Boston City Hall

[Unionstation13]

The city hall is hidiouse, yes. It doesent honor the rich history of Boston, yes, and it looks like some soviet building in east berlin. BUT, it serves a function, if they are able to construct a beautiful city hall, in an old fashion(like the city) then that would be great, but if they just build some post modern cube, then there is no point of moving it anyways.

[atlrvr]

At a breakfast meeting this week at the Seaport Westin, the mayor reaffirmed his commitment to moving city hall to the waterfront, though he did add, that there would be a service center at Dudley Square at a building already owned by the city.

[Cotuit]

[Scott]

Cool video!^

I like his ideas but I don't want to see City Hall torn down, just the plaza and the building put to a better use.

Too many memories of going to concerts and Celtics parades there.

[tombarnes]

I would like to see it torn down. While it's an interesting piece of the brutalist period, reclaiming something of the street pattern (if not the sleaze) of Scollay Square would be a definite plus for Boston. In most cases, I'm in favor of retaining significant structures of architectural types I don't necessarily favor. In this case, however, the slash and burn mentality of the 1950's ruined the core of the old city. Why not reconnect the city to the North End? I think this is being done to some extent, but the City Hall seems to be an impediment to this goal. The point in the video about the street grid is the key to the puzzle.

[Lowerdeck]

To restore more of the street grid, you'd have to start tearing down more than just the city hall proper.

Looking at Google Maps... the most obvious connection between Cambridge St. and the North End is Hanover. Doesn't need much in demolition to get that accomplished.

[tombarnes]

I agree that the restoration of Hanover Street is a good beginning. As for the other buildings, I see no particular reason for retaining the other buildings of Government Center beyond the few remaining fragments of Cornhill Row. Government Center was simply bad urbanism every way one looks at it. 1,2 and 3 Center Plaza could well follow City Hall into the dustbin of history and Boston would be better off without them. I'm not suggesting rebuilding Scollay Square as it was, merely building something which would recall Scollay Square in terms of scale and layout. Obviously, this is a huge task which cannot be undertaken lightly. Re-connecting the North End to the city via Hanover Street is imperative. How about Endicott Street?

[Jim856796]

Is a major renovation of the City Hall impossible? I don't want it relocated to the South Harbour. It would be too far away from the rest of the Government Center.

[Chessplayer]

City Hall Plaza is a travesty urban design and desperately needs to be reworked.

City Hall is an amazing piece of architecture that should be absolutely be saved.