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yea I was gonna say, wasn't Boston supposed to be getting a supertall sometime soon, and they either scratched the project or scaled it back because of FAA restrictions, just like Vegas?
Right now they've brought it back to the drawing board. Transnational Place was going to be about 1,100 ft to the roof and over 1,300 ft to the tip of the spire.
The FAA scaled it back, plus neighborhood activists who live miles away were complaining that there would be shadows on Boston Common. It was shown that for Nov and Oct there would be shadows on the Common for nearly 15 minutes every morning! So that means it probably never would have gotten off the ground. The building was actually going to be on stilts, with a big park at the base...it was also going to have a rooftop park (imagine having a picnic at 1,100 ft!). Something will get built here eventually, but not of this scale.
Last edited by CaseyB; 09-24-2009 at 11:41 AM..
Reason: copyright
Paris is absolutely beautiful. Your eyes just have to adjust to a different type of grandiosity when you're there. Buildings are low and the sky isn't cluttered with a lot of tall bulidings, unlike other world cities.
Similar to Boston and San Fran, it's not the skyscrapers that make it grand, but just good ol' architecture and historical treasures.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bostonian08
Well they have all the freedom they want in Houston but I wouldn't call Houston any architectural masterpiece.
(citydata)
On the other hand, development is strictly controlled in Paris and imho, it shows. If it doesn't make Paris more beautiful, it doesn't get built. Maybe that gives fly by night developers nightmares, but it is a dream come true for the people of the world who appreciate quality. That's why Paris is the most touristed city in the world and Houston is not. If that gives developers nightmares, then I say bring on Freddy Krueger.
Given that a good bit of development in the past several decades have been incredibly short-sighted, I'm pretty happy that there are people who care enough about their city to keep developers from turning cities into a citizen's nightmare.
Seattle has a draconian design-review process, which causes bold and daring architecture to get commiteed to death, resulting in a dumbed down, blander version of the original design. Also, NIMBYs are prevalent here as well.
Before I travel to a city I haven't visited in years, I go to Emporis.com which will show photo's of all the buildings in that city, generally above 12 stories.
I hadn't been to Seattle in 20 years, went there in June, and from Emporis.com there were only two buildings I cared to see, close-up, that really inspired me, generally built in the sleek-glass 70's. But then, I've never been a fan of most 80's, 90's style buildings anyway.
Your posting helps me to understand Seattle's skyline a little better.
Seattle is a city that prevents developers from doing anything. Case in point is the viaduct replacement project. It's an eyesore from a bygone era and holding back development of the waterfront to a great destination to be. Further, it was damaged in an earthquake in 2001 I believe.
Seattle voters rejected BOTH replacements. Thank goodness the mayor and the governor basically overrode the popular vote to do NOTHING.
Further, various city ordinances passed by special interest groups means that even if there are some swamp fleas in the area they have to stop and do an environmental study for 10 years before doing anything. And even then you may not be able to build.
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