Downtown Crossing/Financial District | Discussion

No. Though they have some sort of easement or lease for what's now an entrance to the northbound Chinatown T station. That used to be the main entrance to the RKO Boston (later Cinerama) theatre.
 
Back in the 80's, or around then, two brothers from Texas bought the building. I think it was the Bass brothers.
 
You used to be able to see into the top few seating rows of the theatre from the Essex Street entrance. Unfortunately, those doors have been covered with opaque material since then.
 
I just took a walk through Downtown Crossing. One thing that struck me as an obvious fix would be to invest in upgrading the brick portion of Winter Street that extends from Tremont to Washington. It's a mess over there. The bricks need repair, numerous store fronts are vacant (how many years is the old Finagle space in its prime location going to sit vacant?) and frankly the retail that does exist on that stretch is terrible. A few cafes/bars with outdoor seating coupled with a re-do of the brick and general clean up of the area would do wonders for Downtown Crossing.
 
The question is: why hasn't anyone stepped up to open such a shop? It seems like there's plenty of foot traffic. Leases too pricey?
 
BosDevelop said:
(how many years is the old Finagle space in its prime location going to sit vacant?)
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Finagle's lease was bought out by a bank which was doing renovations, but it seems like that has stalled or at least moving very slowly.
 
BeeLine, that's not the block where they're putting in the new boutique hotel?
 
Downtown needs a diner.

Something I LOVE about my trips to Chicago, Philly, New York, LA, and San Francisco are that you can find 24-hour diners in the most urban parts of town, and they always have some activity inside & out. I don't care if it's a Mel's Diner, a Johnny Rockets, or (dare I say it) some locally-owned independent establishment... there is a dearth of diner-style establishments in the city, and that should change.
 
commuter guy said:
Finagle's lease was bought out by a bank which was doing renovations, but it seems like that has stalled or at least moving very slowly.
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A bank of that size does not take 2 years to build out (and there hasn't been construction at that site since Finagle moved out). I thought I read the bank (wasn't it supposed to be one of the chi chi Capital Ones that doubles as a cafe?) was not happening. The right restaurant/bar could make an absolute killing in that spot even with the undoubtedly high rent. How about something in a similar vein (only a bit bigger) as JM Curley or Silvertone?
 
BosDevelop said:
I just took a walk through Downtown Crossing. One thing that struck me as an obvious fix would be to invest in upgrading the brick portion of Winter Street that extends from Tremont to Washington. It's a mess over there. The bricks need repair, numerous store fronts are vacant (how many years is the old Finagle space in its prime location going to sit vacant?) and frankly the retail that does exist on that stretch is terrible. A few cafes/bars with outdoor seating coupled with a re-do of the brick and general clean up of the area would do wonders for Downtown Crossing.
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My commute used to take me down Winter Street, and every day I used to walk past what was then a vacant mattress store (at the corner leading to Locke Ober). For over a year I imagined what could go there to bring some life to that block. One day I stopped and read the plaque on the building listing it as the site of Samuel Adams' house. It finally hit me that the building would be an ideal spot for a Sam Adams Brewery/Beer Garden-- two stories inside with a seasonal roof deck on top. Tourists would flood in, being only yards from the Freedom Trail and Common; thirsty commuters would flood in after work before hopping on the Green, Red or Orange lines. Everyone drinking exclusive specialty brews of Sam Adams beer on the very spot where Sam Adams lived (and brewed?). The entire block would become a 7-day a week destination.

Alas, less than a week after this epiphone, construction began to turn it into a TD Bank branch.... :-/
 
BosDevelop said:
I just took a walk through Downtown Crossing. One thing that struck me as an obvious fix would be to invest in upgrading the brick portion of Winter Street that extends from Tremont to Washington. It's a mess over there. The bricks need repair, numerous store fronts are vacant (how many years is the old Finagle space in its prime location going to sit vacant?) and frankly the retail that does exist on that stretch is terrible. A few cafes/bars with outdoor seating coupled with a re-do of the brick and general clean up of the area would do wonders for Downtown Crossing.
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1.) Think of the volume of heavy vehicles--ambulances, delivery trucks, etc.--that absolutely murder those bricks day after month after year. It's the tragic/absurd limbo state of the DTC pedestrian zone--a pedestrian zone that nonetheless allows continuous heavy vehicle traffic--which causes those bricks to not be fixed. Come up with a definitive solution to the DTC pedestrian zone dilemma, then you can get those bricks fixed.

2.) As others have noted, the Finagle space is being developed into a Capital Bank with cafe. The cafe component is what's causing it to take so long. The development is definitely not stalled.

3.) Winter Place would make a perfect cafe seating spot. Whatever restaurant replaces Locke-Ober would be crazy not to capitalize on the most natural cafe area in DTC.
 
Toonie29 said:
Alas, less than a week after this epiphone, construction began to turn it into a TD Bank branch.... :-/
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oLDe unslE givin me EPIPHONE TOO!!! iTSa RIVOLI bASS. I pLAy tOOnie tOO!!!!

YOU can puttHE money in. BUT. NOT GOOD BANK. Bad fOr tone. tRY RICKENBANKER
 
I will say that Boston does not have much of a 24/7 diner culture. That's OK though, as most of those places are disgusting. It is impossible to walk past the one near me without getting blasted with hot bacon grease exhaust fan air as you walk by.

dshoost88 said:
Downtown needs a diner.

Something I LOVE about my trips to Chicago, Philly, New York, LA, and San Francisco are that you can find 24-hour diners in the most urban parts of town, and they always have some activity inside & out. I don't care if it's a Mel's Diner, a Johnny Rockets, or (dare I say it) some locally-owned independent establishment... there is a dearth of diner-style establishments in the city, and that should change.
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Miss Worcester or Boulevard Diner, ok. Johnny Rockets or Mel's Diner... no thanks!
 
Czervik.Construction said:
I will say that Boston does not have much of a 24/7 diner culture. That's OK though, as most of those places are disgusting. It is impossible to walk past the one near me without getting blasted with hot bacon grease exhaust fan air as you walk by.
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I think it's because they don't really exist in Boston. Build them and they will come, especially with all the college kids around here.
 
KentXie said:
I think it's because they don't really exist in Boston. Build them and they will come, especially with all the college kids around here.
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I agree. We don't have a 24/7 diner culture because there are so few 24/7 dining options and so few 24/7 transportation options.
 
tobyjug said:
Miss Worcester or Boulevard Diner, ok. Johnny Rockets or Mel's Diner... no thanks!
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Or something like this:
9501420873_05799773be_z.jpg
 
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