Hey, there! Log in / Register
The low-slung buildings of Chinatown
By adamg on Fri, 12/20/2024 - 1:52pm
Time was, Boston Proper was very much a place of short buildings, where for decades the city skyline consisted mainly of just one building - the Custom House Tower. Those days are long gone, obviously, but remnants of it persist in Chinatown, which still has a number of one- and two-story buildings, such as the Clay Pot Cafe at 74 Kneeland St.
On the other side of Washington, on Stuart Street, Chaba Florist will meet your floral-arrangement needs from its small space:
It seemed to be lights out at Ding Ho Fast Food at Kneeland and Harrison on a recent visit, at least on the Kneeland side:
Tora Ramen at 99 Kneeland, was open, in a two-story building (also in a two-story building: the Dunkin' Donuts with the mystery windows on the second floor):
Of course, Chinatown is not immune to towers - take a look at the neighborhood's one pizza place, Boston Kitchen Pizza, at Washington and Stuart:
Earlier:
The elevated origins of a lowly building in Chinatown.
Neighborhoods:
Free tagging:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
Clay Pot...
...looks like it was originally a gas station.
Kneeland Street was widened in the 20's or 30's and buildings on the northside were removed, thus the lower buildings are on that side of the street built later.
The pizza building on the NW corner of Stuart and Washington used to be two or three stories taller. The upper floors were removed probably in the 30's to save taxes.
Brezhnev's!
I don't know if I ever remembered the real name of the original place - 74 Kneeland was a hole in the wall of great renown with a chef that resembled Leonid Brezhnev. I got taken there by housemates in 80s. Legendary "close your eyes and eat" space.
It was more "children of Brezhnev's" in recent times. Wonderful little restaurant renovated and run by the niece and nephew of the original chef. I was sorry to see it close - it was a great spot for a cheap lunch or mass teenager feeding before a concert.
King Fung Garden, AKA Hole in the Wall
Was legendary. Best Peking Duck in the city (ordered 36 hours in advance). It was taken over briefly by family. OG chef then did China King on Beach St where the venerable Rainbow Restaurant had been. Claim to fame was that Emerald purchased their dumpling recipe long ago for a 7 figure sum long ago. It was, though, on a very short list of any chef in town to visit. Shanghai Noodles were top notch.
Not to mention...
22 Kneeland Street, which used to be a White Tower hamburger joint.
We shouldn't romanticize a
We shouldn't romanticize a neighborhood frozen in amber. It would be hilarious if we weren't in a housing shortage. These buildings aren't quaint. They are NIMBYism manifest.
You might want to walk around Chinatown first
Look up and report back on what you see. Hint: It's hardly a neighborhood frozen in amber. If anything, it's a neighborhood now on the precipice of being gentrified and skyscrapered out of existence.
Right?
Even before the recent development bonanza of towers on any open lot, Chinatown had by far the densest population in the city, even with chunks of it being razed as recently as the 00s by Tufts.
People of all ages live and thrive in Chinatown.
Despite the pollution, noise and menace from greedy investors.
“Frozen in amber” “quaint” would better describe Beacon Hill. Take your preciousness there and leave Chinatown alone.
Where do I place my advance order?
Best coffee table book of the year. Take my money!