Restroom to restaurant? Idea offered for Common
Group says it could revitalize bleak corner
By Meghan E. Irons, Globe Staff | August 27, 2009
For three decades, the drab, dreary structure has sat unused and unnoticed on the southeast corner of Boston Common, near the athletic fields and tennis courts. Joggers pass by with hardly a glance.
Now some in the city are hoping to transform the former men?s comfort station, otherwise known as a restroom, into an eating establishment.
Supporters say that, once renovated, a new restaurant or concession stand would restore vitality, tamp down crime, and create positive activities on a corner of the Common that badly needs them.
Park users generally like the concept, though some are not too keen on the idea of serving food at the site of an old bathroom.
?That?s kind of gross,?? said Quincy law student Jeanna Morris, laughing as she sat with a friend on the Common. ?I think it?s an interesting idea to put more food concession stands around here . . . but don?t tell people that it was a restroom.??
The Boston Parks and Recreation Department began soliciting ideas earlier this month for the reuse of the 1920s single-story building, known as the Pink Panther. Park officials want ideas for a permanent food establishment there, but they are open to other suggestions.
?This is an area of the Common that we would love to see more activity in,?? said Mary Hines, the Parks Department spokeswoman. ?We know that the possibility of this being transformed into a positive site is there. It can positively work.??
So far they have received no response to their request for ideas.
Those pushing the restaurant or concession option shrug off the notion that a dining room at the site is a bit, well, unsavory.
?You gut it out and make it look nice,?? said Salvatore LaMattina, one of three city councilors pressing the idea. ?I think it has potential.??
Most people do not know that the building was once a public bathroom, he added.
Park users have few options to dine. There is a snack shop near the Frog Pond playground and a few food carts. But ideas have been circulating about how to increase the offerings at the nation?s oldest park.
Attempts have been made, but success has been fleeting. In 1997, Emerson College spent thousands of dollars setting up a seasonal cafe at Boylston and Tremont streets. But it was never profitable and closed for good in June.
The Italian restaurant, BiNA Osteria, decided to give it a try shortly thereafter at the same location. But it closed in July, after just one month there.
To succeed, a restaurant would need to offer wine and beer on its menu, especially if it wants to draw theater and art show patrons looking for a spot to unwind, said Councilor Michael P. Ross, who is pushing the idea, along with fellow councilors LaMattina and William Linehan.
Last year, the councilors, members of the Special Committee on Boston Common, proposed a permanent eating establishment on the Common, one with indoor and outdoor seating.
They were inspired by a trip they made to New York with a local team of restaurateurs, neighborhood representatives, and park officials to research ideas.
The group visited Madison Square Park, Central Park, and Bryant Park, and members liked what they saw. Each has a restaurant where patrons can sit down for a meal.
?There is no reason why we couldn?t have our own version,?? Linehan said.
Now the councilors hope their latest pitch to restore and reuse the old bathroom will get some traction.
?Our hope is that by January, the city will be prepared to go to forward with a well-thought-out bid that would reflect the sentiment of the community,?? Ross said.
The 660-square-foot octagonal building will need a lot of repairs and a lot more money to renovate it. Work will include removing hazardous materials, stabilizing and renovating its exterior, and installing water and sewer connection. Because it is a historic site, the Boston Landmarks Commission will need to review and approve the project.
Colin Zick, a member of the Beacon Hill Civic Association, said he likes the idea of a restaurant or concession stand at the old bathroom site, but would welcome other options, as well.
?I?m open to any good ideas that are consistent with the historical context and uses of the Common,?? said Zick, who also went on the New York trip.
Park users, even those who know of the building?s former life, have a few ideas of their own.
?Right now it?s . . . something you stay away from,?? said Emerson College graduate Lee Czemba, 22, who supports the idea of a burger shack on the spot. ?So if it is something that would brighten this side of the Common, then it would make the whole thing a lot more welcoming toward the evenings.??
Meghan E. Irons can be reached
mirons@globe.com.
