Photo: Carl Stevens (WBZ)
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A Downtown Crossing storefront that became vacant during the COVID-19 pandemic has been given a new lease on life.
The Downtown Boston Business Improvement District transformed a former Pret a Manger at 12 Summer St. into 3rd Space, a community gathering space for live events, artwork, and more.
"3rd Space for us is taking over a vacant storefront in Downtown Boston and turning it into an art gallery and live events space, where we’ve had concerts and comedy nights and art sales and community events, all just trying to bring a little vibrancy and foot traffic back to downtown Boston," said Michael Nichols, President of Downtown Boston BID.
"We’re facing a retail vacancy problem right now in downtown Boston that was caused by the pandemic, where nearly 90 or 100 vacant storefronts, they go dark all day long, they don’t contribute to the vibrancy of the neighborhood," Nichols continued.
Nichols hopes that 3rd Space will attract the interest of a commercial buyer.
"Hopefully we’ll bring some eyeballs onto this space and turn it over to a commercial tenant, and we’ll move on to the next vacant one," Nichols said.
WBZ's Carl Stevens (@CarlWBZ) reports.
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