At the end of this past summer I made a trip to Peddocks Island in the Boston Harbor. The island is one of 24 that make up the Boston Harbor Islands National Park. The Metropolitan District Commission (now DCR), a state agency, acquired Peddocks Island in 1970. It’s one of the largest in the harbor and the only one that still has cottages used by summer residents. It’s an amazing place, unlike anything else I’ve ever seen. [Read more…] about Peddocks Island: A Study of Public Art and Community
About Kara Chisholm
Chicago’s Crown Fountain vs. Buckingham Fountain
Chicago – I traveled to Chicago this week to attend a workshop put on by the American Planning Association called “Planning for Flood Resilient Communities.” I had never been to Chicago, so I was very excited to explore the city. I spent the day before the conference exploring without a real agenda (except to go on the Chicago Architecture Foundation’s boat tour), and what I found was a fantastic example of what makes public spaces work, and what makes them fail. [Read more…] about Chicago’s Crown Fountain vs. Buckingham Fountain
Downtown Crossing Should Have More Lights
Boston – Downtown Crossing has been in the news a lot lately. The Filene’s building recently got a developer, in the past few years the Paramount and Modern theaters and the Boston Opera House have been rehabilitated, Scholars American Bistro and Cocktail Lounge opened a few months ago, and the vacant Modernist building that used to contain Borders Bookstore has an opportunity to do something great for the neighborhood depending on its next tenant.
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Restoration of Church of Presidents
Quincy MA – Last Thursday I had the opportunity to tour United First Parish Church of Quincy’s recently restored bell tower. The building is the resting place of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams and their wives, hence its nickname Church of Presidents. It is also recognized for its architectural significance. Designed in 1828 by Alexander Parris, [Read more…] about Restoration of Church of Presidents
Site of Filene’s Building Finally Finds a Developer
The site of the former Filene’s building in downtown Boston finally has a developer committed to filling the gaping crater currently marring Downtown. [Read more…] about Site of Filene’s Building Finally Finds a Developer
Boston and the State Seek Proposals to Develop Land Between Chinatown and the Leather District
Boston – In December, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (“MassDOT”) released a request for proposals to develop a 1.66 acre piece of land in the heart of downtown Boston, known as Parcel 25. [Read more…] about Boston and the State Seek Proposals to Develop Land Between Chinatown and the Leather District
Quincy’s Town Brook Relocation Project Receives DEP Approval
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently issued a Superseding Order of Conditions approving Quincy’s Town Brook relocation plan, though with forty-seven conditions.
[Read more…] about Quincy’s Town Brook Relocation Project Receives DEP Approval
Quincy Center Revitalization Project: Introduction and Status
The City of Quincy, located eight miles south of Boston, has begun a $1.6 billion project to revitalize its downtown by adding office space, retail, and housing along Hancock Street. [Read more…] about Quincy Center Revitalization Project: Introduction and Status