Real Estate Rentals

Tough to swallow

European pastry. Sushi. Organic pizza.

Welcome to the new Allston-Brighton.

The neighborhood favored by college students and indie-rock fans is having a retail renaissance thanks to Harvard University, but some locals say takeout town is tough to swallow.

“They are giving us more of what we already have,” said Paul Berkeley, president of the Allston Civic Association and a member of the Harvard Allston Task Force. “I would hope that our character doesn’t become a food court. That’s not what I’m searching for.”

Harvard’s community newsletter gave a timetable for the rollout of new businesses coming to Rock City in the late summer and early fall — and the accent is on eating.

By late summer, Stone Hearth Pizza will open its doors in the old Citgo station at the corner of North Harvard Street and Western Avenue. Other Western Avenue additions include: Swissbakers; Maki Maki, a sushi buffet restaurant; and CrossFit gym.

The university owns 350 acres of the neighborhood. In the past decade, the community has seen businesses close as Harvard expanded from its existing athletic fields and business school campus.

Within the past year, Harvard has placed 13 new shops and nonprofit organizations into their Allston-Brighton properties, including cellist Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project at 175 North Harvard St. The organization works with the university to promote learning through the arts.

The university also opened Library Park on Thursday, a 1.74-acre green space once occupied by McNamara Concrete Co., behind the Honan-Allston Library at 300 N. Harvard Street. It is open to the public.

Harvard bought the Citgo property in 2007, which remained empty until ground broke on Stone Hearth in May.

Swissbakers moves into the old Volkswagen dealership at 168 Western Ave. Harvard bought the space in 1991, but Volkswagen vacated several years ago. Since then it has been used as a community skating rink, mini golf course and batting cage.

Christine Heenan, Harvard’s vice president for public affairs and communications, said this is all part of the university’s move to activate vacant properties.

“What we are seeing now is a lot of projects and planning coming to fruition,” Heenan said.

But longtime Brighton resident Lorraine Bossi, the zoning chair for the Brighton Allston Improvement Association, isn’t impressed.

“I think Harvard can attract stable and upscale businesses, but I don’t think they should be shoving them down the community’s throat,” Bossi said.

Similar Posts: