It’s time to ring in the new and ring out the old Christmas tree before it becomes a fire hazard or spreads a trail of needles all over your home.
State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan said, “Start the new year off right by properly disposing of your Christmas tree. A dried out Christmas tree will ignite quickly and spread a fire very fast.”
For the first two full weeks in January, (January 7-18th, 2013) you can take that dried-up, old Christmas tree and put it out with your recycling in Boston. While the City of Boston doesn’t want you to leave it by the curb in a bag, you may want to take it out of your home and building wrapped, so you don’t leave a trail of pine needles and pine pitch behind.
By the way, if you get pine pitch on your hands, here's how to clean it:
The City of Boston Waste Reduction Division wants you to know that, “Public Works will collect Christmas trees for composting from January 7-18. Remove all ornaments, decorations, and stands from trees and place trees at the curb by 7AM on your recycling day. Do not put trees in plastic bags, and don't forget to recycle your holiday catalogs and wrapping paper as well.”
Earth911.com has a Treecycle search to find other programs to recycle Chrismas Trees in other places.
Hop over to Amazon and look at Christmas Ornament Storage Options. We'd like to thank everyone who remembers to stop here on their way to Amazon. If you go to Amazon from one of our links or items, they put coins in our tip jar.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
We hope 2013 is a year when your dreams come true.
We plan to work less, play more, explore more, enjoy our friends, and share the fun with our BostonZest circle of regular readers, twitter followers, and occasional visitors to the site.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
We hope 2013 is a year when your dreams come true.
We plan to work less, play more, explore more, enjoy our friends, and share the fun with our BostonZest circle of regular readers, twitter followers, and occasional visitors to the site.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
We hope 2013 is a year when your dreams come true.
We plan to work less, play more, explore more, enjoy our friends, and share the fun with our BostonZest circle of regular readers, twitter followers, and occasional visitors to the site.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
Here is the winter of 2012 – 2013 information on what you need to know during a snow emergency in Boston. We posted this early in the year but have moved it to the top of the page postition for this storm. If you checked in for our daily feature, it will be right below.
We'll update this article with news items as we receive them throughout the season. Subscribe to the comment feed for this post to be notified when we update this information, or follow us on Twitter.
The City of Boston, "Urges Caution, Asks Commuters to Use Public Transportation For Commute Due to Significant Ice and Sleet
Boston Public Schools: Closed Tuesday 3/19.
BCYF: Open 9:00AM-6:00PM. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at drop-off.
Street Sweeping: Posted daytime and overnight street sweeping canceled tomorrow, 3/19.
No snow emergency and parking ban at this time."
Updated: 3/19/13 7:00AM: From @MassDCR "DCR PARKING BAN @ RevereBeachBlvd, WinthropShoreDr + Ocean Ave"
General information you need to know about any snow emergency.
"Use public transportation when possible and avoid driving vehicles on slippery roads to keep roadways clear for plowing equipment and emergency vehicles.
Property owners are reminded to salt and sand sidewalks, stairs and pedestrian ramps to prevent slippery surfaces.
Residents are encouraged to shovel out hydrants and catch basins near or abutting their property to assist our public safety agencies and protect against flooding.
Please check on elderly or vulnerable neighbors who may need help.
Use caution when walking near buildings that may have falling snow or ice
Parking rules are strictly enforced during snow storms. Do not block driveways, crosswalks or ramps, and do not park within 20 feet of an intersection"
Winter storms have an impact on our lives and the city distributed "Winter Weather Facts 2012-2013" brochures to households last December to help us learn what to do. The city says,
Really great neighbors will locate and note the landmarks to find their nearest fire hydrant and work with one another to dig around it and keep it clear for the entire winter season. This community action can save lives and homes.
If the storm drain near your home is blocked with leaves and debris, you can clear it to prevent flooding when the snow melts.
Find your winter boots, shovels, windshield scrapers, sand, salt, and ice melt. (For the sake of dogs who walk barefoot on sidewalks, please choose a "Paw Safe" option when buying de-icing products.)
And, if you have a car, you may want to park it somewhere that is not signed as a "Snow Emergency Route." Here is a list of the major arteries for the Downtown Boston area with parking restrictions.
Snow Emergency Parking in Boston Neighborhoods www.cityofboston.gov/snow/parking With a warning that parking regulations will be strictly enforced, the city asks of residents:
"Don't park within 20 feet of an intersection, or further than one foot from the curb."
"During a snow emergency, don't park on streets with signs declaring "Emergency Snow Artery" or "Tow Zone- Snow Emergency"."
"Disabled cars blocking the roadway must be removed as soon as possible."
"Cars parked in driveways must not extend to the sidewalk or street."
"Resident parking stickers must be visible within 24 hours after the end of a snowstorm."
"Any spacesavers® left in on-street parking spaces that have been shoveled out must be removed 48 hours after a snow emergency has ended."
"After exceptional storms (snowfall exceeds two feet), the mayor may prohibit parking on the odd side of secondary roads and only allow parking on the even side, until crews can clear the snow. This is rare and has not happened since 2003."
There are off street parking spaces available to residents during the storm.
Go to the bottom of the parking page, www.cityofboston.gov/snow/parking, choose your neighborhood, and you'll see a list of available parking lots and garages and what they charge under this program. Prices in private garages range from $1 to $12.50 for 24 hours. In some sections of the city municipal lots are free for those with resident stickers. All of these are on a first come, first serve basis.
Digging Out Once snow falls, you see how seldom some cars in Boston are moved. We walk by cars that sit, snow-covered, for weeks on end. If you do dig out your car, you are not supposed to put the snow onto the street or a cleared sidewalk. That adds to the fun of the job.
If you live in a section of the city with a tradition of space savers, the city says those must be and will be removed 48 hours after a snow emergency has been lifted. For those new to this game, "space savers" are chairs, trash cans, and other objects that are placed in cleared and empty parking spaces to save the spot for the person who shoveled it.
Once snow, slush, or ice is on the ground someone has to remove it from sidewalks. In the city of Boston and most surrounding communities, that someone is you or the people you hire to do it for you.
There was a Supreme Court Ruling in the state. The Boston Globe says this means, "property owners now can be held liable for injuries that are linked to any snow and ice on their land, regardless of whether the conditions were caused by nature or a city plow."Here's a link to the full story on that ruling.
In Boston, the rules can be downloaded on this page from the sidebar headline that says, "An Ordinance Regarding The Prompt and Complete Removal of Snow and Ice From Sidewalks and Abutting Curb Ramps":
Between sunrise and sunset, if your building has six or fewer units, you have six hours to remove snow.
If your building has more than six units, you only have three hours.
And the degree to which you remove the snow, slush, or ice is laid out in the city ordinance.
"Removal of any slush or snow should be conducted along the full paved width of such sidewalk and in a manner that ensures the orderly flow and safety of pedestrian traffic upon such sidewalks. Removal of any slush or snow shall be conducted in a manner that clears the full paved path or a minimum of forty-two (42) inches wide."
In the case of ice, it says:
"Removal of any ice shall be in a manner consistent with the requirements of the preceding sub-section, except that any such owner, manager, or tenant shall be deemed to be in compliance with this paragraph if such ice is made level and completely covered with sand, sawdust, or other appropriate material to prevent slipping."
As to where you put the snow from your own stairs and walkways, that gets tricky because the ordinance says:
"No person shall remove slush, snow, or ice from privately-owned real property and place it upon any sidewalk or street."
French Toast AlertSystem
If you're new to the area or haven't been paying attention, you may not know this term. French Toast Alert comes from the rush to grocery stores for basic provisions (milk, bread, and eggs) when storms are predicted. Here's a link to the master page of the official French Toast Alert system for this area.
Keep information like this coming your way by supporting BostonZest when you shop at Amazon. Click on any link to Amazon on this site and shop for what you want. BostonZest will receive credit for your purchase. That's what keeps sites like this up and running.
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
"Snow Emergency/Parking Ban: In Effect at 12:00PM Friday 2/8
Schools: CLOSED Friday 2/8
Trash/Recycling: Collection will begin at 6AM on Friday 2/8. Please place trash & recycling out by 6AM. Crew will begin working early and shutdown when it is no longer safe to be on the roads.
Community Centers: All BCYF Community Centers & Buildings are closed Friday 2/8, Saturday 2/9 and Sunday 2/10.
Libraries: All libraries will be closed Friday 2/8, Saturday 2/9 and Sunday 2/10.
City Hall/Municipal Offices: Will close to the public at 12:00PM Friday 2/8.
City Employees: Essential Personnel only
Parking Meters: Normal rules apply
Tow Lot: Normal Hours
Street Cleaning: Normal Schedule
City Cemeteries: Closed until Monday 2/11
City Golf Courses: Closed until Monday 2/11
MBTA: All service will be suspended effective 3:30PM on 2/8. Visit www.mbta.comfor details.
Courts: Check with the individual courthouse for more information.
Other/Special Events*: N/A
*The City of Boston is not responsible for the cancellation or scheduling of private entertainment events or venues."
Here is the winter of 2012 – 2013 information on what you need to know during a snow emergency in Boston. We posted this early in the year but have moved it to the top of the page postition for this storm. If you checked in for our daily feature, it will be right below.
We'll update this article with news items as we receive them throughout the season. Subscribe to the comment feed for this post to be notified when we update this information, or follow us on Twitter.
The City of Boston, "Urges Caution, Asks Commuters to Use Public Transportation For Commute Due to Significant Ice and Sleet
Boston Public Schools: Closed Tuesday 3/19.
BCYF: Open 9:00AM-6:00PM. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at drop-off.
Street Sweeping: Posted daytime and overnight street sweeping canceled tomorrow, 3/19.
No snow emergency and parking ban at this time."
Updated: 3/19/13 7:00AM: From @MassDCR "DCR PARKING BAN @ RevereBeachBlvd, WinthropShoreDr + Ocean Ave"
General information you need to know about any snow emergency.
"Use public transportation when possible and avoid driving vehicles on slippery roads to keep roadways clear for plowing equipment and emergency vehicles.
Property owners are reminded to salt and sand sidewalks, stairs and pedestrian ramps to prevent slippery surfaces.
Residents are encouraged to shovel out hydrants and catch basins near or abutting their property to assist our public safety agencies and protect against flooding.
Please check on elderly or vulnerable neighbors who may need help.
Use caution when walking near buildings that may have falling snow or ice
Parking rules are strictly enforced during snow storms. Do not block driveways, crosswalks or ramps, and do not park within 20 feet of an intersection"
Winter storms have an impact on our lives and the city distributed "Winter Weather Facts 2012-2013" brochures to households last December to help us learn what to do. The city says,
Really great neighbors will locate and note the landmarks to find their nearest fire hydrant and work with one another to dig around it and keep it clear for the entire winter season. This community action can save lives and homes.
If the storm drain near your home is blocked with leaves and debris, you can clear it to prevent flooding when the snow melts.
Find your winter boots, shovels, windshield scrapers, sand, salt, and ice melt. (For the sake of dogs who walk barefoot on sidewalks, please choose a "Paw Safe" option when buying de-icing products.)
And, if you have a car, you may want to park it somewhere that is not signed as a "Snow Emergency Route." Here is a list of the major arteries for the Downtown Boston area with parking restrictions.
Snow Emergency Parking in Boston Neighborhoods www.cityofboston.gov/snow/parking With a warning that parking regulations will be strictly enforced, the city asks of residents:
"Don't park within 20 feet of an intersection, or further than one foot from the curb."
"During a snow emergency, don't park on streets with signs declaring "Emergency Snow Artery" or "Tow Zone- Snow Emergency"."
"Disabled cars blocking the roadway must be removed as soon as possible."
"Cars parked in driveways must not extend to the sidewalk or street."
"Resident parking stickers must be visible within 24 hours after the end of a snowstorm."
"Any spacesavers® left in on-street parking spaces that have been shoveled out must be removed 48 hours after a snow emergency has ended."
"After exceptional storms (snowfall exceeds two feet), the mayor may prohibit parking on the odd side of secondary roads and only allow parking on the even side, until crews can clear the snow. This is rare and has not happened since 2003."
There are off street parking spaces available to residents during the storm.
Go to the bottom of the parking page, www.cityofboston.gov/snow/parking, choose your neighborhood, and you'll see a list of available parking lots and garages and what they charge under this program. Prices in private garages range from $1 to $12.50 for 24 hours. In some sections of the city municipal lots are free for those with resident stickers. All of these are on a first come, first serve basis.
Digging Out Once snow falls, you see how seldom some cars in Boston are moved. We walk by cars that sit, snow-covered, for weeks on end. If you do dig out your car, you are not supposed to put the snow onto the street or a cleared sidewalk. That adds to the fun of the job.
If you live in a section of the city with a tradition of space savers, the city says those must be and will be removed 48 hours after a snow emergency has been lifted. For those new to this game, "space savers" are chairs, trash cans, and other objects that are placed in cleared and empty parking spaces to save the spot for the person who shoveled it.
Once snow, slush, or ice is on the ground someone has to remove it from sidewalks. In the city of Boston and most surrounding communities, that someone is you or the people you hire to do it for you.
There was a Supreme Court Ruling in the state. The Boston Globe says this means, "property owners now can be held liable for injuries that are linked to any snow and ice on their land, regardless of whether the conditions were caused by nature or a city plow."Here's a link to the full story on that ruling.
In Boston, the rules can be downloaded on this page from the sidebar headline that says, "An Ordinance Regarding The Prompt and Complete Removal of Snow and Ice From Sidewalks and Abutting Curb Ramps":
Between sunrise and sunset, if your building has six or fewer units, you have six hours to remove snow.
If your building has more than six units, you only have three hours.
And the degree to which you remove the snow, slush, or ice is laid out in the city ordinance.
"Removal of any slush or snow should be conducted along the full paved width of such sidewalk and in a manner that ensures the orderly flow and safety of pedestrian traffic upon such sidewalks. Removal of any slush or snow shall be conducted in a manner that clears the full paved path or a minimum of forty-two (42) inches wide."
In the case of ice, it says:
"Removal of any ice shall be in a manner consistent with the requirements of the preceding sub-section, except that any such owner, manager, or tenant shall be deemed to be in compliance with this paragraph if such ice is made level and completely covered with sand, sawdust, or other appropriate material to prevent slipping."
As to where you put the snow from your own stairs and walkways, that gets tricky because the ordinance says:
"No person shall remove slush, snow, or ice from privately-owned real property and place it upon any sidewalk or street."
French Toast AlertSystem
If you're new to the area or haven't been paying attention, you may not know this term. French Toast Alert comes from the rush to grocery stores for basic provisions (milk, bread, and eggs) when storms are predicted. Here's a link to the master page of the official French Toast Alert system for this area.
Keep information like this coming your way by supporting BostonZest when you shop at Amazon. Click on any link to Amazon on this site and shop for what you want. BostonZest will receive credit for your purchase. That's what keeps sites like this up and running.
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
"Snow Emergency/Parking Ban: In Effect at 12:00PM Friday 2/8
Schools: CLOSED Friday 2/8
Trash/Recycling: Collection will begin at 6AM on Friday 2/8. Please place trash & recycling out by 6AM. Crew will begin working early and shutdown when it is no longer safe to be on the roads.
Community Centers: All BCYF Community Centers & Buildings are closed Friday 2/8, Saturday 2/9 and Sunday 2/10.
Libraries: All libraries will be closed Friday 2/8, Saturday 2/9 and Sunday 2/10.
City Hall/Municipal Offices: Will close to the public at 12:00PM Friday 2/8.
City Employees: Essential Personnel only
Parking Meters: Normal rules apply
Tow Lot: Normal Hours
Street Cleaning: Normal Schedule
City Cemeteries: Closed until Monday 2/11
City Golf Courses: Closed until Monday 2/11
MBTA: All service will be suspended effective 3:30PM on 2/8. Visit www.mbta.comfor details.
Courts: Check with the individual courthouse for more information.
Other/Special Events*: N/A
*The City of Boston is not responsible for the cancellation or scheduling of private entertainment events or venues."
Here is the winter of 2012 – 2013 information on what you need to know during a snow emergency in Boston. We posted this early in the year but have moved it to the top of the page postition for this storm. If you checked in for our daily feature, it will be right below.
We'll update this article with news items as we receive them throughout the season. Subscribe to the comment feed for this post to be notified when we update this information, or follow us on Twitter.
The City of Boston, "Urges Caution, Asks Commuters to Use Public Transportation For Commute Due to Significant Ice and Sleet
Boston Public Schools: Closed Tuesday 3/19.
BCYF: Open 9:00AM-6:00PM. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at drop-off.
Street Sweeping: Posted daytime and overnight street sweeping canceled tomorrow, 3/19.
No snow emergency and parking ban at this time."
Updated: 3/19/13 7:00AM: From @MassDCR "DCR PARKING BAN @ RevereBeachBlvd, WinthropShoreDr + Ocean Ave"
General information you need to know about any snow emergency.
"Use public transportation when possible and avoid driving vehicles on slippery roads to keep roadways clear for plowing equipment and emergency vehicles.
Property owners are reminded to salt and sand sidewalks, stairs and pedestrian ramps to prevent slippery surfaces.
Residents are encouraged to shovel out hydrants and catch basins near or abutting their property to assist our public safety agencies and protect against flooding.
Please check on elderly or vulnerable neighbors who may need help.
Use caution when walking near buildings that may have falling snow or ice
Parking rules are strictly enforced during snow storms. Do not block driveways, crosswalks or ramps, and do not park within 20 feet of an intersection"
Winter storms have an impact on our lives and the city distributed "Winter Weather Facts 2012-2013" brochures to households last December to help us learn what to do. The city says,
Really great neighbors will locate and note the landmarks to find their nearest fire hydrant and work with one another to dig around it and keep it clear for the entire winter season. This community action can save lives and homes.
If the storm drain near your home is blocked with leaves and debris, you can clear it to prevent flooding when the snow melts.
Find your winter boots, shovels, windshield scrapers, sand, salt, and ice melt. (For the sake of dogs who walk barefoot on sidewalks, please choose a "Paw Safe" option when buying de-icing products.)
And, if you have a car, you may want to park it somewhere that is not signed as a "Snow Emergency Route." Here is a list of the major arteries for the Downtown Boston area with parking restrictions.
Snow Emergency Parking in Boston Neighborhoods www.cityofboston.gov/snow/parking With a warning that parking regulations will be strictly enforced, the city asks of residents:
"Don't park within 20 feet of an intersection, or further than one foot from the curb."
"During a snow emergency, don't park on streets with signs declaring "Emergency Snow Artery" or "Tow Zone- Snow Emergency"."
"Disabled cars blocking the roadway must be removed as soon as possible."
"Cars parked in driveways must not extend to the sidewalk or street."
"Resident parking stickers must be visible within 24 hours after the end of a snowstorm."
"Any spacesavers® left in on-street parking spaces that have been shoveled out must be removed 48 hours after a snow emergency has ended."
"After exceptional storms (snowfall exceeds two feet), the mayor may prohibit parking on the odd side of secondary roads and only allow parking on the even side, until crews can clear the snow. This is rare and has not happened since 2003."
There are off street parking spaces available to residents during the storm.
Go to the bottom of the parking page, www.cityofboston.gov/snow/parking, choose your neighborhood, and you'll see a list of available parking lots and garages and what they charge under this program. Prices in private garages range from $1 to $12.50 for 24 hours. In some sections of the city municipal lots are free for those with resident stickers. All of these are on a first come, first serve basis.
Digging Out Once snow falls, you see how seldom some cars in Boston are moved. We walk by cars that sit, snow-covered, for weeks on end. If you do dig out your car, you are not supposed to put the snow onto the street or a cleared sidewalk. That adds to the fun of the job.
If you live in a section of the city with a tradition of space savers, the city says those must be and will be removed 48 hours after a snow emergency has been lifted. For those new to this game, "space savers" are chairs, trash cans, and other objects that are placed in cleared and empty parking spaces to save the spot for the person who shoveled it.
Once snow, slush, or ice is on the ground someone has to remove it from sidewalks. In the city of Boston and most surrounding communities, that someone is you or the people you hire to do it for you.
There was a Supreme Court Ruling in the state. The Boston Globe says this means, "property owners now can be held liable for injuries that are linked to any snow and ice on their land, regardless of whether the conditions were caused by nature or a city plow."Here's a link to the full story on that ruling.
In Boston, the rules can be downloaded on this page from the sidebar headline that says, "An Ordinance Regarding The Prompt and Complete Removal of Snow and Ice From Sidewalks and Abutting Curb Ramps":
Between sunrise and sunset, if your building has six or fewer units, you have six hours to remove snow.
If your building has more than six units, you only have three hours.
And the degree to which you remove the snow, slush, or ice is laid out in the city ordinance.
"Removal of any slush or snow should be conducted along the full paved width of such sidewalk and in a manner that ensures the orderly flow and safety of pedestrian traffic upon such sidewalks. Removal of any slush or snow shall be conducted in a manner that clears the full paved path or a minimum of forty-two (42) inches wide."
In the case of ice, it says:
"Removal of any ice shall be in a manner consistent with the requirements of the preceding sub-section, except that any such owner, manager, or tenant shall be deemed to be in compliance with this paragraph if such ice is made level and completely covered with sand, sawdust, or other appropriate material to prevent slipping."
As to where you put the snow from your own stairs and walkways, that gets tricky because the ordinance says:
"No person shall remove slush, snow, or ice from privately-owned real property and place it upon any sidewalk or street."
French Toast AlertSystem
If you're new to the area or haven't been paying attention, you may not know this term. French Toast Alert comes from the rush to grocery stores for basic provisions (milk, bread, and eggs) when storms are predicted. Here's a link to the master page of the official French Toast Alert system for this area.
Keep information like this coming your way by supporting BostonZest when you shop at Amazon. Click on any link to Amazon on this site and shop for what you want. BostonZest will receive credit for your purchase. That's what keeps sites like this up and running.
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
"Snow Emergency/Parking Ban: In Effect at 12:00PM Friday 2/8
Schools: CLOSED Friday 2/8
Trash/Recycling: Collection will begin at 6AM on Friday 2/8. Please place trash & recycling out by 6AM. Crew will begin working early and shutdown when it is no longer safe to be on the roads.
Community Centers: All BCYF Community Centers & Buildings are closed Friday 2/8, Saturday 2/9 and Sunday 2/10.
Libraries: All libraries will be closed Friday 2/8, Saturday 2/9 and Sunday 2/10.
City Hall/Municipal Offices: Will close to the public at 12:00PM Friday 2/8.
City Employees: Essential Personnel only
Parking Meters: Normal rules apply
Tow Lot: Normal Hours
Street Cleaning: Normal Schedule
City Cemeteries: Closed until Monday 2/11
City Golf Courses: Closed until Monday 2/11
MBTA: All service will be suspended effective 3:30PM on 2/8. Visit www.mbta.comfor details.
Courts: Check with the individual courthouse for more information.
Other/Special Events*: N/A
*The City of Boston is not responsible for the cancellation or scheduling of private entertainment events or venues."
The Boston Public Library’s (BPL) current exhibition, “Palaces for the People: Guastavino and America’s Great Public Spaces” tells the enthralling tale of Rafael Guastavino Sr. and the company he founded.
John Ochsendorf, PhD, a structural engineer and architectural historian from MIT, (above) describes the presentation as an opportunity to, “…celebrate the history of the Boston Public Library and also this little-known story of a Spanish architect/engineer who helped build the library.”
Beneath a Guastavino vaulted ceiling in the McKim Building in Copley Square, you’ll find a multi-media exhibition that showcases four major themes of the Guastavino story. The displays are rich with stunning photography by Michael Freeman, original drawings, and cases filled with rare artifacts.
Guastavino Technology
One of the most captivating parts of the exhibition is a half-scale replica of one of the room’s vaults with a cutaway center that exposes the genius of the system. This was constructed by MIT students and master masons. The model and its companion video demonstrate the technique used to build incredibly strong and stable arched vaults from one-inch thick tiles.
“They succeeded because they constantly innovated. They had 25 U.S. patents for different aspects of their construction system,” Ochsendorf explained. “The secret to the method was that by using a very fast-setting mortar, they could build these vaults over a room with no support from below.”
Rafael Guastavino stands on recently laid tile arch along Boylston Street, construction of the McKim Building
“The Boston Public Library is their earliest, really important project in the United States. And, from this project everything else becomes possible,” Ochsendorf said.
“In the spring of 1889 when the library was already under construction here in Copley Square, he [Guastavino] showed up on the scene quite late in the game and said, ‘I’ve got a revolutionary, fireproof system that’s ideal for your building!’ And, the fireproof was the selling point because there were major fires in the late nineteenth century in Chicago and Boston and other cities.”
The BPL was the first building where the tiles and patterns created by the company’s craftsmen were not plastered over but were exposed for the public to see and enjoy as a part of the design of the space.
“He’s got seven different kinds of vaulting throughout this building,” said Ochsendorf. “All the leading architects of the nineteenth century came and visited this building…” The McKim building became a showcase and demonstration project for Guastavino’s work. Over the next seven decades, the company would build more than 1000 buildings in 41 states.
Look Up and Join the Quest!
The team at MIT is still searching for examples of Guastavino ceilings and staircases. “We discover about one building a month. So, I’m always looking for people to submit possible buildings,” said Ochsendorf. “I’m certain there are vaulted staircases in Boston that I don’t know of yet.” You can email guastavino@mit.edu with your leads on possible Guastavino vaults or staircases.
Palaces for the People is a collaboration between MIT and the BPL. Funding for the exhibition came from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
The Boston Public Library’s (BPL) current exhibition, “Palaces for the People: Guastavino and America’s Great Public Spaces” tells the enthralling tale of Rafael Guastavino Sr. and the company he founded.
John Ochsendorf, PhD, a structural engineer and architectural historian from MIT, (above) describes the presentation as an opportunity to, “…celebrate the history of the Boston Public Library and also this little-known story of a Spanish architect/engineer who helped build the library.”
Beneath a Guastavino vaulted ceiling in the McKim Building in Copley Square, you’ll find a multi-media exhibition that showcases four major themes of the Guastavino story. The displays are rich with stunning photography by Michael Freeman, original drawings, and cases filled with rare artifacts.
Guastavino Technology
One of the most captivating parts of the exhibition is a half-scale replica of one of the room’s vaults with a cutaway center that exposes the genius of the system. This was constructed by MIT students and master masons. The model and its companion video demonstrate the technique used to build incredibly strong and stable arched vaults from one-inch thick tiles.
“They succeeded because they constantly innovated. They had 25 U.S. patents for different aspects of their construction system,” Ochsendorf explained. “The secret to the method was that by using a very fast-setting mortar, they could build these vaults over a room with no support from below.”
Rafael Guastavino stands on recently laid tile arch along Boylston Street, construction of the McKim Building
“The Boston Public Library is their earliest, really important project in the United States. And, from this project everything else becomes possible,” Ochsendorf said.
“In the spring of 1889 when the library was already under construction here in Copley Square, he [Guastavino] showed up on the scene quite late in the game and said, ‘I’ve got a revolutionary, fireproof system that’s ideal for your building!’ And, the fireproof was the selling point because there were major fires in the late nineteenth century in Chicago and Boston and other cities.”
The BPL was the first building where the tiles and patterns created by the company’s craftsmen were not plastered over but were exposed for the public to see and enjoy as a part of the design of the space.
“He’s got seven different kinds of vaulting throughout this building,” said Ochsendorf. “All the leading architects of the nineteenth century came and visited this building…” The McKim building became a showcase and demonstration project for Guastavino’s work. Over the next seven decades, the company would build more than 1000 buildings in 41 states.
Look Up and Join the Quest!
The team at MIT is still searching for examples of Guastavino ceilings and staircases. “We discover about one building a month. So, I’m always looking for people to submit possible buildings,” said Ochsendorf. “I’m certain there are vaulted staircases in Boston that I don’t know of yet.” You can email guastavino@mit.edu with your leads on possible Guastavino vaults or staircases.
Palaces for the People is a collaboration between MIT and the BPL. Funding for the exhibition came from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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The Boston Public Library’s (BPL) current exhibition, “Palaces for the People: Guastavino and America’s Great Public Spaces” tells the enthralling tale of Rafael Guastavino Sr. and the company he founded.
John Ochsendorf, PhD, a structural engineer and architectural historian from MIT, (above) describes the presentation as an opportunity to, “…celebrate the history of the Boston Public Library and also this little-known story of a Spanish architect/engineer who helped build the library.”
Beneath a Guastavino vaulted ceiling in the McKim Building in Copley Square, you’ll find a multi-media exhibition that showcases four major themes of the Guastavino story. The displays are rich with stunning photography by Michael Freeman, original drawings, and cases filled with rare artifacts.
Guastavino Technology
One of the most captivating parts of the exhibition is a half-scale replica of one of the room’s vaults with a cutaway center that exposes the genius of the system. This was constructed by MIT students and master masons. The model and its companion video demonstrate the technique used to build incredibly strong and stable arched vaults from one-inch thick tiles.
“They succeeded because they constantly innovated. They had 25 U.S. patents for different aspects of their construction system,” Ochsendorf explained. “The secret to the method was that by using a very fast-setting mortar, they could build these vaults over a room with no support from below.”
Rafael Guastavino stands on recently laid tile arch along Boylston Street, construction of the McKim Building
“The Boston Public Library is their earliest, really important project in the United States. And, from this project everything else becomes possible,” Ochsendorf said.
“In the spring of 1889 when the library was already under construction here in Copley Square, he [Guastavino] showed up on the scene quite late in the game and said, ‘I’ve got a revolutionary, fireproof system that’s ideal for your building!’ And, the fireproof was the selling point because there were major fires in the late nineteenth century in Chicago and Boston and other cities.”
The BPL was the first building where the tiles and patterns created by the company’s craftsmen were not plastered over but were exposed for the public to see and enjoy as a part of the design of the space.
“He’s got seven different kinds of vaulting throughout this building,” said Ochsendorf. “All the leading architects of the nineteenth century came and visited this building…” The McKim building became a showcase and demonstration project for Guastavino’s work. Over the next seven decades, the company would build more than 1000 buildings in 41 states.
Look Up and Join the Quest!
The team at MIT is still searching for examples of Guastavino ceilings and staircases. “We discover about one building a month. So, I’m always looking for people to submit possible buildings,” said Ochsendorf. “I’m certain there are vaulted staircases in Boston that I don’t know of yet.” You can email guastavino@mit.edu with your leads on possible Guastavino vaults or staircases.
Palaces for the People is a collaboration between MIT and the BPL. Funding for the exhibition came from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.
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. He has worked with the BPL and the 