0 Downtown Crossing Transformation Nears Completion

construction in Boston's downtown crossing

Credit: NY Times

Live, work & play.  Downtown crossing is in the final phase of its transformation.  23 years ago I moved back to Boston from California and took the T to Park Street and walked to Milk Street daily.  At that time you could still buy a suit at Filene’s Basement.  Over those years we have seen retailers come and go and some shuttered buildings evolve to residential buildings.  Now, we are seeing the area become a destination location for office workers priced out of E. Cambridge, but wish to maintain Red Line access.  1,000 new housing units are coming online and the repurposing of the Daniel H. Burnham building into offices for Arnold Communications.

A national voice on Downtown Crossing, the NY Times, describes “some $4 billion in private investment over the last decade is finally stoking the long-neglected district with both a new attitude and fresh appeal. Developers are rapidly reinventing Downtown Crossing as an upscale residential neighborhood filled with stores, restaurants and cafes catering to students and young professionals.”

The NYT article is available online: New Energy Rouses Boston’s Downtown Crossing

0 Demolition to Begin on Filene’s in Downtown Crossing

Demoliton on old Filenes building in downtown crossing

Credit: City of Boston (via BBJ)

More changes this week for Filene’s at Downtown Crossing. Parts of the historic structure will be incorporated into a new community park.

“On Saturday and Sunday, July 20 and 21st, workers from Suffolk Construction will demolish the remainder of the 1905 Jones, McDuffee and Stratton Co. building at the corner of Franklin and Hawley streets that housed Filene’s for many years…The new $615 million Millennium Tower will include 600 condominiums and apartments, up to 218,000 square feet of office space and 231,000 square feet of retail.”

Additional details are provided in the BBJ’s full article

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