Public Food Market | 136 Blackstone Street | Haymarket | Downtown

vanshnookenraggen said:
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This is a parking garage remember. And one that's been sitting empty (the retail portion) for over a decade. It's fine and this is a great project.
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I agree, from a utility standpoint, we should be glad. This space is now being used and we're opening up a nice market full of interesting vendors. On the other hand I just can't melt at the notion that 'this is it.' It feels so antithetical to the spirit of a public market.

I'd love to see what the inside will look like, but everything else just doesn't signal it's purpose. I imagine these things evoking color and the open air, sunlight etc. This feels like it's going to lead to Batman's old prison.
 
Bubbybu said:
I agree, from a utility standpoint, we should be glad. This space is now being used and we're opening up a nice market full of interesting vendors. On the other hand I just can't melt at the notion that 'this is it.' It feels so antithetical to the spirit of a public market.

I'd love to see what the inside will look like, but everything else just doesn't signal it's purpose. I imagine these things evoking color and the open air, sunlight etc. This feels like it's going to lead to Batman's old prison.
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Amen.
 
^ I get that. I do it all the time. But my question is whether it was ever possible for this project to include other improvements to the facade, or if such improvements were outside the scope?
 
coleslaw said:
No more and more food needs to be sourced locally. The reliance on food from all around the world is only possible with the usage of tremendous amounts off cheep energy (only possible with fossil fuels). We need to make drastic cuts in fossil fuel usage to have any chance of not wiping ourselves and virtually all life on earth out. So good on them for making this commitment. Sure you wont get all you want but it is surely what we need.
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Coleslaw -- give it a rest

The problem with limiting things to things produced in New England is that if you are talking fresh fruits and vegetables -- you are just limited -- a bit more for cheese and prepared meats and fruits and vegetables either frozen [oops energy] or canned

If you are talking fresh -- then outside of greenhouse grown tomatoes and lettuce you are talking things only available from July through November

That's why there were things such as the New England Boiled Dinner -- nothing was left in the the larder this time of year except turnips and carrots maybe a cabbage until the Ferns started uncurling and even then May and June might be hard

No the human race has benefited from the fact that today I can get some fresh blueberries picked a day or two ago in Chile and I don't even pay much more than I will in a month or so when I can get them from North Carolina
 
You think that is sustainable? Yeah it is cheep but there are hidden costs this is not due to some miraculous advancement this is due to fossil fuels that are destroying the planet. yeah its uncomfortable but we have to understand that this Isn't something that can continue. And We should realize that the fresh blueberries we get in the summer will taste way better than ones shipped half way around the world in the middle of winter. This is reality.
 
I can see this coming from a mile away:
All climate change posts (read: ridiculous information dumps) should be directed to the Climate Change Thread.
 
I am trying to keep it to the topic but I see this as essential to any kind of urban planning.
 
Given the location of the new market the facade fine. The real story will be inside. Will it be affordable or just another yuppie/tourist hangout? Can they attract a decent variety of vendors who will not be gouging the public? I'm thinking now of Copley Sq market once a week...I'd wander through it wishing I could actually buy some of the stuff there. There's got to be a happy medium between Walmart quality and Whole Foods prices.
 
Padre Mike said:
Given the location of the new market the facade fine. The real story will be inside. Will it be affordable or just another yuppie/tourist hangout? Can they attract a decent variety of vendors who will not be gouging the public? I'm thinking now of Copley Sq market once a week...I'd wander through it wishing I could actually buy some of the stuff there. There's got to be a happy medium between Walmart quality and Whole Foods prices.
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I share your concerns, but while it would be great to have a real farmers' market--great "regular," local produce without the ridiculous prices, not the silly Copley "Beth's Candied Ginger Organic Beet Muffins for 5.99 apiece"--I can also see a niche for a good upscale, gourmet produce-and-provisions market (but that would be impossible to keep local). I think the sustainability issue is so much more nuanced than is being discussed here, so I won't bother to weigh in, but while promotion of local products is terrific and could raise the bar for New England (and it needs raising) Boston is an increasingly international city with people accustomed to high-end ingredients. I'm still holding out hopes for an Eataly :).
 
Tombstoner said:
I share your concerns, but while it would be great to have a real farmers' market--great "regular," local produce without the ridiculous prices, not the silly Copley "Beth's Candied Ginger Organic Beet Muffins for 5.99 apiece"--I can also see a niche for a good upscale, gourmet produce-and-provisions market (but that would be impossible to keep local). I think the sustainability issue is so much more nuanced than is being discussed here, so I won't bother to weigh in, but while promotion of local products is terrific and could raise the bar for New England (and it needs raising) Boston is an increasingly international city with people accustomed to high-end ingredients. I'm still holding out hopes for an Eataly :).
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Eataly is a sure thing, straight from the horses mouth.

http://boston.eater.com/2015/2/13/8035441/eataly-boston-very-close
 
^^^^^^^^^^^^

Woohoo! I'll predict Eataly (come on, sign the damn lease!!) will find their perfect spot at the new retail space in the Prudential Center where 888 Boylston is going up! And to keep on topic, the produce, meats, cheeses, and other food items at the Public Food Market will probably be higher priced than what's found at the local supermarket but I'm sure the quality will be much higher as well. They sell beautiful stuff at the Grand Central Station Marketplace in NYC but it ain't exactly cheap! But it's all very good quality! I agree with Tombstoner, there is a market for this type of market in Boston.
 
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coleslaw said:
I am trying to keep it to the topic but I see this as essential to any kind of urban planning.
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Slaw -- that is absurd in all dimensions and levels of discussion

Let's put it in very concrete terms -- the probability of many more winters like the most recent one [snow / sleet this AM] is much greater than having to worry about heat waves in this part of the planet -- in other words there is no such thing as catastrophic anthropogenic climate change -- NONE!

Anyone who wants to believe in the Tooth Fairy is entitled to -- just don't build your retirement plans on the coins left under your pillow
 
atlantaden said:
^^^^^^^^^^^^

Woohoo! I'll predict Eataly (come on, sign the damn lease!!) will find their perfect spot at the new retail space in the Prudential Center where 888 Boylston is going up!
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From your mouth to God's ear!
 
atlantaden said:
^^^^^^^^^^^^

Woohoo! I'll predict Eataly (come on, sign the damn lease!!) will find their perfect spot at the new retail space in the Prudential Center where 888 Boylston is going up!
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Rumors have been that Eataly will in fact locate at 888 Boyslton. We should know soon.
 
Anyone know if the "Boston Public Market" sign, visible in this render (albeit for a separate project) will be a reality?

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Decent list, but I wish there was a bigger variety of produce and cheese vendors (though if the focus is on local, produce and cheese types could be pretty limited). Within the "meats" category, I hope some one or more of them specialized in real charcuterie.
 
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