Park Plaza

9 - 1 1 R e s e a r c h

an attempt to uncover the truth about September 11th 2001

mirror of “NERDCITIES/GUARDIAN” site : disclaimer

M.I.T., Rotch Visual Collections

Visual Communications in Building Technology Project

1.6 PARK PLAZA

Mortimer Zuckerman and Edward Linde, instrumental in the early development of 60 State Street, had left CCF in 1971 and subsequently announced their first large scale development, Park Plaza. The original proposal included a series of 30- to 40-story towers in a multi-use development along the south edge of the Boston Common and Public Garden. The plan was backed by both Mayor White and Governor Sargent, who saw the multi-million dollar project as a source of jobs, tax dollars, and votes. But environmental and historical groups questioned the impact of the development's shadows on the Common and the capability of city services to absorb this new density. Responding to these criticisms, the Massachusetts Department of Community Affairs (DCA) exercised its authority to kill Park Plaza.

Park Plaza was resurrected and by the summer of 1973 was again under consideration by the DCA. The Governor and the Mayor mounted a strong campaign for its approval. Because of Park Plaza's economic importance, Kevin White attempted to marshall the Boston business and real estate community behind the project to ensure widest public support. In an interview with the Boston Globe in late June, 1973, Mayor White tied Gerald Blakeley's Sixty State project to Park Plaza, saying that "Sixty State isn't going through till we get Park Plaza through." [34]

Sensitive to what was going on in his own back yard, White criticized the enviromental effects of recent downtown office development, noting that Cabot, Cabot and Forbes ".... are the ones building a canyon..."[35] around the Old State House. CCF told SOM and IAN+A to stop work while the Sixty State project awaited final approval of the BPA board. August first passed without BRA action.

By September, CCF's situation was critical. Having bid unsuccessfully on the Park Plaza Project, CCF support for Park Plaza was not as fervent as it might have been. DCA Commissioner Crampton appeared unlikely to approve Park Plaza without attaching conditions that Zuckerman had previously stated he could not accept. Sixty State's fate was tied to Park Plaza, and CCF was boxed in. The first of two escape-clause forfeitures would take effect on October 20, and the second on November 20. If the BRA failed to approve Sixty State by November 20, CCF would be penalized $100,000 to forfeit their permanent mortgage.

All was not yet lost. The Design Advisory Council gave its final approval to Sixty State on September 7, 1973. The group had been waiting to review plaza plans for Dock Square and the Congress Street Bridge. The SOM design proposed a strong, diagonal walkway, using the Sixty State Plaza as a landing for a two part descent to Dock Square. Angling the bridge away from the statue of Sam Adams allowed the construction of a generous cobblestone-paved and tree- shaded square fronting Faneuil Hall (see figure 1.13).

DCA Commissioner Crampton announced his decision on September 28, 1973. He rejected the Park Plaza scheme, but encouraged a new, fourth, submission of a plan for Park Square. The construction community criticized the Governor for his inability to control his appointees. Construction workers planned to march on the State House, protesting the loss of the $266 million Park Plaza Project. Sensitive to the Mayor's position, the BRA Board dragged its heels on the approval of Sixty State. The Mayor declared that the Sixty State Project "is in serious trouble..." and repeated `that it would not go forward .... until Park Plaza is resolved." [36] With BRA Board approval withheld, CCF forfeited their long-term mortgage commitment on November 20. The dream of a new CCF corporate headquarters at the northeast corner of Congress and State appeared to be dead.

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