ANTHONY: CENTRAL SQUARE SITS BETWEEN HARVARD AND KINDLE SQUARES AND HAS LONG BEEN OVER SHATTERED.
SHAYNA: MANY REGARD IT AS THE MOST DIVERSE AND DYNAMIC NEIGHBORHOOD.
♪ >> A LOT OF FOLKS SAY THAT CENTRAL SQUARE IS GREAT.
I SAY WE HAVE A LOT OF CHARACTER.
>> ITS CHARACTER IS AN ATTRACTION SAYS MICHAEL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL SQUARE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
JUST CHECK OUT CITY HALL’S NICE LAWN.
>> WE HAVE A GOOD MIX OF RESIDENTS AND WORKERS, 25,000 WITHIN CENTRAL SQUARE PROPER, AND 11,000 WORKERS WHO ARE HERE ON A DAILY BASIS.
>> NOT TO MENTION 120 BUSINESSES , MANY NEW AND CLUSTERED ON MASS AVENUE COME A GROCERY STORES, DIVERSE RESTAURANTS, RETAIL AND OFFICE SPACE COME INCLUDING WE WORK.
>> WE WORK HAS 650 DESKS, AND IT IS REALLY THIS COMMUNAL WORKSPACE, SO WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS A BREAK FROM THE NORM AT BRICK-AND-MORTAR, A BREAK FROM TRADITIONAL OFFICE SPACE, AND IT
IS PLACES LIKE THIS THAT INVOKE AND INSPIRE CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURIALISM.
♪ >> SOON TO COME ON MASS AVENUE, A 300-UNIT APARTMENT COMPLEX, MASS AND MAINE IS SET TO BREAK GROUND THIS SUMMER.
>> IT TAKES THREE BUILDINGS AND TWO CITY BLOCKS.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS, AND NEW FLUX OF HOUSING COMES INTO THE COMMUNITY, SOME UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HIM OF THE REST MARKET RATE.
>> A GO TO FOR AFFORDABLE SHOPPING.
TARGET OPENED LAST YEAR.
>> A LOT OF OUR GUESTS ARE WALKERS, SO IT GIVES THEM ACCESS WITHOUT HAVING TO ORDER ONLINE OR TAKE LONG TRAINS.
>> A SENIOR LEADER AT THE STORE.
>> IT BROUGHT I OF CATEGORIES INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WERE HARD TO FIND.
BEING A COMMUNITY MEMBER, I WAS EXCITED, BUT IT HAS REALLY BEEN SOME OF OUR BIGGEST CATEGORIES.
>> NEW IS GREAT, AND OLD IS TOO.
SHE PRAISES LONG TIME RETAILERS, INCLUDING UNIVERSITY STATIONARY, OPEN SINCE 1929.
THANK YOU.
>> IT IS IMPORTANT THAT OUR MOM AND POP STORES HERE FOR DECADES WHO HAVE FAMILY HISTORY CONTINUE TO STAY HERE AND WE WORK TO FIND WAYS FOR THEM TO THRIVE.
♪ >> JUST AS IMPORTANT AS BUSINESS IS THE SQUARES STATE DESIGNATION AS A CULTURAL DISTRICT.
>> WE CELEBRATE THE FACT WE HAVE GREAT DIVERSITY AND THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF ART CENTERS, THEATERS, AND NON-FOR PROFITS THAT SUPPORT THE ARTS.
>> IN ADDITION TO THE THEATER AND DANCE, THERE ARE OUTDOOR ART SPACES, INCLUDING GRAFFITI ALLEY , ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE WALLS ARE WELCOME TO STREET ARTISTS, AND OF COURSE CENTRAL SQUARE HAS
LONG BEEN KNOWN FOR ITS MUSIC SCENE.
SONIA IS A NEW ALL AGES CLUB THAT OPENED IN MARCH.
>> SADLY MULTIPLE VENUES HAVE BEEN CLOSING AROUND THE CITY.
INSTEAD OF ONE CLOSING, THERE IS ONE OPENING FOR A CHANGE.
THE OWNERS BOUGHT THIS ENTIRE PROPERTY, WHICH INCLUDED THIS SPACE.
>> THE SPACE, WHICH WAS GUTTED FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, HOLDS 350 PEOPLE.
>> WE WILL CONTINUE THE MIDDLE EASTERN DECISION -- TRADITION OF BEING NOT LOCKED DOWN, HIP-HOP, FOLK, ELECTRONIC, ROCK ’N ROLL, ANYTHING COOL AND INTERESTING AND ENTERTAINING.
♪ >> ANOTHER NEW TENANT, LITTLE DOGGIE, A RESTAURANT RUN BY THE OWNERS.
>> WE FELT LIKE IT WAS GREAT.
WE WERE HAVING A BLAST, BUT THE DRIVE TO COME BACK TO BOSTON, CENTRAL SQUARE IS A NEIGHBORHOOD I USED TO LIVE IN.
WE ARE NEAR HIM I.T., HARVARD, TRAIN STOP HERE.
YOU CAN GET HERE FROM ANYWHERE IN THE CITY PRETTY EASILY.
>> LITTLE DONKEY IS OPEN FOR BRUNCH, WE CAN BRUNCH, AND DINNER.
WHY THE NAME?
>> NO SPECIFIC CULTURE, NO SPECIFIC CUISINE, SO WE WENT WITH LITTLE DONKEY BECAUSE THEY ARE IN EVERY CULTURE, COMFORT ANIMALS, WORKHORSES COME AND THAT’S WHAT WE WANT THIS
RESTAURANT TO BE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHEN I AM ASKED TO DESCRIBE WHAT KIND OF FOOD.
IT’S LIKE IF YOU CAME OVER TO OUR APARTMENT AND WE SAID WE WILL COOK FOR YOU.
>> SHELLFISH PLATTER WITH OYSTERS, HOUSEMAID BE AN AMI’S BOLOGNA -- HOUSEMAID BACON WITH JAM AND OPINIONS.
>> THE BEAUTY IS WE HAVE A COMPLETE CAMPUS THAT IS BLANK.
WE CAN DO ANYTHING WE WANT.
ANTHONY: LOTS OF NEW CONSTRUCTION AND CENTRAL SQUARE AS WE MENTIONED.
THAT MASS AVENUE AND MAIN A CARPENTER BLOCKS -- APARTMENT COMPLEX.
SHAYNA: WITH ALL THIS, GENTRIFICATION IS A CONCERN AND CENTRAL SQUARE.
TO HELP RESIDENTS, THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND THE CITY ARE WORKING TOGETHER AND TRYING TO BRING IN A LOT OF COMMUNITY EVENTS TO THE AREA AS WELL.
ANTHONY: HOW IS THIS FOR A DEAL?
FILL UP ON DINNER WITHOUT ENDING YOUR WALLET.
>> A FEAST FOR $10.