John Hancock Tower
The John Hancock Tower Boston is just one of the 3 buildings in Boston City that are called the John Hancock Building. The three buildings were built by the company John Hancock Insurance but when you go to the streets and ask where the John Hancock Building is, they will point you to the sixty-story building on Clarendon Street. This is the building that is known as the John Hancock Tower.
The John Hancock Tower Boston is the tallest building in Boston as well as in all of New England. It was constructed and designed by the infamous Henry Cobb I.M. Pei from the firm that was named after them and James Freed.
The tower began its construction in 1968 but it was only in 1976, 8 years after, that it finished its construction. The tower received lots of applause in the later years because of its nice, minimalist, and modern design.
It has narrow and broad sides of the building. As you look up at the tower, depending on which side you are looking from, you would see it as a tall 60-story building with a plain rectangular shape but on the other side, you’d see it having a right-angled trapezium shape that is unique and undoubtedly so modern and minimalist.
Even though the tower is said to be an achievement in its design, its beginning was not as pleasant and respected. In fact, the construction took a lot longer than was expected. Its engineering flaws were far superior to its achievement in architecture. There were flaws and these flaws cost a lot of money.
The construction was targeted to be finished by 1971 but it only got finished 5 years later, in 1976. The budget for the said construction was only $75 million but it was rumored that the construction popped another $100 million making it $175 million in all. This was an embarrassment to the construction film and to the industry itself.
Problems abound in the construction of John Hancock Tower Boston and one of their major problems was with the blue mirror glass panes. There was an accident when its 500-lb windowpanes crashed to the sidewalk!
Another major problem was with its foundation. The foundation collapsed as it was not able to retain the mud and clay and it damaged other nearby buildings including the Trinity Church.
After all those problems that cost a lot of money and more painstaking hours of construction, we now have the John Hancock Tower Boston that is now stable and the John Hancock Insurance occupants of the buildings are quite happy even though the air conditioning expenses is a bit high.
About the John Hancock Tower
The John Hancock Tower in Boston has been the tallest structure in the city for over 30 years. The tower is officially named Hancock Place but is known as The Hancock colloquially. This 60-story, 790-foot skyscraper is the pride of Boston. A sprinkle of trivia – Henry N Cobb of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners designed the building in 1976.
This building is the tallest building in New England and is also among the 199th tallest buildings of the world. Initially, the building had only one tenant known as John Hancock Insurance Company. Later on, many other new tenants have tried out their luck here. The building is a majestically created tall glass structure with a rock-solid foundation.
The famous design principle of the tower is known as the Minimalism style in art. It is this concept that gave a whole new dimension to the skyscraper design. The building used the largest panes of glass available. This adds stability to this superstructure. The highly reflective windows ensure that the tower matches exactly with a clear sunny sky.
The best attraction of the building was, however, an observation deck. It was closed after the unfortunate 9/11 attack. The building owner has rented it for private functions and intends to extend the office area up to the observation portion. Just because this tower is closed to the general public, the next best observation tower is the Prudential Tower. The building, however, could not dodge controversies as its construction shadowed a church. The building has an all-weather beacon to sign off a season.
If you have the chance to visit Boston, never miss John Hancock Tower, the blue ghost in the skyline. Built in 1968 and completed in 1976, this big giant has served as the tallest building in Boston for more than 30 years.
John Hancock Tower Address
200 Clarendon Street
Boston, Massachusetts
Contact:
Tel: (617) 247-1977 / 572-6420 Fax: (617) 572-6497
Email: N/A
John Hancock Tower Hours:
April 1 to October 31: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
November 1 – March 31
Mon – Sat: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Sun: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Thanksgiving, Christmas: Closed
Ticket Information for John Hancock Tower: N/A
Website: http://www.aviewoncities.com/boston/hancocktower.htm
So what does this Tower feature?
As the 198th tallest construction in the world, John Hancock Tower has 60 stories in this 790-foot skyscraper which is almost four times taller than Bunker Hill Monument! Another feature of this building is its skinny glass structure. The window glass is tinted slightly blue, which makes the tower have a breathtaking beauty in the slight contrast with the blue sky on fine days.
And where is this blue skyscraper located?
The exact location of this graceful Tower is 200 Clarendon Street, Boston. With nearby attractions, like Trinity Church and Copley Square, John Hancock Tower adds distinctive sparks to Boston City. We can gain views of the Back Bay, Charles River, Cambridge, Public Gardens and Financial District from the top of the Tower.
If you decide to drive to this blue Tower, the following tips will be helpful for you.
Garage @ 100 Clarendon – This parking garage is located alongside the John Hancock Tower, Copley Square, and Newbury Street’s shopping district. It offers you full parking service and flexible programs. For more instructions:
Back Bay Garage – This one is operated by Central Parking System and seated at 500 Boylston Street, 0.05 miles away from the destination. By the way, you can print coupons to save money from the Central Parking System Homepage.
John Hancock Hotel & Conference Center – The location is 40 Trinity Place, Boston, and you can find it a block away from the Tower. Here it offers not only great parking facilities but also exceptional accommodations and meeting rooms.
John Hancock Child Care Center – Located at 370 Stuart Street, it is really within easy access to the Tower. This school-age childcare center offers flexible parking services and a vast parking lot.
Copley Place Parking – At 100 Huntington Ave, Copley Place is one of the most distinctive shopping sites in Boston. It provides discounted validated parking with purchase from 10 am to 8 pm. Locate it on the map:
More parking lots can be found at the Boston Public Library, Hynes Convention Center, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, and Prudential Center. Choose the one that is closest to your destination.
Hotels Near Boston John Hancock Building
Hotels near the Boston John Hancock Building mainly refer to the hotels around the John Hancock Tower on Clarendon Street. You can imagine staying around such a famed attraction will be pleasant. The hotels come in motley themes and have a wide price range from less than $100 to nearly $300 to cater to different budgets.
With so many hotels in Boston MA, you might be puzzled by your choice. It won’t be a problem in our site. Just keep reading and squeeze the marrow from the first-hand reviews listed. Then make up your mind and book with us!
Benefits of Hotels Near Boston John Hancock Building
- Various lodging near John Hancock Tower
- Motley hotel themes
- With price range from less than $100 to nearly $300
- Superb conference amenities
In Boston, three different buildings have been known as the “John Hancock Building” for they were built by the John Hancock Insurance companies. And usually, when people talk about this building, they refer to the John Hancock Tower on Clarendon Street. This 60-story, sleek glass building was built in 1976 as Boston’s tallest building. As a famed attraction in Boston, there are lots of hotels nearby in the price range from less than $100 to nearly $300. The hotel theme varies, including boutique, historic, business, family, luxury, and more.
For the nearest Boston hotels around John Hancock Tower, John Hancock Hotel Conference Center should be counted in. It’s only one block from Copley Square and the Tower. Logan International Airport is four miles away across Boston Harbor. Complimentary continental breakfast, complimentary wireless Internet and coin-operated laundry facilities are available. Business travelers will be happy to see that there are ten meeting rooms in sizes from 375 square feet to over 1800 square feet, with seating from 2 to 200.
Hotels Near Boston John Hancock Building
1. Embassy Suites Boston – at Logan Airport
207 Porter Street, Boston, MA 02128
Phone: (617) 567-5000
2. Hilton Boston Logan Airport
85 Terminal East Boston, MA 02128
Phone: (617) 568-6700
3. John Hancock Hotel and Conference Center
40 Trinity Pl Boston, MA 02116
Phone: (617) 933-7700