What’s going on (and up) at South Station

South Station development project in Boston, MA
Rendering of the development design for South Station's outdoor concourse.
The design is all about connectivity + preservation of the historic train station. | Rendering courtesy of Hines
Boston’s busiest transit hub is going to look a whole lot different three years from now.

The city held a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday for the South Station development project — one of the largest ongoing infrastructure projects in our state.

Here’s what’s to expect from the updated Atlantic Avenue station:

The $890 million project is starting with the construction of the South Station Tower, a 51-story mixed-use glass tower that will be directly above the station. The future tower will be home to 711,500 sqft of office space and 166 condo units.

You’ll need to look up to take it all in — it’s poised to be one of the tallest buildings in our city, and just one story shorter than the Prudential Center.

Here’s a bit of backstory. The BPDA sold South Station to the MBTA back in the 70s, but maintained ownership of the air rights. This project was approved in 2016 + construction started in 2020.

Wondering what this means for commuters? We can expect some improvements to the station:
  • The bus terminal will be expanded to increase capacity by more than 50%.
  • The Commuter Rail concourse area will expand by 67% with completely covered tracks + platforms.
  • New escalators, stairs, and elevators will be available between the bus terminal and main concourse.
  • There will be a new indoor bike storage area.
The development is expected to wrap up by 2025. In the meantime, learn about how construction zones might affect your commute + find even more project details.
Share this story with your commuting crew to let them know what's coming to our major transit station.

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Today
  • Bonsai Bar | Wed., Sept. 21 | 7-9 p.m. | Trident Booksellers & Cafe, 338 Newbury St. | $75 | Meet friends and make your own tiny tree at the two-hour class led by Bonsai experts. 🌱
Thursday
  • Back Bay Fens Pathways Design Meeting | Thurs., Sept. 22 | 5:30-7 p.m. | James P. Kelleher Rose Garden, 73 Park Dr. | Free | Join a discussion + site walk to give input on the design project.
  • Ghost Tour in Harvard Square | Thurs., Sept. 22 | 7:30 p.m. | Cambridge Historical Tours at Harvard Square, 2138 Brattle St. | $15 | Gruesome murders and plenty of irreverent humor will entertain on this 90-minute stroll. 👻
Friday
  • Live at Brookline Booksmith: Lost Objects | Fri., Sept. 23 | 6 p.m. | Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard St. | Free to attend | Register to celebrate the release of “Lost Objects” with editor Joshua Glenn.
Saturday
  • Fall Crawl | Sat., Sept. 24 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Boston Landing, 91 Guest St. | Free to attend | Stop by the Broken Records Beer Hall pop-up bar, skate at Warrior Ice Arena, and shop a market with local artists to kick off fall. 🎃
  • Oktoberfest | Sat., Sept. 24 | 12-11 p.m. | Night Shift Brewing, 87 Santilli Highway, Everett | Free | Check out the stein holding competition and live music — the first 50 people to arrive get a free limited edition stein glass.
Sunday
  • Bissell Brothers Brewing Pop-Up | Sun., Sept. 25 | 5-10 p.m. | Shore Leave, 11 William E Mullins Way | Price of purchase | The Bissell Brothers are bringing the best of Maine to the South End — complete with fried oyster sliders and sticky ribs with blueberry glaze.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*
100+ MORE EVENTS

Breathtaking Back Bay brownstone 🔥
Interior of 251 Commonwealth Ave., Back Bay, in Boston, MA.jpeg
The home boasts embossed ceilings, built-ins crafted from cherry, and a museum-quality central staircase connecting the multiple floors. | Photo provided by Cabot and Company
Built in 1880 in a storied Back Bay location, this beautiful brownstone maintains much of its original interior architecture + design. Read: Quarter sawn oak paneling, carved fireplaces (16 total 👀), and period lighting fixtures forged in bronze, crystal + brass.

Currently configured as four separate apartments, the parlor, second + third floors are used as the homeowner’s private quarters. The other three apartments are single floor residences. Bonus: The penthouse includes a walk-out deck overlooking the city.*
BROWSE THIS BACK BAY BEAUTY

Weather
  • 74º | Partly cloudy | 10% chance of rain
Traffic
  • Several street changes made by the City of Boston during the Orange Line shutdown will become permanent, including the Chinatown SL5 bus stop + Boylston Street as a one-way for vehicles. Find the full list of street infrastructure changes.
Coming Soon
  • There will be a new Yellow Door Taqueria location later this year. The 2,500 sqft Mission Hill spot will join the South End + Lower Mills restaurants, offering craft margaritas and creative takes on Mexican cuisine (think: street corn nachos and seasonal ceviche). 🌮
Transit
  • The MBTA will close parts of the Red Line next month for repairs + trackwork. The closures between JFK/UMass and Ashmont will take place Sat., Oct. 1-Sun., Oct. 2 (from start to end of service) and beginning at 8:45 p.m. on Mon., Oct. 3-Thurs., Oct. 6. 🚊
Plan Ahead
  • Dropkick Murphys are shipping up to Boston for their St. Patrick’s Day hometown stand. Save the dates for the shows on Fri., March 17 + Sat., March 18 at MGM Music Hall and Sun., March 19 at House of Blues. Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.
Edu
  • Lasell University will reduce tuition and room and board costs by 33% for the next school year, in an effort to increase access to undergraduate education. The Newton school’s Board of Trustees approved the $26,000 tuition and $13,500 room and board pricing — among the lowest college costs in all of New England. (WCVB 5)
Legacy
  • The Celtics have painted No. 6 on the parquet floor in honor of Bill Russell. The team will honor the Hall of Famer this season with two nights in his honor — the Oct. 18 season opener and the Feb. 12 game, on what would have been his 89th birthday. 🏀 (Boston.com)
Sports
  • Zdeno Chara signed a one-day contract with the Boston Bruins yesterday before retiring from the NHL as a Bruin. The longtime captain and defenseman played 1,680 games with the Boston team. (Boston 25 News)
Community
  • The Boston Public Library is celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month with the release of Latinx Life, a booklist of 108 current titles focusing on the American Latinx community. There will also be a series of performances, films + arts and crafts workshops at various library branches. Learn more. 📚
Eat
  • It’s that season, BOS: football season. Planning a tailgate party fit for champs? Impress your guests with this easy-to-make Charcuterie Nut Board. 🥜 *
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Party with some new plants 🌿

Celebrate National Indoor Plant Week in Boston, MA
Exterior shot of Niche plant shop with open sign
Follow Niche on Instagram to be the first to know about new plant drops. | Photo via @nicheplantshop
This week is National Indoor Plant Week, which celebrates the power of plants as indoor air cleaners.

Allow us to plant the shopping seed by sharing three local plant stores:

🌱 Niche Plant Shop, 619 Tremont St. + 259 Elm St., Somerville
  • This shop opened its South End doors in 2013 and has since expanded to Davis Square, selling houseplants, pottery, soil + accessories. Aspiring plant parents can attend Niche’s plant chats and other events and classes.
🌱 Micro Plant Studio, 365 West Broadway
  • Head to South Boston to browse plants, flowers, pots + plant-themed gifts at the first Latinx-owned plant business in New England.
🌱 The Sill, 220 Newbury St.
  • The houseplant company’s Boston location offers plenty of plants to shop, plus curbside pickup, workshops + local delivery. Pro tip: take a look at the in-shop exclusives on the website before heading over.
THE WRAP
Sara Frazier in front of a brick wall
Today’s issue was written by City Editor Sara.

Editor’s pick: I wouldn’t call myself a night owl, but I’m ready for an arty party at the MFA Late Nite event next month. 🎨

On Fri., Oct. 21, the museum will be open from 8 p.m. to midnight with beer in the courtyard, live music, poetry performances + a chance to see the Obama portraits. Count me in.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Get ready to peep some fall foliage around Boston.
Read More
Connect with us.

Editorial: Jessica Burton, Sara Frazier, Sarah Leonhardt, Erin McPherson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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