with little question as to the reality of the bid. Then contractors load on change orders to get up to what they knew from the beginning the project would actually cost. The private sector sees less problems with this, because they are not compelled to go with the lowest bid, in fact the lowest bid is usually thrown out without question in the private sector.

Blame also lies in the fact that the Feds and the Commonwealth basically let the project run for years withoout carefully scrutinizing the costs. Then all of a sudden there was this big surprise that they were way over budget. If the feds and the state had been watching the budget more carefully, a lot of overruns could have been headed off before they got out of control.

The media created the most hysteria about the project. NBC loved featuring the project on it's Fleecing of America segments. They would quote the 1980s budget and compare it to the 1990s actual cost. They never bothered to convert 1980s dollars to 1990s dollars, or to point out that the project's original concept was far different then it's final design. Or the fact that the original prices were estimates, not accepted bids.

And no one outside of Massachusetts seems to understand that the Feds stopped pumping money into this project years ago, as tocoto pointed out, a large slice of this project was paid for by the Massachusetts taxpayers and toll payers. And the Commonwealth will continue paying for it for years to come.

But yes, it could be choked with traffic tomorrow, and it still would have been worth it. The benefits, far beyond just improved traffic flow, are almost incalculable.

[Ron Newman]

One reason it went over budget is that some neighborhoods demanded changes, and got them.  We wouldn't have a Zakim Bridge if Cambridge and Charlestown hadn't sued to prevent the original design known as "Scheme Z".