Brookline MA

Brookline

BROOKLINE

Located just minutes from Boston, Brookline offers residents and visitors a charming mix of vibrant urban life and attractive suburban amenities. Brookline is home to a variety of independent boutiques, restaurants and cultural institutions, including the Kennedy National Historic site, Allandale Farm (a working farm dating back to Colonial New England) and the Coolidge Corner Theatre.

INFORMATION

Schools: http://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/
City Data: http://www.city-data.com/city/Brookline-Massachusetts.html

BROOKLINE VILLAGE

Just down the street from Coolidge Corner, Brookline Village is where some of the town’s earliest restaurants and shops opened. Brookline Village is known for its casual, independent restaurants and cafes. You will find cuisine from around the world, from Venezuelan to barbecue. The village is also home to a cluster of shops offering antiques, children’s items and more!

CHESTNUT HILL / PUTTERHAM CIRCLE

Chestnut Hill is the western gateway to Brookline. A beautiful, meticulously groomed area, it is home to grand single family homes, elegant condos, the Putterham Meadows Golf Course, and the Longwood Cricket Club. The Putterham Circle shopping complex offers a collection of popular restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and gift shops.

COOLIDGE CORNER

The bustling commercial hub of Brookline, Coolidge Corner is a great place to spend a day. With a variety of small shops, boutiques, and national chains all within walking distance of each other, spend the day poking around local shops, pamper yourself at a local salon and refuel at one of the many restaurants.

ST. MARY’S STATION

Nestled among classic townhouses and impeccable apartment/condo complexes, St. Mary’s Station continues to defy the trend of major retail chains that seem to be popping up everywhere. In the morning, residents and visitors flock to the numerous breakfast spots only to return again in the evening to dine at one of several popular restaurants. St. Mary’s is also home to a regional grocery and various professional services.

WASHINGTON SQUARE

Located at the crossroads of Beacon and Washington Streets, you can’t miss the 18′ Victorian restoration clock. Whether you are seeking a jeweler, specialty grocer, travel agent, pharmacy or an old fashioned hardware store, Washington Square has them all, fostering a unique small town feel.

Newton MA

Newton, MA

NEWTON

Settled in 1630, Newton, Massachusetts is a vibrant community comprised of 13 distinctive villages. Located just outside of Boston, Newton is well respected for the quality of education, community life, exceptional homes, and beautiful open spaces. Newton has frequently been voted as one of the 10 best communities to live in.

With a population of about 80,000 residents and approximately 26,000 homes, the City also houses Boston College, Mount Ida College and Lasell College. The Boston Marathon runs right through the City with Heartbreak Hill beginning next to City Hall. The Newton Free Library is well respected as one of the largest, most well equipped libraries in the Commonwealth. By size the city is 18.3 square miles bordering the communities of Brookline, Brighton, Watertown, Waltham, Weston, Wellesley, Needham and West Roxbury. Newton also has east–west and north-south highway infrastructure with Routes 90 and 95 running through the city.

INFORMATION

Schools:  http://www3.newton.k12.ma.us/
Town Data: http://www.city-data.com/city/Newton-Massachusetts.html

NEWTON CORNER

When Oakes Angier opened a tavern around 1726 at the intersection of some of Newton’s first cartways, he knew what he was doing. Angier ran the tavern long enough for the community to become known as “Angier’s Corner,” with stage coaches and the Boston and Worcester Railroad passing through. The name changed to Newton Corner after a local commuter service station was built in the 1840s. Currently, the village’s Exit 17 on the Mass. Pike offers convenient connections to and from downtown Boston.

NONANTUM

The village of Nonantum started as a small industrial complex of paper mills, including Nonantum Worsted Company, which gave its name to the neighborhood in the 1880s. Its nickname is “the Lake.” Today, however, Silver Lake—shown in an 1874 map bounded by Nevada, California, Watertown, and Bridge streets—has been filled in with homes and businesses and resembles a swamp more than a swimming hole.

NEWTON UPPER FALLS

Developed after the Revolution, Newton Upper Falls was home to the sawmill that in 1688 used Newton’s portion of the Charles River as a power source for the first time. Eventually the town became a prototype of the self-contained New England mill village, as textile mills, iron works, and machine shops brought workers and their families to the area. The area still uses the mill buildings for retail and commercial businesses.

NEWTON LOWER FALLS

Newton Lower Falls had an advantage over the other villages from the beginning. Since the late 1600s, two major east-west highways, the roads between Watertown and Natick, and from Boston to Sherborn, had met there before crossing the river. There were inns in the village before the Revolution, at least one store before 1800, the first post office in Newton (1813), and, before the railroad spur was built in 1840, daily stage coaches to Boston, according to Newton’s official website. The town was also well known for its abundant paper mills.

NEWTON CENTRE

After a surveyor was called in to determine the center of town in 1712, new roads were laid out and a new meeting house eventually replaced the one built by south Cambridge residents in 1660. The “Centre” was developed as a school, stocks, a training field, and pound were built around Centre and Homer Streets. Though the town house was moved to West Newton in 1849, and the Centre lost its geographical claim following the loss of territory to Roxbury and Waltham, the village currently includes the largest commercial district of any of the village centers.

WEST NEWTON

Though not the original site of the Town Hall, West Newton finally won the bitter debate with Newton Centre and hosted Town Hall from 1849 to 1932. The village grew up around the Boston and Worcester Railroad, becoming an early example of transit-oriented development. The current City Hall opened in Newton Centre in 1932.

NEWTONVILLE

As Newton’s first “railroad village,” Newtonville is now a thriving community that is pioneering a program to revitalize the villages. Originally a depot midway between Newton Corner and West Newton, the area contained only the Hull Mansion and a grain storehouse from Joseph Bullough’s grist mill for ten years. Once the commuter service began, however, house lots around Washington and Walnut Streets were auctioned and the community grew.

AUBURNDALE

Two miles west of West Newton lies Auburndale, a cozy village that has the railroads to thank for its development. Though largely unaffected by the Boston and Worcester Railroad and the Charles River Railroad individually, Auburndale began to grow after the two railroads were joined to form the Circuit in 1886. Today, the village sports several local shops and restaurants and attracts commuters off the Massachusetts Turnpike.

THOMPSONVILLE

Legend has it that still-hard-to-find Thompsonville was named for a hermit who lived in the nearby woods. According to local lore, the village, near Newton Centre, traces its roots to Joseph Thompson, a recluse who lived in a cave in Hammond Forest. But documentary evidence about the village’s origin is scare. The legend “cannot be substantiated at this time,” said Sara Goldberg, Historic Newton’s curator.
Chestnut Hill

In 1845, retired sea captain Joseph Lee left his 165 acres of land along the Newton and Brookline border to his nieces and nephews. The problem? Without a railroad system and development of any kind, the property did not have much to offer. It was not until 1850, when Beacon Street connected Newton Centre with the Back Bay, and the Charles River Railroad was extended two years later, that Lee’s heirs began building houses and a new community—Chestnut Hill—around the farm.

NEWTON HIGHLANDS

Newton Highlands’ railroad station was built before the town, when the Charles River Railroad was extended through Newton in 1852. The track was mainly used by cars carrying gravel from Needham to fill the Back Bay until the early 1870s, when the railbed was upgraded and residents started developing the area. “Newton Highlands” was chosen as the village’s name at a meeting held specifically for that purpose. The Green Line T stop currently lies on the old station’s site.

WABAN

Until 1886, four farms covered nearly all of present-day Waban village. Once the Circuit Railroad was created, real estate developers recognized the area’s potential and began to develop it with subdivisions, houses, and stores. The station was built near the old crossroads of Beacon, Washington, and Woodward streets, and was named by William Strong who had lived on Nonantum Hill near the site of the vanished village of Waban and the Praying Indians.

OAK HILL

Oak Hill, the last of the villages to be developed, has a network of streets named after veterans, as it owes much of its growth to the development of affordable housing for returning WWII veterans. The city agency that oversaw the construction named the 33 streets and paths in Oak Hill for some 200 local veterans killed during the war.

West End

West End

West End

The West End, considerably impacted by Urban Renewal of the 1950’s and 60’s, is a small but significant community tucked behind Beacon Hill. Drivers on Storrow Drive recognize the West End from the famed signs outside the West End Condominiums and Apartments  that read “If You Lived Here…You’d Be Home Now.” Historically an ethnically diverse and vibrant neighborhood, the West End today is economically anchored by Massachusetts General Hospital.

Waterfront

Waterfront

Waterfront

Located just across from the North End, The Waterfront is an ultra exclusive section of Boston featuring harbor side luxury condominiums & town homes with unparalleled water views. The Waterfront neighborhood boasts 5 star hotels, fine dining, beautiful parks and a tranquil harborwalk.  Steps to Financial District, New England Aquarium and all major transportation points.

The Fenway

The Fenway

The Fenway

Perhaps most recognized as the home of Fenway Park and the Boston Red Sox, Fenway/Kenmore also boasts many of the City’s top cultural institutions, including the Museum of Fine Arts and Symphony Hall. Fenway/Kenmore also has a strong academic presence, including Boston Latin School, America’s first public school, as well as several institutions of higher learning. Many of these undergraduate students, as well as young people throughout the city, are drawn to the lively bars and clubs along Lansdowne Street. The Fenway is another central thoroughfare that encircles the Back Bay Fens, the neighborhood’s preeminent green space, which was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.

South End

South End

South End

Located just minutes from downtown and the Back Bay, in recent years the South End has become one of Boston’s most popular neighborhoods. It has attracted a diverse blend of young professionals, families and a vibrant gay and lesbian population to this Boston Landmark District. You will be sure to notice the South End’s renowned Victorian brownstone buildings and homes as you walk along Tremont Street, Columbus Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue. Small business owners also enjoy the amenities of the South End and are supported by the national award winning Washington Gateway Main Streets Program. Some of Boston’s finest restaurants, a thriving arts community and nearly 30 parks also call the South End home.

South Boston

South Boston

South Boston

Once a predominantly Irish Catholic community, in recent years South Boston has become increasingly desirable among young professionals and families who are attracted to the neighborhood’s strong sense of community and quick access to downtown and public transportation. People from all over the city enjoy taking a stroll around Castle Island, a Revolutionary War-era fort and 22-acre park that is connected to the mainland. “Southie Pride” is on full display in March when city residents flock to the neighborhood to enjoy the annual South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Today the breathtaking South Boston Waterfront is emerging as Boston’s newest neighborhood. Already home to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, planned development for the Waterfront includes residential, office, retail, and hotel use. The Institute for Contemporary Art, slated to open in September, stands as an iconic symbol of the South Boston Waterfront’s unlimited potential.

Union Square

Somerville

Somerville

ASSEMBLY SQUARE

Located in Somerville within Middlesex County, Assembly Square has unbeatable proximity to the Boston and Cambridge population and tourist hubs. This is a regional market of extraordinary population density, affluence, and sophistication. Just minutes outside of downtown Boston, Assembly Square is easily accessible by car, train, bus, and even bicycle. The major surface artery Interstate 93 and Route 28 drop shoppers, residents, diners, and visitors at our doorstep via car or taxi. Upon arrival you will be greeted with ample parking. A dedicated Assembly T stop on the Orange Line, provides access to and from Boston in just minutes via the MBTA. Bike paths connect to the Minuteman Rail Trail connection, giving cyclists access to Bedford, Lexington, Arlington, Cambridge, and Boston. Visiting from out of town? Boston Logan Airport and the Boston Cruiseport are just a few miles away.

BALL SQUARE

Ball Square is a neighborhood primarily in Somerville, Massachusetts, but also extending into Medford, at the intersection of Boston Avenue and Broadway, located between Powder House Square and Magoun Square. It is primarily a residential area with a handful of shops and restaurants along Broadway. Located on the edge of the neighborhood surrounding Tufts University, Ball Square contains a mix of businesses serving the student and academic populations as well as those reflecting the neighborhoods to the east.

DAVIS SQUARE

Today, Davis Square is a mix of the old and the new. Restaurants, coffee shops, and stores catering to students and young urban professionals coexist with working class diners and tailors that predate Davis Square’s trendy period. The brick-paved square contains a rich mixture of shops, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, a 1000 seat movie theater complex, a smaller 200 seat live performance theater, and other attractions. In 1997, Davis Square was listed by the Utne Reader as one of the fifteen “hippest places to live” in the United States. In 2005, The Boston Globe reported the first million dollar condo sale in Davis Square, which marked a major shift for a neighborhood once known as affordable. It now contains some of the priciest homes in Somerville and is significantly more expensive than the average for eastern Massachusetts.

TEELE / POWDER HOUSE SQUARE

Teele Square is a mixture of local eateries and service-oriented businesses. Adjacent to Tufts University, Teele Square is an extremely walkable restaurant and retail center, brimming with college students and long-time Somerville natives. This small neighborhood attracts young professionals who appreciate a small town feel and easy access to various job centers in Somerville and Boston. Teele Square is only a 10-minute walk to Somerville’s well-known Davis Square and the MBTA Red Line stop.

UNION SQUARE

Union Square is a neighborhood of Somerville, Massachusetts, located around the intersection of Washington Street and Somerville Avenue, about half a mile from Inman Square in neighboring Cambridge. It is an up and coming commercial center of a primarily residential neighborhood with many restaurants, bars and neighborhood stores.

Seaport Innovation District

Seaport Innovation District

Seaport Innovation District

SEAPORT DISTRICT

The South Boston Waterfront is the formal name of an area in the South Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, but it has increasingly becoming known as the Seaport District and is part of the Port of Boston on Boston Harbor. The Seaport now has 55 restaurants, 4 hotels, 9 major attractions and continues to grow. The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center straddles D Street. The Seaport Hotel and Seaport World Trade Center is located on Commonwealth Pier. A new home for the Institute of Contemporary Art hangs over Boston Harbor just north of Northern Avenue and The John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse is on Fan Pier.

INNOVATION DISTRICT

The Innovation District is Mayor Thomas M. Menino’s initiative to transform 1,000 acres of the South Boston waterfront into an urban environment that fosters innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurship. From a tech meet up at a co-working space to an art exhibition opening, to the launch of a new start-up or a special chef’s event at a local restaurant, the Innovation District is expanding quickly. The Innovation District is nestled between Boston’s transportation gateways: abutting historic Boston Harbor, adjacent to Logan International Airport, and at the nexus of two major interstate highways. It also contains the largest tract of underdeveloped land in the city of Boston, and is an area with opportunity for growth, a strong existing knowledge base, and the ideal location for producing new ideas, new services and new products.
(courtesy of Innovationdistrict.org)

North End

North End

North End

The North End, often called Boston’s “Little Italy,” is a one-square-mile waterfront community, bordered by Commercial and Causeway Streets and Atlantic Avenue, located within walking distance of Boston’s financial district and Government Center. A highly desirable residential area for professionals who work nearby, the neighborhood also is a major attraction for tourists and Bostonians alike, who come seeking the best in Italian cuisine and to enjoy the decidedly Italian feel of the region. Hanover and Salem Streets, the two main streets of this bustling historic neighborhood, are lined with wonderful restaurants, cafes and shops, selling a variety of delectable edible goods. A trip to Boston would not be complete without including a meal at one of North End’s over one hundred fine Italian restaurants.