North Station Expansion Project

The expanded concourse has a Dunkin Donuts and an Emack and Bolio's on the verge of opening, in addition to a newsstand and some sort of bar already in operation.
 
I don't have any pictures. The Dunks and Emack are behind temporary walls anyway.
 
On some other forums, people complain that the new retail is taking space that people need while waiting for trains. As far as I can see, it's not -- all the seating is still where it was.
 
Not all people sit down while they wait?
 
Ron Newman said:
On some other forums, people complain that the new retail is taking space that people need while waiting for trains. As far as I can see, it's not -- all the seating is still where it was.
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At the very least, the waiting area is about three times larger than before the renovation. They couldn't put enough kiosks in there to bring the waiting area back down to the size it was when it was just a hall way.
 
I'm in North station every single day, and the retail expansion has been great as far as I'm concerned. having the news stand there is great - it sucked before not being able to get a magazine or something to eat (thats not a donut). I will say I worry about the location of the new Dunks - a long enough line will interfere with the gate traffic, but we will see what happens.

oh, and the bar that they put in has been the PHENOMENAL - my job just keeps getting more stressful, and when I'm waiting for the 8:40 train back to Woburn I'm grateful for the ability to have a scotch before I get home...
 
^^ I rarely ever use North Station (Downeaster occasionally) but hasn't there always been a Mcdonalds there("always" meaning before the renovation)? I know it's not a huge upgrade over dunkin donuts (whose flatbread sandwiches aren't terrible, btw) but it's different anyway.
 
Yes, there has "always" (or at least, for about the last ten years) been a tiny McDonald's and a Dunkin Donuts in the narrow corridor. I assume that the relocation of Dunkin Donuts will result in an expanded McDonald's, but I don't know that for sure.
 
I'm impressed with further incremental improvements. All the retail has opened. Classic park benches were added, increasing seating quite a bit. Poster-sized ads were placed here and there, and they actually help make the space seem complete to me. The original single electronic schedule board now displays concert promos and two new boards show schedule information.

This expansion is so simple, was very necessary and is well-designed. I suppose there is nothing complicated about making a major passenger rail station work. I nominate the North Station expansion for project of the year.
 
Has the Dunkin' Donuts at North Station changed to a Donutn' Donuts as it has at Wellington and Sullivan?
 
Project of the year... that's high praise. Would love to see some pics.
 
Having not been to north station in over a year (the last time was right around the time they had completed/opened the expansion of the lobby area but nothing else), I must say I was very impressed with how it has turned out.

The retail fits well, the seating is a definite improvement, the big depature/arrival board is nice . . . even the weird semi-dark lighting--something I was very unimpressed with initially--seems to be less of a problem now.
 
The dark ceiling also goes along with the arena atmosphere, if you can call it atmosphere at the Garden. Most arenas leave the ceiling uncovered, and painted black, as do many theatres. I like it.
 
I was there for the first time since it was all re-done last weekend and was very impressed. It should have been like this since day one.
 
Corey said:
I was there for the first time since it was all re-done last weekend and was very impressed. It should have been like this since day one.
Click to expand...

Having never been in the pre-renovation North Station (well, not the Commuter Rail / Amtrak lobby anyway) I couldn't believe the pictures I saw of the old layout. It looked like a hospital hallway - not even a waiting area.

I love the way it is now.
 
I like the renovation as well, although I can't understand why they haven't dug a concourse from inside N. Station to inside the T stop. I would think that it would have made sense to do this when they put they green line under ground or when they renovated N. Station.
 
The T's expectation was that the owner of the vacant lot in front of the New Garden would develop it, and that development would absorb the current subway headhouse and provide an indoor connection to the commuter rail station. Hasn't happened so far.
 
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