Era: Modern (~1995-present)
The West End today
Rebranded as an “Innovation District” and filled with new glass and steel towers, the Seaport has become a financial asset to the city. Yet, the neighborhood is highly racially and economically segregated. And what happens when sea level rise puts Boston’s most expensive neighborhood underwater?
Le Corbusier: Building Towers in the Park Le Corbusier (1887-1965) was one of the most influential figures in the international style of 20th century urban design. His monolithic concrete structures left their mark across the world. Like the crow, the bird that gave him his name, Le Corbusier scavenged from diverse inspirations to create a…
Redeveloping The Seaport, Part 1: Warehouse and Rail to Innovation District Boston’s newest neighborhood sprung up from a rail and wharf district along the South Boston Waterfront. After decades as a sparsely populated industrial and fishing district, the Seaport has quickly become a destination for business, luxury condos, and tourists. How did this rapid change…
I-91, Springfield’s North End, and Urban Renewal Today the fourth most populous city in New England, in the mid-twentieth century Springfield underwent an ambitious and catastrophic urban renewal project. Highway construction along the Connecticut River and the isolation of a historically immigrant neighborhood led to long-lasting consequences. Four Commonwealth cities – Boston, Cambridge, Salem, and…
How One Address Became the Geography of My LifeLiving Long Enough to Become Part of the West End’s Story Cindy Strousse has lived in Longfellow Place for over thirty five years. From her apartment, she has watched historical events unfold, seen fireworks and public displays, and run a business. This personal reflection on life in…
Roosevelt Island: An Urban Planning Experiment in NYC’s East River Roosevelt Island has had many names and purposes since Europeans first began to settle New York City. After centuries as an isolated island for inmates, hospital patients, and impoverished New Yorkers, Roosevelt Island underwent a makeover in the late 20th century. It became a mixed…
The West Enders Who’d Rather Not Be Here: The Past and Present of Jails in the West End Join the WEM volunteer Brendan Kent on a guided tour of the jails of the West End through the past four centuries. From the original Boston Gaol to the modern Nashua Street Jail, the West End has…
A Restaurant Tour of the Modern West End The West End of Boston might be smaller than other neighborhoods, but its food culture still packs a punch. Across the present-day and historic areas of the neighborhood, foodies can find fine dining, quick bites, family owned-restaurants, and relics of the old days of the West End.…
