Memo to newcomers: Filene's Basement
Universal Hub was surprised to read this today:
Federated also announced in March that they are planning on turning most of the May Department Stores into Macy's. This would then mean our Filene's and the bargain basement included, could become a Macy's (an higher chance if Target is eyeing the Macy's property on Summer Street).
Universal Hub was surprised because, as somebody who has lived in Boston for more than six months, Universal Hub knows that Filene's Basement has not been part of Filene's for ages. It's owned by
Retail Ventures, Inc., which has absolutely nothing to do with the Federated/May merger. Universal Hub is not too proud to admit that Universal Hub does not know whether Filene's Basement has a longterm lease on its downtown basement or whether it owns the property outright, but in either case, unless May plans on buying Retail Ventures (one never knows), the Basement will stay downtown.
But wait, there's more:
While many other cities have recently welcomed large chain stores into their downtowns, saving city folks a trip into the 'burbs, Boston has yet to really jump on this bandwagon. (In terms of Target, one has to travel all the way to Somerville, Watertown or the South Bay Center off I-93.)
Oh, dear! Has the South Bay shopping center suddenly seceded from Boston without Universal Hub's knowledge? Then again, as a Roslindale resident, you cannot imagine how sorry Universal Hub feels for people who have to travel all the way to Watertown or Somerville to shop at a Target. It must be how Universal Hub feels about driving all the way to Dedham to shop at Linens 'N' Things.
Bostonist does love the Target and introducing it into Downtown Crossing will be another step in Menino's plan to class it up from the porn-ridden area it once was.
Universal Hub wonders where all the porn was Downtown Crossing used to be ridden with. Did somebody extend Downtown Crossing all the way down Lower Washington (you know, past the, um, Ladder District) to Chinatown without notifying Universal Hub?
Behold the seedy face of porn-ridden Downtown Crossing, all the way by Stuart and Kneeland:
| 
| 
Re: Target in the city
There's also a brand new Target right over the East Boston line on Route 1A in Revere, about 500 yards from Suffolk Downs and 1000 yards from Logan International Airport. Yep, too bad it's such a long haul to find one. Now IKEA, on the other hand ....
Tarzhay!
Yeah, and the Watertown one is, what, 2/10 of a mile outside city limits? The 70 out of Central Square stops right there, or it's about a 5-minute drive from my place in Brighton, with most of the drive being in Brighton.
the Basement
Of course, the reason Retail Ventures now owns the Basement is that the Basement went bankrupt. Retail Ventures was once known as Schottenstein's Stores of Columbus, Ohio.
Off Target?
The other question is whether Target now knows where Boston is. They didn't in 1999.
Right on Target
Oh, universal hub, the older and wiser friend in the city. Thanks for pointing out our mistakes...We do however want your readers to note that we refered to "Filene's and HER basement". As I'm sure you do know, Filene's was started by a dude with the surname Filene, not like our Auntie Filene. And, for the record, in our February post...only weeks after our birth...we mentioned our knowledge that the basement is indeed a seperate entity even if it didn't come through quite so clear yesterday.
Being born myself in 1979 I can't remember the seedy, porn-infested Downtown Crossing (Combat Zone) area before the makeover, but somehow it keeps coming up. We'll see you at Centerfolds.
Um, wasn't the "combat zone"
Um, wasn't the "combat zone" actually Chinatown? I remember something about that when Scollay Square was paved over Chinatown was rezoned as an adult entertainment district and the combat zone was born. However, a Fromer's Guide says the Combat Zone is the Ladder District. But neither are Downtown Crossing. (anyone else feel that Boston is the smallest city with the most freakin' "districts"?)
Anyone here old enough to remember or can find a reliable webpage showing where the limits of the adult entertainment zone were?
Right.
And Centerfolds is definitely not in Downtown Crossing. Nor are any of the remaining adult places (the Glass Slipper, a video/book store on Washington and another video/book store on Kneeland).
centerfolding
Right, Centerfolds isn't in Downtown Crossing...and I don't go there. So it would be hard to meet there. The "adult themed" venues you mention are still in operating though all of them are outside the Crossing, what does this prove? Was there never a time that Downtown Crossing was more seedy than it is now? Seems to me that revitalizations happen only to places that have seen better days.
Downtown Crossing
I believe the Downtown Crossing in Ottumwa was once rather seedy, perhaps that is what is causing this confusion.
Yes, but ...
Downtown Crossing has been seedier (and also nicer). What caught my eye originally in the Bostonist post was the "porn-ridden" part. Just because a place is seedy doesn't mean it also has porn shops, and I don't recall there being porn shops in what most people consider Downtown Crossing. Granted, two or three blocks away isn't all that far to walk but ...
Downtown Crossing, the Combat Zone, and Chinatown
The "combat zone" was an area along Washington Street, from Stuart Street up to around Avery, and including small pieces of side streets such as La Grange, Boylston, Essex, and Beach. I think of this area as south of Downtown Crossing, not as part of the Crossing.
The furthest north porno theatre was the Mayflower, which was originally built as the Modern. After it closed as a movie theatre, it briefly reopened under the Modern name for a couple years in the early 1980s, presenting live theatre and experimental music. It's been closed since then and is still awaiting restoration or reuse.
The Combat Zone's last operating porno theatre was the Pilgrim, which closed in 1995 and was demolished the following year. A residential tower called Park Essex is now under construction on the Pilgrim's former site.
Chinatown historically was well east of the Combat Zone, and the heart of Chinatown (such as the Tyler Street restaurant row) still is. In the 1980s, the city encouraged Chinese businesses to expand westward towards Washington Street in order to drive out the Combat Zone. In 1987, the MBTA renamed the "Essex" Orange Line station to "Chinatown" as part of this effort. Gradually, Chinese grocers and restaurants began to displace adult bookstores, peep shows, and porno theatres.
The Center Theatre became the Pagoda Theatre and began showing Asian kung-fu movies. Later it closed and was converted to the current Empire Garden restaurant. The Essex Cinema (originally the RKO Boston and later the Boston Cinerama) changed its name to Star Cinema and also began showing Chinese films. It closed over ten years ago and has been sitting empty ever since.
Target T stop?
You are all correct. The Targets in Somerville, Watertown and South Bay Center are not at all far in distance from downtown...but for those who have to T it everywhere, those Targets are not as close as I'd like...if anyone wants to plan a Target trip, let me know. I'm in.
Downtown Crossing...
... is a fairly new name, created in 1978 when Washington, Summer, and Winter streets were closed to most motor traffic. Many of the buildings were fitted with glass canopies to give the area a more uniform look and shelter pedestrians from the rain. Over the following decades, all of these canopies gradually disappeared.
The "Washington" T station was renamed "Downtown Crossing" in 1987, at the same time as "Essex" station was renamed "Chinatown".
Is it me or are all of these
Is it me or are all of these "ist" sites running the same course as MTV's The Real World did? Like TRW, Gothamist started out as a cool idea, and since presumably it was written by people that knew what they were talking about the product was good. But once they started receiving some attention neither could help themselves from expanding way too fast and cutting way too many corners, in TRW by making sure they cast a bunch of exhibitionists and with the "ists" by hiring people that pretty clearly arrived in the city about 3 months ago.
So the only question I have is what TRW character does that make bostonist? I think the guy from the New Orleans show that got caught six months later with a $10 hooker.
Now this is hilarious and
Now this is hilarious and witty...
ps i've never been to ottumwa but I hear they have great bridges.
Adult entertainment zone map
You want BRA Zoning Map 1A, which shows the official Adult Entertainment District in orange. The legally zoned district is somewhat smaller than the actual area where these businesses were located in the Zone's heydey.