The demise of Lafayette Place marked a low point in the history of the Washington Street corridor which once brimmed with activity as the home of Boston’s major metropolitan newspapers. By renovating both Lafayette Place and the Macy’s building, ADD Inc’s design team reinvented this failed urban retail mall. The new skin reorients stores outward to engage pedestrian traffic and adds three stories of office space above to restore the roof lines to those of the street’s original structures. The new Macy’s entry enlivens the urban experience while concealing a telecommunications hotel above the existing retail store. With a fresh contemporary aesthetic and a new mix of uses, these significant projects have made an important impact in the revitalization of Boston’s Downtown Crossing.
Client: Amerimar Enterprises, Inc.
Components:
Lafayette Corporate Center
Office 575,000 sf Retail 50,000 sf
Macy’s
Tel/com 300,000 sf
Retail 75,000 sf
Photography by Lucy Chen