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Developer pledges to redo ugly Greenway entrance to Faneuil Hall Marketplace as it adds more stores, office space
By adamg on Thu, 09/23/2021 - 11:01am
The company that owns the retail space between Faneuil Hall Marketplace and the Rose Kennedy Greenway says it will soon file detailed plans to add more retail - and office - space and to replace the current steel canopy entrance to the marketplace with a "grand portal" across from Long Wharf to draw even more people in.
In a letter of intent filed with the BPDA, Gazit Horizons of North Miami Beach, FL, says it will add 10,000 square feet of retail to the structure - and 120,000 square feet of office space in a vertical extension to the building, part of what the company admists is now an "unattractive, non-historic parcel."
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Comments
Agreed.
So much of the architecture in that area acts as a wall to the greenway. The central artery is underground. Open it up, baby!
That streetscape's a relic
That streetscape's a relic from when the highway was there, and many buildings along it didn't have walls with entrances or prominent windows facing the highway, to block the noise. It'll be good to see that block's streetscape given a bit more life.
I remember having a conversation 6-7 years ago with an older couple who had just moved to Boston for semi-retirement, and one of them kept referring to the "front" of Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market. It took me awhile to realize that they were referring to the greenway entrance side, while I was assuming the Congress St side with Faneuil Hall, since for me, the "back" used to always be the ugly/noisy highway that people avoided, unless going to the aquarium. Plus, the harbor itself was a cesspool back then, so unless coming from the aquarium, not that many people were coming from waterfront side to begin with. But maybe that's my historical memory baggage -- from things like getting crapped on by all the birds under the highway at that crossing as well as the one at Hanover St...
But it did make me stop and re-think how things have changed so much that it does make sense that a person who moved here post-Big-Dig (without the historical memory baggage) would consider the greenway side as the "front", since in addition to the greenway itself, the waterfront is so much more definitive of that area now, and more people enter from that side than decades before. Even more so if they re-do it with a more prominent streetscape and better entrance.
Yup
Bring it on. That metal structure adds to that 'mall feeling'. It looks like its from an 80s era mall. (Then again... it is a mall)
And like you said above, I hope they do something with the streetscape on the right. Its so barren and everything faces inward. (as the highway was smack dab up against that building)
It'd be best of they got rid of the building on the right and made it open all the way to the greenway. Wouldn't that look nice and signify the entrance.
Those stores on the right should have dual entrances
One on the greenway, and one on the market. Open it up and let it breathe, baby!
More shadows over Greenway???
There is lots that could be done to improve their streetscape. I can't open their documents, but assume the vertical expansion includes adding lots of floors right on the greenway.
We spent tons of money opening up the sky and building a park which currently enjoys lots of sunshine in every season. That park is going to be unpleasant when we have a continued canyonization around it.
120,000 square feet of office space
How High? Set back from the existing facade, or will the BPDA collect another payoff for airspace over the sidewalk? Will it be more of the much-needed lab research space? This is starting to remind me of the dotcom bubble.
Like how the Hub Food Hall is
Like how the Hub Food Hall is developed at Garden with Star Market, Pro Shop and the TDGarden. Just don't look across the street on Causeway's mini Methadone Mile. Sidewalk is filthy and run by panhandlers, addicts and dealers.
If they want to draw people in...
they need to attract some stores there that locals actually want to go to. How about highlighting more local businesses, for instance?