Providence Place Mall Tower?

[EPBOY]

I seem to remember that when the mall was being built, the developer at the time wanted to make the most out of it's potential. I think that the foundation was built in such a way, that the mall could support towers for condo's or offices on either side.

1) Does anyone else remember this?

2) Does the new owner of the mall know about this?

3) What are they waiting for? Let's see a PPM Condo/Office tower proposal!

[Cotuit]

1) Does anyone else remember this?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't, but I wasn't here when the mall was being planned.

2) Does the new owner of the mall know about this?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gee, one would hope they would know.

3) What are they waiting for? Let's see a PPM Condo/Office tower proposal!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This would be quite interesting to say the least. I don't really know what to think of it though. I rather like the mall's faux mill look as it is. It would dramatically change the look of the building to add towers to it.

[Frankie811]

I seem to remember that when the mall was being built, the developer at the time wanted to make the most out of it's potential.

[pdxstreetcar]

Wasnt there a plan back in the 80s to build the train station in the mall like Copley in Boston?

[Ron Newman]

Boston's Back Bay station is not in the Copley Place mall. It is on the other side of Dartmouth Street. A pedestrian tunnel runs under that street connecting the two buildings, but they are quite separate.

[CtownMikey]

That sounds dangerous !!!--> Buidling offices/condos on top of the mall. I no nothing about construction or physics.. but that sounds scurry! I can imagine the mall collapsing in the river as I type!

[Magellan98]

The original plan was to construct the Filene's anchor store portion of the mall in such as way that a tower - either hotel or office - could be built at a later time. The tower would be directly across the street from the Westin. Not sure if this is still an option -structurally at least.

[ArtInRuins]

Now, that mall is pretty structurally sound, but Im no engineer. I remember them driving in the pilings for that thing. Man, what a ruckus. They looked like they were driving them down and down and down into the bedrock. I dont think that place is going anywhere, and they could build up if they wanted to. It's more scary thinking about how many businesses would actually like to be located above a mall...

[Recchia]

It's more scary thinking about how many businesses would actually like to be located above a mall...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Isn't the Prudential Tower pretty much offices above a mall?

Since we're talkin about the mall, I was wondering what the general consensus of it is-does it help the city at all, was it a good idea, is it acceptable since it had store/restaurant frontage along Francis Street and is pedestrian accessible, etc.?

[BBascule]

Wasnt there a plan back in the 80s to build the train station in the mall like Copley in Boston?

The plan was to connect/extend the platform from the Amtrak station to the mall. The idea was to work the mall into a commuter rail stop. State reps. from the Attleborough area petitioned Beacon Hill not to extend the commuter rail line if the proposed "Mall of New England" (renamed Prov Place) was to include a T-stop. It was considered a "threat" to Masachusetts commerce (specifically Emerald Square Mall). The proposed trains were dubbed the "Mall Trains."

[Cotuit]

Could that be why we don't have weekend service?

[BBascule]

Could that be why we don't have weekend service?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's possible.

It took a bit of negotiating just to get the T schedule to where it is now. One of the agreements was that RI would build a rail yard in Pawtucket to overnight the MBTA trains.

[glassandsteel]

So that's why I have to get rides from the S. Attleboro station every weekend. Such petty crap. What ever happened to people that just got things done?

[pdxstreetcar]

Well this just shows why we need a national rail system, we cant have these stupid state rivalries getting in the way of having an effective rail system. Imagine this kind of stuff going on if the Northeast Corridor was broken up and left up to each of the states.