Architecture Wednesday Urban Renewal Wednesday: The Liberty Hotel

Okay, so it’s not a house ... and it’s not really about the architecture, although the architecture is fabulous.

It’s a hotel ... the luxurious 298-room Liberty Hotel in Boston ... so why is it so special? Well, it’s because the Liberty Hotel used to be the Charles Street Jail, until 2007 and a $150 million renovation. The jail, completed in 1851, was designed by Gridley James Fox Bryant, Boston’s most famous architect. He was so beloved in Boston that when 152 buildings he designed were destroyed by the Great Fire of 1872, he was given commissions to rebuild 110 of them.

The landmark jail was built between 1848 and 1851 in the form of a cross with four wings of Quincy granite extending from a central octagonal rotunda with a 90-foot-tall atrium; thirty arched windows, each 33 feet high, provided ventilation and natural light. The wings allowed segregation of prisoners by sex and category of offense in 220 granite cells, each 8 feet by ten feet.

Over its 140 year life, the jail housed such inmates as Sacco and Vanzetti, Mayor James Michael Curley, Malcolm X, women suffragettes and World War II prisoners from the German submarine Unterseeboot 234.

In 1973, the jail was declared unfit and in 1991, Massachusetts General Hospital acquired the old prison and sought proposals for its reuse, requiring that significant elements of the building be preserved.

In 2001, Carpenter & Company was designated the developer of the project, and entered into a lease agreement with MGH for the land and the jail itself. And thus began the transformation, the work of developer Richard Friedman and the Cambridge Seven Associates and Ann Beha Architects.

They collaborated with historians and conservationists from the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the Boston Landmarks Commission, the National Park Service and the Boston Redevelopment Authority to ensure that the end result was a thoughtful balance between architectural preservation and a dynamic new use. The team used Bryant’s original architectural drawings to ensure adherence to his creative vision for the cruciform-shaped building.

After the renovations, the jail’s granite exterior and expansive, light-filled interiors remain largely unchanged. Soaring 90 feet, the jail’s central atrium was preserved to form the core of the new hotel and retains the building’s trademark windows and historic catwalks once used by prison guards.

The former exercise yard is now the hotel’s landscaped courtyard, one of the beloved “hidden gardens” of the Beacon Hill neighborhood. While most of the 298 guestrooms are in a new tower, 18 are in the original jail, connected by the catwalk-like terraces.

I love the fact that what once was a prison is now a luxury hotel, and that much of the original building’s designs have been retained and updated; I also love that one of the restaurants is called ‘Clink’ where diners can look through original bars from cell doors and windows as they order smoked lobster bisque or citrus poached prawns from waiters and waitresses wearing shirts with prison numbers. The hotel bar, Alibi, is built in the jail's former drunk tank. And the old sally port, where guards once brought prisoners from paddy wagons to their cells, is being converted into the entrance to a new restaurant, Scampo, which is Italian for "escape."

It’d be a swell place to escape to ...

Sometimes You Feel Like There's Progress, Sometimes You Don't .... Smallville Edition

Carlos and I are procrastinators of epic proportions. He'd say he's gonna disagree with that statement but then he'd probably wait before he says he actually disagrees with it.

When we purchased our home in Smallville it had a huge yard; it is, literally, 23-times larger than the yard we had in Miami. And, when we lived in Miami the HOA took care of mowing the lawns, and we just tended the gardens so we had no use for a mower; until Smallville.

When we moved here, I suggested we get a riding mower and we looked at them but then Carlos found a self-propelled push mower by Toro and he fell in love with the name so we bought that. And after that first year I said, We really should get a riding mower because it will cut the mowing time in half. [It takes roughly an hour-and-forty-five minutes to mow just the back] And Carlos agreed.

Six years later .... SIX YEARS .... the procrastinators did it; we bought ourselves a Craftsman Riding Mower. But, that's not the story, this is:

We had, as we are apt to do, done all the research for the mowers; we looked at them online, visited all the stores that carry them, talked to friends and neighbors about their mowers and what they liked and disliked, and that lead us to Sears and the Craftsman. Trouble is the nearest Sears is roughly forty miles from us, but then we realized that he next town over has a small Sears storefront that sells mostly appliances and, lo and behold, mowers. Last Saturday we went to buy one.

And we found a beauty, that is perfect for our yard and, most important of all, fits in our backyard shed. So, we began talking with the saleswoman—an older woman with one of those thicker than molasses Southern accents—about the mower and she explained it was the one that she had, and that it works very well. We told her how big our yard was and she said it would be a good fit for us. We asked about the bagger options--and this is where the progressive part of the story comes in--and she said there were two options: a hard-shell bagger, and a soft-shell bagger.

She said she got the soft-shell because, well, she has a tendency to back into things.

I looked at Carlos and said, With the way you drive we'd need a soft-shell, too.

Then she said, MY husband is the same way.

It was so quick, I almost missed it. MY husband; as in my husband is like your husband.

See, Carlos and I don't hide who we are when we're out together, not even in South Carolina; he has a live-and-let-live attitude while mine if more %@&# 'em if they have a probelm.

When we buy things for the house we talk to salespeople about our house and what we want for our home and we just present ourselves as a couple. And while we’ve never had an issue with anyone sort of feeling uncomfortable with that, this woman, this self-admitted country woman, said my husband is like your husband.

It made me realize that the problem people have with The Gays isn't all of the people—even in South Carolina—it’s just some of the people, and the people that have no issue just go along through life.

Comparing their husband to yours. Now, you can say that she was just trying to make a sale, but, if so, she didn't need to emphasize her husband as if comparing him to my husband.

I was kind of on a high after that, feeling just a tinge of progressiveness from South Carolina, but then I was jerked back.

Later that night, I was having a drink with a friend, and an acquaintance of hers came over to talk. Now, I know the guy, but we're not friends; it's just an I've seen you around town relationship.

But, while we chatted, the conversation turned toward the recent events in Boston and the murdered suspect and the captured suspect and we began discussing terrorism. This acquaintance kept calling it domestic terrorism which I finally said annoyed me because, to me, terrorism is terrorism, no matter whom the perpetrator. Just because you live in this country doesn’t make the terrorist act any different.

The term terrorist means, at least to me, to instill terror in people, and that's what those two men did in Boston. Adam Lanza did the same thing in Newtown; terrorists all.

But then this acquaintance said something about how he was surprised that these two men were the ALLEGED terrorists because, and I quote, "They look just like one of us."

Excuse me, I said. One of us?

Well, you know, terrorists are usually Middle Eastern, Muslim.

I said, I have two words for you, Timothy McVeigh. Terrorists aren't terrorists because they're Muslim, they're terrorists because they terrorize and murder people and they can do all that and more without being Muslim.

And, I continued my rant, how racist is it to suggest that the men couldn't be terrorists because they 'look like us'? I mean, when I think American I see all colors of faces and all ethnicities and religions and beliefs and genders and orientations. How is it that you just see white guys?

He stammered and stuttered and said he just meant that they didn't look like terrorists and I asked, again, What does a terrorist look like to you?

It was just silence. And in that moment of silence my whole sense of euphoria about South Carolina and progress and understanding and acceptance was wiped out.

By the words 'they look like us.'

While the saleswoman was being open and accepting while selling a mower to the couple who just happened to be two men, here was this guy—this young, well educated gut—saying he was shocked that white people could be terrorists.

I had really felt those two big steps forward South Carolina, and then I felt the big jump back.

Baby steps, I guess.

A Tale of Two Americas

I think most of us can safely say that we were raised to do the right thing. I mean, isn't that what parents teach their kids? i know that's one of the lessons I got from my Mom and Dad: do the right thing. Play nice. Be fair. Sure, there are times we forget to do it, when we're rushing though our day, or we've had a tough time at work, but it's always there in the back of our minds, ready to come forward when we need reminding.
That's what happened in Boston this week, as the runners closed in on the finish line and the unthinkable happened. As the bombs exploded people began running, but not all of them were running away.Quite a few were running toward the explosions, helping people up, and pulling away fences so First responders could more easily reach the victims. They were doing what was right.
I saw pictures of men carrying victims down the street; women helping children who were crying. All over the web you could see one hand reaching out to help, and another hand reaching up to be helped. Playing nice, and doing the right thing.
In the midst of that terror, and in the hours that followed, I tried to focus more on those who helped rather than those who caused this because that's what i think America is: we help those who've been hurt, or beaten, or attacked. We get there first and lend a hand.
So I was sort of bursting with that patriotic pride on Monday afternoon, into the night and all day Tuesday when I read the stories of heroism and bravery and compassion and doing the right thing.
Unfortunately, though, that bubble burst Wednesday when I learned that the Senate--our elected officials, remember--had voted against expanding background checks before guns are sold. Yes, they decided that it isn't necessary to check who is buying guns, and how many and where, because, you know, we don't have a gun problem in this country.
Forty-six members of the US Senate decided that the Gun Lobby, the NRA, matter more to them than the lives of Americans, young and old. Forty-six Senators don't think that we just need to be more careful to whom we sell guns. Forty-six Senators slipped back inside the pocket of the NRA.
Think what might have happened had those forty-six senators been there on Monday. How fast they might have run to get in their cars and go home? How swiftly they might have jumped over the bodies of the victims and run to save themselves first. Think about that the next time you stand in a voting booth and one of these forty-six names is up for re-election:

• Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) -- @SenAlexander Email: HERE
• Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) -- @KellyAyotte Email: HERE
• Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) -- @SenJohnBarrasso Email: HERE
• Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) -- @MaxBaucus Email: HERE
• Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) -- @SenatorBegich Email: HERE
• Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) -- @RoyBlunt Email: HERE
• Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) -- @JohnBoozeman Email: HERE
• Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) -- @SenatorBurr Email: HERE
• Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) -- @SaxbyChambliss Email: HERE
• Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.) -- @SenDanCoats Email: HERE
• Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) -- @TomCoburn Email: HERE
• Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) -- @SenThadCochran Email: HERE
• Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) -- @SenBobCorker Email: HERE
• Sen. Jon Cornyn (R-Texas) -- @JohnCornyn Email: HERE
• Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) -- @MikeCrapo Email: HERE
• Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) -- @SenTedCruz Email: HERE
• Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) -- @SenatorEnzi Email: HERE
• Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) -- @SenatorFischer Email: HERE
• Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) -- @JeffFlake Email: HERE
• Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) -- @GrahamBlog Email: HERE
• Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) -- @ChuckGrassley Email: HERE
• Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) -- @SenOrrinHatch Email: HERE
• Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) -- @SenatorHeitkamp Email: HERE
• Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) -- @SenDeanHeller Email: HERE
• Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) -- @SenJohnHoeven Email: HERE
• Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) -- @jiminhofe Email: HERE
• Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) -- @SenatorIsakson Email: HERE
• Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) -- @Mike_Johanns Email: HERE
• Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) -- @SenRonJohnson Email: HERE
• Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) -- @SenMikeLee Email: HERE
• Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) -- @McConnellPress Email: HERE
• Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) -- @JerryMoran Email: HERE
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) -- @lisamurkowski Email: HERE
• Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) -- @SenRandPaul Email: HERE
• Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) -- @robportman Email: HERE
• Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) -- @SenMarkPryor Email: HERE
• Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) -- @SenatorRisch Email: HERE
• Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) -- @SenPatRoberts Email: HERE
• Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) -- @marcorubio Email: HERE
• Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) -- @SenatorTimScott Email: HERE
• Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) -- @SenatorSessions Email: HERE
• Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) -- @SenShelbyPress Email: HERE
• Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) -- @SenJohnThune Email: HERE
• Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) -- @DavidVitter Email: HERE
• Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) -- @SenatorWicker Email: HERE
  
  
  
  

Father Unni Stands Up To Catholic Bigotry

It seems that the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, responding to criticism that it was actually sanctioning a Gay Pride celebration, has announced that it had ordered a South End church to cancel a Mass scheduled for next weekend that was themed, “All are Welcome."

And perhaps subtitle it, *"Unless You're Queer."

Well, the LGBT community is not amused. 

It seems that St. Cecilia Parish in Boston had planned a “liturgy to commemorate Boston Pride 2011" and, in a church bulletin, announced: “The Rainbow Ministry of St. Cecilia Parish invites all friends and supporters of the LGBT community to a Mass in celebration of Boston’s Pride Month. The theme of the liturgy, ‘All Are Welcome,’ honors Christ’s message of hope and salvation to all people. We will also celebrate the diverse community that finds its home at St. Cecilia."

What a lovely message, and one that was obviously culled form the Book of God Is Love. But then the conservative members of the Church, got their collars and shrouds and granny pants in a twist, and demanded that the archdiocese intervene.

And they trotted out their spokesbigot, Terrence Donilon, who is rereading the Book Of God Hates Fags, to say: “The wording and placement of a bulletin notice announcing that the St. Cecilia Rainbow Ministry will be joining the parish at a Mass on June 19 may have given the unintended impression that the Mass is in support of Gay Pride Week; it is not."

Father Unni, the pastor of St. Cecilia's has not commented, but Donilon said that he spoke for the parish and that the decision was made by senior officials at the archdiocese.

Foot stomp. Head snap.

Donilon, of course, took no questions about the apparent contradiction of the church’s bulletin and his statement, but did say that there would be a Mass sometime in the future to welcome the community, though not specifically the LGBT community.

It is written in The Book Of God Hates Fags, you know.

But then, just as the conservative Catholics railed about homosexuality and sin and pride, and how they loved the sinner but hate the sin, except if the sin is hate, Father Unni had something to say, and, upon finishing his sermon, received an actual standing ovation from his parishioners.

Father Unni:. “You are welcome here, gay or straight, rich or poor, young or old, black or white. Here, you all can say, ‘I can worship the God who made me as I am. [G]ood love always requires sacrifice. We are being called to do not what is easy, but what is holy.’’

“We are not this renegade, crazy, liberal church. We’re just Christians trying to live the gospel."

And preach the word of The Book Of God Is Love.

Canceled Mass Outrages Gays
Priest Says All Are Welcome In His Church