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Old 08-28-2009, 10:50 PM
 
136 posts, read 460,952 times
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We've (almost) all have shopped there whether it be the department store, discount store, multi-story music store, sandwich shop, etc.. Yes, Downtown Crossing does have a lot to offer - but with the former Filene's building half demo'd, what would you want to take it's place?? What would suit the needs of residents the most??

My vote would be for Target, without a doubt.
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Old 08-29-2009, 05:03 AM
 
Location: Cambridge, MA
4,882 posts, read 13,748,929 times
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There should be a yuppie nat-food store there like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods.
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Old 08-29-2009, 09:44 AM
 
Location: Boston, MA
3,961 posts, read 5,705,180 times
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There is already a Whole Foods in nearby Charles River Village. Downtown Crossing may not suit so well for a supermarket because of the heavy pedestrian congestion.

I definitely would rather see a JC Penney in the spot. There are none at all inside the 128 belt.
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Old 08-29-2009, 10:40 AM
 
Location: Providence, RI
12,595 posts, read 21,744,776 times
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I'd like to see Gale Int'll secure the last hundred or so million needed to continue the construction and get One Franklin (Filenes) off the ground. I also want to see the residential portion of this project expanded back to the initial proposal (I BELIEVE it's been phased out entirely)... It seems incredibly shortsighted to me for the company to phase a residential portion of a project out because the market is weak NOW... this is a building that will likely be an anchor to this area for a century or more. If you continue to add residents to the area (even temporary ones like Suffolk or Emmerson students), there may be a need for a small to mid-size grocery store, but I don't like a supermarket there (though the current DTX residents obviously may feel differently).

Personally, I'd like to some more open-air/outdoor dining options in the area in addition to a generally better mix of uses. The problem is that the district becomes VERY quiet after the work day. If you really want to stimulate an area, you have to have businesses that create activity at all hours. If you add residential units to the area, that's one way to keep it active; but it can't stop there. Restaurants, bars, stores, breakfast places, cafes, pharmacies, banks, etc all serve different purposes at different hours of the day. By simply doing that, they make DTX and all hours destination. We're not talking about a district that's "dead" (it's location prevents from being dead), but it could use a lot better mix. JC Penny would make a good addition to the area.

On a related note, I certainly hope they keep it pedestrian only on Washington. In no way will allowing cars help the area out at all.
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Old 08-30-2009, 09:41 PM
 
136 posts, read 460,952 times
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Good points by all. Irfox - excellent points on having the variety of establishments to support DTX residents. I imagine that, like one's 401k, it's best to have some diversity and not put all the eggs in one basket (though I do still love Target, lol). As you note, this is not a short-term deal and is a real opportunity to set the tone for the next 50 years - hopefully it'll get done and be done right.

What's the target market for JC Penny's these days in a location like DTX? While I walk *through* JCP when forced to go to the mall, it's never a destination. The family tends (wife & myself, two young boys) to be outlet shoppers. Nothing fancy, just they way we've adjusted our buying habits, I suppose.
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Old 08-31-2009, 01:11 PM
 
94 posts, read 256,246 times
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As a future Boston area resident, I've noticed you don't have World Market/Cost Plus stores. Think of it as a cross between Pier One, a local wine merchant and an ethnic food grocery...
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Old 08-31-2009, 06:20 PM
 
Location: Providence, RI
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^That sounds like a perfect fit.
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Old 08-31-2009, 09:48 PM
 
Location: Boston area
68 posts, read 182,455 times
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I'm not a big fan of most chains (I feel sort of, well, they're everywhere & I don't have much choice..) but I used to live in AZ and boy, did I love the World Market/Cost Plus there.

Irfox, you made some terrific points. Wouldn't it be great if they'd have this sort of foresight, to really make the spot livable?? They used to have, at least, those little food stands around the Filene's building. I was sad to see them go. (Need I lament the fact that Boston really lacks truck food, too - those food stands were probably as close as you'd get to that sort of thing in that area.

I'd like to see more things that would encourage small businesses, along with the arts & nice living spaces.
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Old 09-01-2009, 01:38 AM
 
Location: Cambridge, MA
4,882 posts, read 13,748,929 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by heyho View Post
As a future Boston area resident, I've noticed you don't have World Market/Cost Plus stores. Think of it as a cross between Pier One, a local wine merchant and an ethnic food grocery...
You're not apt to see one here. The chain is in "bankruptcy protection" and has closed many if not most of its locations.
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Old 09-02-2009, 06:17 PM
 
Location: Boston, MA
3,961 posts, read 5,705,180 times
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We briefly had an experimental store like that sort at the Prudential Center called Marche. If none of you remember it, it's all right because that shows how quickly it closed up shop. Weird because I would have thought shoppers of Prudential Center would go to such a store. I wonder if a store like that would survive in the now lower income Downtown Crossing Area.
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