Huge improvement. Anyone know the story on the corner column? Was it burried in there? Recovered from somewhere else? Doesn't seem to fit, but I'm not complaining.
It was buried in there.
Huge improvement. Anyone know the story on the corner column? Was it burried in there? Recovered from somewhere else? Doesn't seem to fit, but I'm not complaining.
It was buried in there.
A waste of money. It needs to be demolished and replaced with something more suitably sited and designed: a couple of supertalls with a gap to open up a street to the courthouse.
It'll be interesting to see what happens to DTX with the overall downturn in retail shopping. I would be happy for it to turn into some entertainment zone with good bars and restaurants.
And the particular "big box" type stores that are currently in Downtown Crossing are killing it right now (e.g., TJX stock is up 40+% year-to-date; they have a TJ Maxx and Marshall's in DTX and are opening a HomeGoods in the old H&M space).
I'm not saying the market might not evolve naturally in that direction (irrespective of any evolution of gov't regulation re: booze licenses), but, the implied notion here that DTX is somewhat thin on "good bars and restaurants" is, well, odd. There are literally dozens of bars and restaurants within any acceptable definition of "DTX", spanning the spectrum of quality and ambiance.
What it needs is a group of signature bars/restaurants *on* Washington St. Every food place on the main drag is either fast casual or lunch places (plus the Corner Mall *rolleyes*).
What it needs is a group of signature bars/restaurants *on* Washington St. Every food place on the main drag is either fast casual or lunch places (plus the Corner Mall *rolleyes*).
You mean like:
Legal Crossing
Ruka
Back Deck
Sip
Salvatore's
Q Restaurant
They are there; they are just clustered near the Theatre District, where the evening crowds are.
You mean like:
Legal Crossing
Ruka
Back Deck
Sip
Salvatore's
Q Restaurant
They are there; they are just clustered near the Theatre District, where the evening crowds are.
Did the theater district move from Stuart/Kneeland St?
No--it was merely eclipsed over the past 2 decades by the larger Theater District that is north of the Tremont/Boylston intersection:
Boston Opera House: 2,677 seats.
Paramount Center: 910 seats
Modern Theater: 185 seats.
Orpheum: 2,700 seats.
AMC Boston Common: 4,500 seats.
So, let's see... 10,972 seats. How many seats does your "Stuart/Kneeland" Theater District offer?
More than 40% of those seats you list is the AMC Boston Common??????? Are they booking live theatre???
More than 40% of those seats you list is the AMC Boston Common??????? Are they booking live theatre???
Me too! Sometimes my friends get mad at me because I always want to sit outside where possible. I love being in the urban environment rather than being in a dark climate controlled restaurant. Like when I was just in NYC, I had brunch on the sidewalk at Almond with a view of the Flatiron Building.The lack of restaurants is odd. All'aperto* dining on a busy pedestrian only street is among my favorite things any city can offer.
(*This is my snobby way of saying al fresco.)
Me too! Sometimes my friends get mad at me because I always want to sit outside where possible. I love being in the urban environment rather than being in a dark climate controlled restaurant. Like when I was just in NYC, I had brunch on the sidewalk at Almond with a view of the Flatiron Building.
Me too. Between the beer gardens and all of the restaurants that have added even a handful of outdoor seats, we're doing better. Downtown Crossing itself has added a ton (and it's utilized well). But Boston is frustratingly adverse to outdoor dining relative to other cities. It's not just because of the cold either. I'm always amazed at how Copenhagen, Montreal, Quebec City, and others create nearly year-round outdoor seating by adding heaters and a tarp over the tables. And we struggle to get tables outside from June-September. I almost always prefer to sit outside when it's an option.
Downtown Crossing (particularly Washington/Summer/Winter) would be perfect for a set of restaurants with outdoor dining/patio space. However, in order to accommodate permanent patio seating, Washington St. itself would have to become a much more pedestrian-friendly pedestrian street, and it's still thoroughly disappointing on that front. Between trucks and vehicles parked on the street and constantly having to move out of their way, it's not a great pedestrian zone at all. Summer/Winter are fine (though the activation on Winter could use work), but Washington sucks. It's half-assed.
/rant