Future Fenway Design Symposium
Future Fenway Design Symposium
Overview Remarks/Notes by Philip Bess
On the occassion of the Future Fenway Design Symposium Proposal Unveiling
Saturday, August 12, 2000
"Thank you very much for coming. We have a lot of ground to cover this afternoon, and I want to get right to the point. I speak for all of my colleagues on this project, from both out-of town and in town, in saying that this has been both an exhilarating and humbling week of work: exhilarating to be in the company of such a talented and dedicated community of residents, architects, and baseball fans, and humbling in the magnitude of the complexity of the task we have undertaken for ourselves."
"The work you are about to see is NOT a complete design proposal, with every detail completely worked out. It is better understood as an initial investigation and exploration of alternatives to the clumsy and ill-conceived stadium proposal that the Red Sox have presented to the public, a proposal that is bad for the Fenway neighborhood and the reputation of Boston, bad for the taxpayers, and in the end (and not least) bad for the long term financial and competitive future of the Red Sox.
"However, we believe that in only eight days of intense work we have come up with some better alternatives for the Red Sox and their architects, alternatives that are reasonable, achievable, less costly, less disruptive, and that preserve and enhance the great tradition of baseball at Fenway Park."
Three main areas upon on which we focused our attention:
- Urban Design and related issues of Traffic, Parking, and Transportation
[Design Team Leaders: Arturo Vasquez and Patrick Pinnell],
- Fenway Park Preservation Proposal
[Design Team Leader: Howard Decker]
- Grandstand Reconstruction Proposal
[Design Team Leaders: Rolando Llanes]
Four Major Premises that guided the Urban Design team:
- transit improvement
- zero parking growth
- mixed-use development
- quality pedestrian environment
Five Major Premises guided BOTH ballpark design teams:
- We have been working with a view to the best ideas available and the long-term good of both the Red Sox, the Fenway neighborhood, and the City of Boston;
- We are seeking to retain and enhance the qualitative experience of both Fenway Park and the Fenway neighborhood (playing field, Green Monster, outfield bleachers, Yawkey Way façade to remain)
- We are presuming that the Red Sox should remain on their own property, and are proposing no taking of private property;
- Our proposals are site driven, not program driven (we cannot emphasize this too strongly)
- Our work is offered as an exercise in neighborliness — we are attempting in this exercise to be good neighbors to the Red Sox, who we sincerely wish to see thrive and flourish. But we are also here insisting that they themselves behave as good neighbors to residents of the Fenway, the city of Boston, to all of Massachusetts and New England, and to all citizens of the larger Community of Baseball.
A briefly summary of some of the advantages of our approach over the official Red Sox proposal:
- Our work looks at the Red Sox ballpark needs in the context of the larger quality of life for both Boston and the Fenway neighborhood;
- Either of our two ballpark proposals will enhance the already spectacular qualities of Fenway Park. Virtually all the seats are great seats;
- Either proposal will provide revenue enhancements for the Red Sox sufficient to keep the team financially competitive;
- Either proposal will cost less to construct then the Red Sox proposal;
- Our proposals represent smaller financial risks. Because Fenway Park is itself a known and economically valuable commodity, either of our less expensive proposals will be easier for the Red Sox to finance;
- Our proposals will not require the Red Sox to impose additional financial burdens on their fans in the form of surcharges on tickets, parking, concessions, and luxury seats;
- Our proposals require ZERO land takings;
- Our proposals require ZERO costs to the City;
- Our proposals will generate no law suits.
- The Red Sox and their architects could pursue either of our approaches immediately, and probably be playing baseball in a renovated Fenway Park well before the first shovel of dirt is turned for their current proposal.
Future Fenway Design Symposium
Future Fenway Design Symposium
Overview Remarks/Notes
by Philip Bess
8/12/2000
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