Northeastern to Build in Burlington

Woburn? That's one of the ugliest town centers I've ever seen, or at least was a few years ago when I last saw it. Has it improved?

There are absolutely lovely parts of Woburn (such as Horn Pond), but the town center wasn't one of them.
 
I don't remember it being particularly bad -- working class neighborhood perhaps, but a nice urban main street.
 
bdurden said:
Stoneham, Woburn, Winchester, Lexington, Belmont...all have successful main streets. These are generally walkable communities with basic amenities that are ultimately bedroom communities to Boston. Burlington really services the Northern communities up Rt 3, and 128 who lack the convenience of Boston for shopping and restaurant/entertainment. Burlington is not designed to be urban, and from the looks of these new urbanism plans, it's not going to become urban.

It would have been great for Northeastern to ditch it's suburban school plans and take up residence in those Lowell mills, but I think now I'm shooting for the stars...
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I don't agree that these places have successful main streets. Most of these communities come to Burlington for shopping/restaurants/ammenities. I have friends/family that live in Arlington/Medford/Charlestown - they come to Burlington to shop - all of them. Maybe not all the time - but they often come to Burlington. With the exception of Belmont - because of the Watertown/Waltham restaurant scene - Stoneham/Woburn/Winchester/Lexington don't have the restaurant scene that Burlington has (Capital Grille, L'Andana, Escadrille, Dandelion Green, and a variety of others). Also - anyone that lives north of Burlington goes to NH to shop - save money on taxes. How many people from Billerica/Chelmsford/Tewksbury are going to be shopping in Nordstrom/Burberry? You might be correct about Burlington's center not being developed properly - that is all going to change in 10 years - it is already under major construction. However - your other opinions are way off.
 
Ron Newman said:
Woburn? That's one of the ugliest town centers I've ever seen, or at least was a few years ago when I last saw it. Has it improved?

There are absolutely lovely parts of Woburn (such as Horn Pond), but the town center wasn't one of them.
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Woburn Square has some a few nice restaurants, and a nice pub. It has turned around substantially from a decade ago.
 
Woburn has stepped up its town center. Maybe not some much architecturally, but they've added a couple of quality restaurant/bars. It was badly needed. Also Stoneham sq added a nice Indian restaraunt that is solid. To to go along w/ it Stoneham sq has a solid theater and couple of other restaurants making it ok. But as a whole Stoneham needs a couple of bars, not bars in restaruants. Wakefield also has a nice town center. But out of all these comunities Melrose has the best downtown area.
 
Where is this Burlington restaurant district that you write about, bostononian1979 ?
 
Ron Newman said:
Where is this Burlington restaurant district that you write about, bostononian1979 ?
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Cambridge Street - or directly off of Cambridge Street. I didn't refer to this as a restaurant district, I merely referenced restaurants - not including cheesy chains (Chili's, Macaroni Grill, etc.) and have no affiliation with the Burlington Mall. I didn't mention Lester's BBQ, Korean BBQ, Summer/Winter, Papa Razzi (kind of chainish), Ginger Pad, FitzWilliams...and these aren't including the Middlesex turnpike/Mall area/chain's. If I included that it would be Chili's, Macaroni Grill, Border Cafe, Cheesecake Factory, Legal Sea Food, Rain Forest Cafe, Not your Average Joe's...these are just the restaurants that I think of off of the top of my head. There are probably 10-15 more...
 
Ron Newman said:
Woburn? That's one of the ugliest town centers I've ever seen
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I find this statement pretty surprising from Ron. Although I didn't expect much on my first trip to downtown Woburn 5 years ago, I was pleasantly surprised. I think 9 out of 10 Boston suburbs would be fortunate to have a downtown with the bones of Woburn's. The character of downtown Woburn is very different from what you see from the interstate and the post-war subdivision's on the outskirts of town.

Perhaps your comment was about the mix of businesses (which could stand to be improved)? Or perhaps we're talking about different places. I'm referring to the Common, Main Street (between Salem and High), and the few blocks of Pleasant Street out to the library.
 
I should go take another look. When I last visited it seemed very junky, not at all like the centers of Lexington, Waltham, Winchester, or Melrose.
 
Ron Newman said:
I should go take another look. When I last visited it seemed very junky, not at all like the centers of Lexington, Waltham, Winchester, or Melrose.
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Not sure what the big deal is about Lexington, Winchester, Melrose...seems very tacky to pinpoint these places. I don't know anybody that would go to Winchester Center for dinner - my buddy lives 1/2 mile away and never goes there. I'd rather go to MASA on the Woburn/Winchester line- I'd rather go to Woburn Square...Lexington has Vinny T's and a couple of other Italian restaurants...Waltham has a great downtown/Moody street..and Melrose - everyone I know from Melrose goes to Malden. I guess growing up in greater Boston - I never really thought of those places as very great. Who goes out of there way to eat in Lexington, Winchester, or Melrose?
 
I was not talking about these places as restaurant rows (though Waltham's is awesome), but rather just as pleasant urban (or suburban) places to walk around, see people, look in shop windows, etc.
 
statler said:
Whaaa...?

Turner's, Stearns' & Hill, Mexico Lindo, Bobby C's.

vs.

Uh... The Dockside? Piza Pizza? Two Paisan's Pizza? Applebee's?
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Malden - Pearl Street Station, Exchange Street Bistro, All Season's, Fulloon...just to name a few. I'm not sure if you are serious but my point was people I know (born and raised in Melrose) always went to Malden for entertainment/food/drink...kind of like everyone from Medford doing the same going to Somerville or Malden.
 
Ron Newman said:
I was not talking about these places as restaurant rows (though Waltham's is awesome), but rather just as pleasant urban (or suburban) places to walk around, see people, look in shop windows, etc.
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Sure, makes sense. I agree that these centers do have that walkable feel. But never places to go as destination, more/less people that live there go there - or in a surrouding community. We used to go to Woburn Square, Lexington Center, various squares in Somerville/Cambridge. Don't get me wrong - Burlington Center is the one of the ugliest centers north of Boston - there are a ton of other communities that I could say have the ugly - 50'6/60's designed center. However, like I 've mentioned several times in this string - within the next 10 years this will be totally different. I gurantee it.
 
I dunno. Maybe it's just me. I (unfortunately) live in Malden and nine times out of ten I'll head out to Melrose if I'm going out to dinner nearby. I don't find downtown Malden a very pleasant place. Main St Melrose, on the other hand is wonderful.
 
bostononian1979 said:
Sure, makes sense. I agree that these centers do have that walkable feel. But never places to go as destination, more/less people that live there go there - or in a surrouding community. We used to go to Woburn Square, Lexington Center, various squares in Somerville/Cambridge. Don't get me wrong - Burlington Center is the one of the ugliest centers north of Boston - there are a ton of other communities that I could say have the ugly - 50'6/60's designed center. However, like I 've mentioned several times in this string - within the next 10 years this will be totally different. I gurantee it.
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Take a ride through there...there is a TON of construction. The strip malls are eventually going to be brought to the street - within a couple of years, tons of apartments/townhouses being built, and infrastructure in place to make this all happen. It has been a WIP for years, and finally they passed the rezoning - by the way, with a strong vote from the people. The big picture is to change the ugly 50's town center.
 
Malen's striaght, but Melrose is good for food. If you like sushi you really need to try Sushi Corner it's on the back side of CVS in the shaws parking lot. It's just a hole in the wall but really good and BYOB.

For Malden I'd recomend Four Seaons on Pleasant st. Classy, unlike the Honey Fitz right down the street.
 
bostononian1979 said:
It has been a WIP for years, and finally they passed the rezoning - by the way, with a strong vote from the people. The big picture is to change the ugly 50's town center.
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If I recall correctly, it was overwhelmingly passed at Town Meeting and then challenged in an override referendum, which failed and confirmed Town Meeting's vote.
 
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