I don't have a pre-10.9 system to test this on, but the issue is just that c++11 compilation is not compatible with non=c++11 compilation.  What changed in 10.9 and the associated xcode is the tr1 headers went away, having been subsumed into c++11, so the thrift code that was expecting tr1 no longer compiles.  To get the functionality that was in tr1, c++11 mode is required.

According to https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/DeveloperTools/Conceptual/WhatsNewXcode/Articles/xcode_4_2.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/00200-SW1 versions of XCode as far back as 4.2 had some support for the new C++ standards.