Boston Skyline enhancements (Cambridge: new home, neighborhoods, live in)

[StanleyCupChamps2011]

Are there any plans to enhance the Boston skyline? I remember a few years when the Mayor wanted a 1,000 ft tall skyscraper built.

Thanks!

[xS☺B☺s]

Originally Posted by StanleyCupChamps2011

Are there any plans to enhance the Boston skyline? I remember a few years when the Mayor wanted a 1,000 ft tall skyscraper built.

Thanks!

What there actually always is is perennial resistance to skyscrapers in Boston. Preservation of historic buildings, human scale buildings, preventing shadows have been the perennial themes in the NABB and other organizations. Boston has essentially said no to skyscrapers for 100 years. That's not likely to change too soon.

[Cliff Clavin]

The financial district has a height cap due to the proximity to Logan. I believe it's 550ft. It's an FAA ruling, and what killed Tommy's Tower.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Originally Posted by xS☺Be

What there actually always is is perennial resistance to skyscrapers in Boston. Preservation of historic buildings, human scale buildings, preventing shadows have been the perennial themes in the NABB and other organizations. Boston has essentially said no to skyscrapers for 100 years. That's not likely to change too soon.

It's one thing I hate about his city, the nimbys are the worst anywhere. Even if you get past the nimbys you have to bribe menino and the bra.

We end up building these crappy postmodern "mctenements". Boston is very lame in this regard.

[xS☺B☺s]

Originally Posted by Weird Tolkienish Figure

It's one thing I hate about his city, the nimbys are the worst anywhere. Even if you get past the nimbys you have to bribe menino and the bra.

We end up building these crappy postmodern "mctenements". Boston is very lame in this regard.

Well it has an upside too. Boston's historic preservation is a great thing. Where else do you have whole neighborhoods like the South End, the North End, Back Bay, and Beacon Hill. It would have even been better except for the tragic destruction of the West End.

Also, the stopgaps the Neighborhood associations create prevent any bozo from coming in and just putting up some cheap ugly crap. Come to Texas. I'll give you a grand tour of more aluminum sheet metal buildings than you ever thought existed.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Originally Posted by xS☺Be

Well it has an upside too. Boston's historic preservation is a great thing. Where else do you have whole neighborhoods like the South End, the North End, Back Bay, and Beacon Hill. It would have even been better except for the tragic destruction of the West End.

Also, the stopgaps the Neighborhood associations create prevent any bozo from coming in and just putting up some cheap ugly crap. Come to Texas. I'll give you a grand tour of more aluminum sheet metal buildings than you ever thought existed.

The kind of mid-rise postmodern garbage that Boston likes to put up is almost worse than any sheet metal abomination you might find. I'm not saying tear down historic buildings, but the NIMBYism is Boston goes far beyond that. It's pure pseudo-intellectual snobbery, and the smug self-satisfied (and rich) inhabitants who live in these gentrified neighborhoods are the biggest hypocrites on the planet.

Give me the cutting edge architecture of a Dubai any day than the bland pseudo-urban garbage that Boston likes to build.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

Perhaps a supertall around Kendall Square/MIT/East Cambridge? Does that fall under FAA guidelines?

I'd have to say Boston is sorely lacking in contemporary architecture. So many of Boston's buildings are very uniform. Even worse in the suburbs, seems every new home built within the last 30 years is colonial revival. Soooo boring. While a lot of Boston's brand of architecture is charming, it would be nice to make room for more diverse ranges in style. The only building in Boston's skyline that really gets my attention as modern and edgy is the new State Street building, great view of it driving into the city from the SE Expressway. The rest of the skyline is, meh.......

Look to Philadelphia, there's a city that has managed to strike a great balance with preserving its historic architecture and adding in some good contemporary architecture with a remarkably gorgeous skyline.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Originally Posted by caphillsea77

Perhaps a supertall around Kendall Sq/MIT/East Cambridge? Does that fall under FAA guidelines?

Lol, I am right now at my desk in the tallest building in Central Square. 675 Mass ave.

I'd love a supertall around here but I just cant see it fitting in well... it'd dwarf everything around here.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

Originally Posted by Weird Tolkienish Figure

Lol, I am right now at my desk in the tallest building in Central Square. 675 Mass ave.

I'd love a supertall around here but I just cant see it fitting in well... it'd dwarf everything around here.

Thus the basis of its appeal, we need a good standout tower. Put a good crown or spire on top. Have it symbolize the economic strength of not only Boston metro but all the activity going on in East Cambridge.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Originally Posted by caphillsea77

Thus the basis of its appeal, we need a good standout tower. Put a good crown or spire on top. Have it symbolize the economic strength of not only Boston metro but all the activity going on in East Cambridge.

Wow, i'd love to see how'd you feel proposing that, the gentrified artist crowd (aka screaming moonbats) would make you out to be worse than Hitler.