North End Piazza on The Greenway | 198 Hanover Street | North End

Return to the pre-bulldozer 1920s, with everything there at 4-8 stories tall. You know… like a city!
There’s no need for that parking lot or that new strip mall.
If we’re stuck with this featureless facade and want to make it look more natural we should add some low-rent chain stores to appeal to the drive-by crowd. A Dunkies Drive through. Maybe an olde timey malt shop for the elder-NIMBYs who wouldn’t allow anything larger to be built here. I’d say add some trees to cool the space down and hide it, but trees don’t live long in front of his businesses. Forced retail curb appeal beats the common good.
 
stellarfun said:
From the Globe article:
"Last week, painters began replacing the dark grey exterior with a warmer shade of brown, a change DePasquale said was always part of the plan.
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Yeah I always put on one coat of paint, then hang a bunch of stuff on the wall, then take it off and put on a different color paint, then put the stuff back on the wall.
 
stellarfun said:
Note that the rear of these apartment buildings between Hanover and Salem streets do not provide an obvious escape route by tenants of a burning building or for fire department access.
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I don't think tenements (nor contemporary allbrick or concrete buildings really care much for access like we typically think of in stick construction.
 
as02155 said:
would be public right of way though, no? State or city?
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It probably is a public right-of-way, but ceding a portion of a public roadway right-of-way to a private owner is done every day, and it is a fairly clean procedure. Of course, this being the North End in Boston could interject NIMBY and political dynamics into it, but normally ceding a right-of-way is very simple. I was routinely involved with doing these when designing and managing roadway realignment projects.
 
Some history.

* In early 2008, Martignetti's Liquors closed its retail store at the site. The building underwent a massive facade renovation led by its tenant, Citizens Bank, but the property remained tied to the Martignetti family portfolio for several more years. {Source: Boston Herald)

* In December 2014, the property was sold to Charter Realty and Development Corp, whose headquarters is in Westport CT. The price was not publicly disclosed.

* In 2016-17, North End residents opposed Charter's proposed re-development of the property. They complained it had no relationship to the historic flavor of the North End and looked like it belonged in the Back Bay or on Newbury Street rather than a historic Italian gateway. The pushback was so severe that the Boston Landmarks Commission invoked a demolition delay to force a more sensitive design. The community strongly rejected Charter Realty's plan to bring corporate, formula retail chains into the neighborhood, specifically naming Starbucks and Gap. Residents and local business owners argued these corporate brands would erode the independent spirit of the neighborhood and actively hurt local, family-owned mom-and-pop shops.

* In 2023, Frank DePasquale bought the property for $8 million.

* Opposition to aspects of DePasquale's proposed re-development.
57-59 Salem Street Condo Association: Formally opposed the layout, citing that the expansion directly blocked their existing building windows, compromised emergency egress, and would introduce ambient noise pollution

206 Hanover Street Owners: Strongly objected to the project over blocked residential windows and openly challenged the developer's framing of the project as a purely community-minded neighborhood enhancement

* Tenants for the property:
La Scuola Culinary School
The centerpiece flagship, partnered with the Italian institute Dolce & Salato, providing professional and community-facing traditional cooking classes.

DePasquale’s Pastry & Dolce
Food concepts operating alongside an Italian fusion restaurant featuring expansive glass walls and a third-floor rooftop deck overlooking the Rose Kennedy Greenway.

Boutique Fashion & Design ( currently at 329 Hanover St.)
Dedicated spaces showcasing curated Italian clothing, luxury jewelry, artisan footwear, and an Italian furniture showroom.

Specialized Services (currently at 46 Cross St.)
A dedicated children's boutique and a specialized international travel agency originating out of Rome.

North End Historical Museum (currently at 3 Prince St.)
A community space explicitly designated to preserve and celebrate Italian-American heritage in Boston's oldest neighborhood
 
I didn't get a chance to snap a picture, but I learned yesterday that the signs also light up.
 
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The revised design gives me the feeling back from the strip malls on Ventura Blvd., from Woodland Hills to Studio City, sans the parked cars. I miss a lot in LA, but not that. All that's missing here is a nail salon, a Thai restaurant, and a Starbucks.

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RandomWalk said:
The signs feel like they someone mistook the renders for real business names and sent them to the fabricator.
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I hate that the signs for all the shops & businesses are the same white font and size. It would liven up the blandness a bit to have actual logos and fonts of different colors and shapes for each business.
 
I really wish that the awnings were a combination of red, white and green, the colors of the Italian flag. The building is so bland, a little color would do wonders here. Hopefully, the planters, window boxers filled with flowers, outdoor furniture with brightly colored umbrella's, along with festive outdoor lighting for the evening will liven things up!
 
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