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Bisnow

Developer Looks To Add 40 Apartments On Top Of Harvard Square Retail Property

A plan to transform a Harvard Square retail property that has had multiple previous redevelopment efforts fall through is set to be revived with a public hearing May 24.

The plan, a vertical expansion of the Crimson Galeria retail property at 57 John F. Kennedy St., would add three floors with 40 rental units on top of the existing two-story structure. Filed March 30 with the Cambridge Planning Board, the proposal would include eight affordable units. 

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Boston Magazine

The Best Restaurants in Harvard Square Right Now

Harvard Square offers a cuisine crash-course you won’t find in a classroom. Hit the books (well, the menus) at these ten restaurants to discover ahead-of-the-curve farm-to-table fare, pizza with legacy sourdough starters, and sushi that’s a study in simplicity. Rounded out by house-made pastas swimming in sauce and more, the meals on the syllabus here ace the taste test.

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Boston Globe

Beat Brew Hall reopens in Harvard Square

Reopenings:Beat Brew Hall returns to Harvard Square (13 Brattle St.) on Friday, May 6, after a two-plus-year hiatus due to COVID. Chef Ryan Skeen calls his menu “New Cambridge Cuisine”: sesame and white bean dip with piquillo peppers on charred flatbread; brisket and smoked sweet potatoes; a burger with malted bacon jam, smoked tomatoes, bleu cheese, and truffle aioli. The restaurant also hosts all kinds of live music. Visit Tuesday through Sunday from 5 p.m.

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Wicked Local

Why is the status of the Cambridge body known as ‘Michael’ still unknown?

More than five months have passed since an unhoused man known only as Michael was found dead in the early morning hours, in front of the Bank of America in Harvard Square.  

A memorial remains at the site, a reminder of the impromptu service that was held there on his behalf and of his impact on many business owners and other square regulars who met him. 

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Boston Globe

‘We’re bringing back community. This is a place to bond.’

The cozy Bonde Fine Wine Shop in Harvard Square seems as if it’s been there for ages, although the store opened less than a year ago. The afternoon sunshine filters through the picture window and brightens the space, while a timeworn, comfy leather chair in one corner makes it tempting to sit and stay awhile. This is what owner Bertil Jean-Chronberg, a master sommelier and restaurateur born in France (a former co-owner of The Beehive, Beat Hotel, and others), invites you to do. He fills this 200-square-foot room with his own particular vibrancy in a one-man quest to teach customers about the bottles he carries: a carefully curated selection of organic, natural, and biodynamically made wines from small producers. “This is my drive, to find wines that limit the impact on the planet,” says Jean-Chronberg. The assemblage comprises what he calls “author wines,” unique types that are unrestrained expressions of the winemaker — all unlike others from their…

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The Crimson

Cultivating Public Art in Cambridge: Piedmont’s Shadow Box

When one thinks of Harvard Square, familiar images come to mind: the flagship CVS, red bricks, blaring music, the laughter of college students, and, most notably, countless local businesses. In an area primarily serving college students, the rent for local businesses is quite high, meaning every inch of the square must be utilized for small businesses to remain profitable. Within this bustling, commercial zone of Cambridge, however, there lies a hidden gem: A small place for public art.

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Daily Free Press

Cambridge rejects delays, continues with new Porter Square bike lane project

An attempt to delay the creation of separate bike lanes in Porter Square in Cambridge was quashed following public disapproval. Cambridge City Council members voted against policies in a general meeting April 25 that would delay the “quick build” lanes. 

The Porter Square Safety Improvement Project will install two separate bike lanes from Beech Street to Roseland Street as part of its wider efforts to improve bus, biker and pedestrian safety in the area. It would also eliminate metered parking along Massachusetts Avenue in Porter Square.

However, the project has received opposition from city council members.

Speaking at the April 25 meeting, Cambridge City Councilor Paul Toner, along with Councilors Denise Simmons and Dennis Carlone, introduced resolutions that would delay the project so that it can be added to the MassAve4 project — which will see the construction of the bike line from North Cambridge to Harvard Square as one initiative.

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Boston.com

Despite public outcry, Cambridge opts to continue construction of Mass. Ave. bike lanes

Cambridge City Council voted to continue construction of protected bike lanes near Porter Square despite a recent outcry from residents.

The project is in accordance with the 2020 Cycling Safety Ordinance passed by the council which called for 25 miles of protected bike lanes to be constructed in the city, including along Massachusetts Avenue.

According to local activists, these bike lanes will remove parking in that area and impact the local businesses. Activist group Save Mass Ave put together a petition against the bike lanes.

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The Crimson

‘The Deciding Factor’: Admitted Students Swarm Campus for First In-Person Visitas Since 2019

Prospective freshmen clad in Harvard merch and red lanyards swarmed campus this weekend for the College’s first in-person Visitas since 2019.

Current students hosted admitted members of the Class of 2026 for the two-day program, which took place Sunday and Monday. Visitas was held virtually for the Class of 2024 and Class of 2025 due to the pandemic.

Harvard hosted an extracurricular fair, department open houses, library tours, and an international student reception. Prefrosh mingled with current students at various club socials and were able to attend Monday’s classes.

Admitted students who attended this year’s Visitas called the weekend memorable and informative.