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Boston Globe
9 hours ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
The federal government could soon sell these three big downtown Boston buildings
Together, the buildings span 2.6 million square feet — more than two Millennium Towers' worth of office space — and have an assessed value of more than $586 million. (As government properties, the buildings are exempt from paying property taxes to the city of Boston.) Should they hit the market, they'd be among the largest office buildings sold here since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The opportunity to develop a huge amount of prime property in downtown Boston is likely to be of intense interest to the city's real estate development world. But there's no guarantee that the PBRB would recommend the three properties for sale yet. It's still considering potential cost savings of consolidating offices, along with the expected cost of deferred maintenance. Advertisement The Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Federal Building on Causeway Street in Boston. Lane Turner/Globe Staff But Dan Mathews, a PBRB board member and former commissioner of the public buildings service at the General Services Administration, said at Wednesday's meeting that he felt the buildings could fetch a strong price. Advertisement 'In this market, the value proposition is very, very strong, and I think there's a path forward to actually implement it,' he said. 'There, frankly, couldn't be a better time to be securing long-term leases in the private market.' Much like the private office market — Meanwhile much of the federal government's 180 million-square-foot property portfolio needs extensive repair, and is riddled with expensive problems such as antiquated air systems, leaking roofs, unusable elevators, and flooding basements, the board said. Buildings managed by the GSA are on average more than 50 years old. 'Congress cannot appropriate its way out of this maintenance backlog,' said Nick Rahall, a former congressman from West Virginia and PBRB board member. 'The inventory needs to be shrunk so tax dollars can be invested in properties where employees are actually coming to work.' Earlier this year, the Office of Management and Budget Advertisement For all the buildings it studies, the JFK, O'Neill, and McCormack buildings, the board said Wednesday it would consider a number of different disposal options, including an outright sale, a joint venture, or a ground lease. But 'That's part of the discussion,' he said. 'We can sell the building, but if we only get $1 for it, is it worth selling at that point?' The John W. McCormack Post Office and Courthouse at 5 Post Office Square in Boston. Lane Turner/Globe Staff Capuano said the likelihood of the federal government selling all three of the buildings 'is probably not very high,' adding that, 'if we did, that would have an impact on the local market.' Since the pandemic, many downtown Boston office buildings have been selling at steep discounts. The JFK building at 15 New Sudbury St. spans 1 million square feet on 4.5 acres adjoining City Hall Plaza and finished construction in 1966. It has twin 26-story towers and an attached four-story low-rise portion, and is on National Register of Historic Places. Also on the National Register is the McCormack building, a freestanding granite-clad building with three towers in a U shape — a 22-story recessed tower and two other 17-story towers, oriented toward Post Office Square. The McCormack building in particular 'lends itself very well to residential' development, Mathews said. Advertisement And the Tip O'Neill Federal Building, an 810,407-square-foot pink granite office of 11 and 5 stories, dates to 1985 and is on the same block as the multibillion-dollar The Hub on Causeway mixed-use project above North Station. Beyond the three major downtown federal buildings, the PBRB is also considering recommending the sale of a warehouse and parking lot at 11 Channel St. near the Seaport's eastern edge South Boston, along with the Philip J. Philbin Federal Office Building in Fitchburg and the US Customs and Border Protection office in New Bedford. The PBRB has until December 2026 to make a recommendation, but Mathews said the recommendations would ideally come sooner than that. The John F. Kennedy Federal Building (center) on Sudbury Street in Boston. Lane Turner/Globe Staff Catherine Carlock can be reached at
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
A new Revival Cafe location in Watertown has a very appealing setting
Millennial Toast with avocado, topped with an egg at Revival Cafe in Watertown. Lane Turner/Globe Staff Advertisement What to eat: The menu offers many things you'd expect to see at a cafe, but with a little more style. Bagelicious combines a housemade bagel with egg whites, a 'broccoli situation,' cheddar, and spicy aioli (it's the most popular item on the menu, Postal tells me). Millennial Toast is layered with avocado, pickled red onions, and feta, topped with a 6-minute egg. Poppyseed dressing comes with Easy Chickpeasy Salad (vegan and gluten-free), cucumbers, radishes, spinach, and crispy shallots. If you're looking for something a little more substantial, Lime after Lime Noodle Bowl is a mixture of chicken meatballs, sweet potato noodles, broccoli, cilantro, and lime vinaigrette. Or try chicken Caesar with Parm and croutons. Coffee cake, banana bread, muffins, biscuits, and cookies adorn the pastry case. Advertisement Lime after Lime Noodle Bowl at Revival Cafe. Lane Turner/Globe Staff What to drink: Every configuration of coffee you could ever hope for, including cortado, macchiato, flat white, mocha, babyccino (for the kids: steamed milk dusted with chocolate), nitro cold brew, iced golden crema, iced red eye. Also: matcha, homemade lemonade, iced ginger sparkler, boutique juices, teas. The takeaway: If you worked on this campus, you'd want to take your laptop, head straight for Revival, and stay a long while. The cafe itself has few more than half a dozen seats, many more outside on a sunny and partly shaded patio. The real drawer is the company foyer, with double-high ceilings, beautiful lighting, comfortable chairs, couches, and work tables. Pubic parking and restrooms. What more do you need? 99 Coolidge Ave., Watertown, 857-270-6209, A customer places an order at Revival Cafe in Watertown. Lane Turner/Globe Staff Sheryl Julian can be reached at
Boston Globe
22-07-2025
- Climate
- Boston Globe
A weather ‘tug of war'? Here's what the farmers' almanacs are predicting this fall in New England.
Or as the Could another dry fall spell trouble? Astronomical fall officially begins at 2:19 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 22, with the arrival of the fall equinox, and lasts through the winter solstice, which occurs on Sunday, Dec. 21. Meteorological fall begins Sept. 1. The Old Farmer's Almanac predicts that the Northeast region of the United States will run cool and dry during the fall, except for New Jersey and Delaware. Advertisement September is forecast to see an average temperature of just about 59 degrees across the Northeast, about 2 degrees below the seasonal average for the region. There may be 'brief warm spells, but overall chilly weather.' A small stream burbles over the Bernard Farm Trail of the Mount Greylock State Reservation in North Adams, Mass., on Oct. 17, 2023. Lane Turner/Globe Staff The forecast also points to a dry autumn, averaging about 3½ inches of rain for the month, heaviest near the Canadian border, and lighter in the south. October will run even further below average, reaching 3 degrees shy of the monthly norm and only accumulating 2½ inches of rain. Advertisement The rainfall is especially important after last fall, when the In terms of hurricane season, the forecast calls for above-normal activity with a high count of named tropical storms. The Old Farmer's Almanac is calling for a cool and dry fall for the Northeast. Old Farmer's Almanac This fall will 'keep us on our toes' In short, 'this fall will keep us on our toes,' detailed the forecast. September will kick off with a thunderstorm chance across the Northeast over Labor Day weekend, and the month will continue to see a 'tug of war' between fair weather and storm systems. There is also an elevated hurricane threat along the Eastern Seaboard. October will 'begin to flirt with' an early shot of snow, especially in the higher elevations of Northern New England by mid- to late month. Halloween may be pretty chilly across the region this year. The almanac also forecasts that November may bring a bout or two of wet snow across the region with colder temperatures in place. The early fall weather outlook from the Farmers' Almanac. Farmers' Almanac The Old Farmers' Almanac, which was founded in Dublin, N.H., in 1792, is the oldest almanac in the country, starting when George Washington was president. The Lewiston, Maine-based Farmers' Almanac is also over 200 years old, having been started a few years later in 1818. Both guides rely heavily on solar activity and climatology in preparing their long-term seasonal outlooks. Advertisement Sunspots, recurring weather observations, and even lunar cycle information are incorporated into a 'secret' algorithm that the almanacs utilize. Keep in mind that the accuracy of these long-range forecasts months in advance is usually half right, at best. Each almanac was established to support agriculture efforts for farmers beginning in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The user guides provided advice on planting and harvesting times, when to expect frost, and leveraged moon phases and sun positioning to help time the crop cycle for particular crops. We'll have to see how this fall plays out, but until then, enjoy the second half of summer! Ken Mahan can be reached at
Boston Globe
22-07-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Is Massachusetts about to legalize online casinos on your smartphone?
So who's putting this on the fast track? It's unclear who, but it will need get through House and Senate leadership. A spokesperson for Advertisement For those already in the gambling business, the stakes are high, and the politics of it all have made for strange bedfellows. On one side is homegrown sports betting behemoth DraftKings and arch rival FanDuel, which support the bills and stand to benefit by providing the digital platforms that power these games. Joining their camp: MGM Resorts International, which operates a casino in Springfield and online gaming platform BetMGM. Advertisement A DraftKings employee in the lobby of their Back Bay offices. Lane Turner/Globe Staff On the other side is Encore Boston Harbor, the Everett casino operated by Wynn Resorts, and UNITE HERE Local 26, the politically influential hospitality union with many members who work at Encore; they oppose the bills, saying online gaming would cannibalize the brick-and-mortar casino business and reduce jobs in the industry. And then there are those who are wary for fear it will create more problem gamblers by making it even easier to bet on your phone. Supporters and opponents of online casinos squared off during a DraftKings and FanDuel argued that online casinos should be legalized because there's already a robust illegal market, so why not regulate and tax it? According to the mostly on websites based outside the United States. It's the same argument that's been made to legalize sports betting in many states, including Massachusetts, ever since the Supreme Court struck down a federal ban in 2018. Since sports betting began in Massachusetts in early 2023, it has flourished here with billions of dollars wagered, generating more than $300 million in taxes and assessments, according to the Advertisement Type 'online casino in Massachusetts,' and you quickly realize how we're all one Google search away from trying our luck. Seven states, including Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Jersey, have legalized internet casino gaming, and proponents estimate that if Massachusetts levied a 20 percent tax, the state could generate $230 million to $275 million a year in new revenue. (That's the same tax rate as online-only sports betting, while land-based resort casinos are assessed at 25 percent.) And with state lawmakers facing tough budget decisions this year, David Prestwood, a government affairs manager at DraftKings, knew exactly what to tell the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. 'This money may be especially critical for Massachusetts in the face of anticipated federal funding cuts and reductions in state and local aid,' he said at last month's hearing. Online casinos may seem no different than sports betting, but their appeal runs broader and deeper than placing a bet on a baseball game. And internet gambling is far different than going to a brick-and-mortar casino, which requires getting there and interacting with staff. Online, you can gamble in your pajamas. 'There's all these friction points where the player has the chance to think twice with about placing the next bet,' said Mark Stewart, a board member of the Advertisement Stewart, who is general counsel of The Cordish Companies, a Baltimore real estate and casino developer, testified virtually at the hearing, while Encore Boston Harbor president Jenny Holaday provided written testimony opposing online gaming and warned how it could result in a 'dramatic reduction in the associated taxes that Encore pays to the Commonwealth,' a sum that has totaled nearly $1 billion since the casino opened in 2019. The owner of Encore Casino in Everett is pushing to stop a bill on Beacon Hill that would broadly legalize online gambling on slots and poker games. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Encore employs about 3,300 workers, about a third of whom are part of Local 26. A union representative also testified against the bills, citing an independent research analysis funded by the (A It's shaping up as a test of who has more clout on Beacon Hill — Encore and its coalition of boots-on-the-ground supporters in the unions and Everett, or tech companies that have deep pockets. Brick-and-mortar casinos could get in on the game, too. The legislation sets aside licenses for the state's existing casino operators, along with four licenses for internet gaming platforms. Along with slots, they'd allow poker, blackjack, craps, and even games with a live dealer. But what about the I can't imagine state Treasurer and Lottery chair, Deb Goldberg, being happy about online casinos, which could eat into lottery profits. The lottery in fiscal 2024 netted nearly Advertisement 'If online gaming expands, we must ensure the Lottery is supported and stays competitive,' Goldberg said in a statement. 'Every dollar spent on private platforms could mean less for our cities and towns and early childhood education.' Then there are concerns about addiction, with calls to the surging since sports betting was legalized. Lia Nower, director of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University said what drives up the risk of problem gambling is giving people more options. 'There's a cumulative effect,' she said. 'The more things that you gamble on, the more often you gamble and the more venues in which you gamble, the higher your risk.' In this digital era, online casinos may feel inevitable, yet internet gambling is so new we don't really know how addictive it could be, especially among young bettors. Remember how we initially thought social media was just fun and games? Critics of online gaming say it reduces barriers to problem gambling, compared with going to a brick-and-mortar casino. Steve Helber/Associated Press Yet the pressure will be intense from a gaming industry that's keen to keep expanding online. Boston-based Why? Just follow the money, explains Nower. 'It's the cash cow for the industry,' she said. State Senator Paul Feeney — who is sponsoring the online casino legislation with state Representative Daniel Cahill — said lawmakers are well aware the need to carefully weigh all the costs and benefits, in particular the investments made by land-based casinos which he described as 'sacrosanct.' Advertisement Yet there's also an urgency with the state facing budget pressures. 'I wouldn't say that anything is on a fast track,' said Feeney. 'There's a renewed interest in looking at how we can maximize tax revenue without broad-based tax increases on residents.' We tend to give the Legislature a hard time for moving too slowly, but this time we shouldn't. At the very least, the state should conduct its own independent analysis, rather than relying on industry-funded studies to weigh the impact on existing land-based casinos and the lottery, and whether it would create a new class of problem gamblers. Online gaming is too big of a gamble to not get this right. Shirley Leung is a Business columnist. She can be reached at
Boston Globe
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Regina, Si Cara, and seven more places to find Boston's best pizza
.bofbpic img { width: 100%; height: auto; } Galleria Umberto Galleria Umberto. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff There are modern, TikTok trend-induced lines, lengthy yet ephemeral — and then there are lines for the ages. The latter camp includes the daily lunchtime lines at Galleria Umberto, the North End pizzeria that has been run by the Deuterio family for decades and won a James Beard 'America's Classics' award. Everyone wants a taste of the famed, fantastic square pizza, made in sheet pans and sold until it runs out for the day. The only choice is to return, and wait again. (Just not in July, when the shop is often closed for vacation.) Address: 289 Hanover Street, North End Phone: Find online: .bofbpic img { width: 100%; height: auto; } Parziale's Bakery Parziale's Bakery suzanne kreiter/globe staff Four American dollars will fetch you one of the best slices in the city: the margherita at Parziale, a tiny North End joint often overshadowed by its showier neighbor, Bova's. You may have to fight through the line for that other, more vaunted establishment, but it is worth it: the sauce sings with bright tomato flavor, and the mozzarella cover is generous (it's the good stuff, too). On your way out, snag a perfectly crumbly walnut sandie. Address: 80 Prince Street, North End Phone: Find online: .bofbpic img { width: 100%; height: auto; } Picco Picco on Tremont Street in the South End. Lane Turner/Globe Staff Early to the local craft pizza scene and still going strong, Picco specializes in two of the world's perfect foods, which are even better together: pizza and ice cream. (The name is an abbreviation of Pizza & Ice Cream Co.) If you haven't tried these bubbly, chewy, char-crusted beauties, wait no more — it is time for you to order a Picco pie. The cheese pizza, and the sausage, fennel, and ricotta one, are always excellent, but don't miss the white Alsatian, with bacon, gruyere, and shallots — like a tarte flambée, but make it pizza. Address: 513 Tremont Street, South End Phone: Find online: .bofbpic img { width: 100%; height: auto; } Pinocchio's Pizza & Subs Pinocchio's Pizza & Subs. Lane Turner/Globe Staff Weave your way through the crush of college students and snag a slice at this iconic counter-service spot off of Harvard Square. Pinocchio's offers subs and thin-crust pizza, but the Sicilian squares are the clear standouts: crispy on the bottom, pillowy on top, and buttery all the way through. The walls are decked with fading photos of famous clients (Mark Zuckerberg's order: a steak-and-cheese sub and a slice of Sicilian cheese), and during the semester, it's open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Address: 74 Winthrop Street, Cambridge Phone: Find online: .bofbpic img { width: 100%; height: auto; } Quattro Quattro. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff This North End spot from restaurateur Frank DePasquale (Bricco, Mare, and more) serves lobster ravioli, chicken parm, and other classics. But its real specialty is the spot-on authentic Neapolitan-style pizza. The edges are blistered and charred black in spots, the toppings applied with some restraint. The margherita, made with mozzarella di bufala, is pure goodness — but you can also add mushrooms, mortadella with pistachio, and more. Address: 264 Hanover Street, North End Phone: Find online: .bofbpic img { width: 100%; height: auto; } Regina Pizzeria Regina Pizzeria. Lane Turner/Globe Staff If you were going to try just one Boston pizza place, Regina Pizzeria would be the right choice. But it has to be the North End branch, producing brick-oven pizza since 1926. These are utterly classic old-school Italian-American pies: crisp, thin crust; a little char at the edges; the right amount of blistering and chew; a union of bright sauce and flavorful cheese. It's fun to wedge into one of the wood booths and soak up the atmosphere, but you can also circumvent the wait by ordering ahead and picking your food up to go. Don't be surprised if someone in the line snaking around the brick building offers to buy it off you as you leave. Address: 11½ Thacher Street, North End Phone: Find online: Related : .bofbpic img { width: 100%; height: auto; } Santarpio's Pizza Santarpio's. Adam DeTour for The Boston Globe. Food styling by Sheila Jarnes. Boston doesn't really have its own style of pizza, but this joint, with more than a century in business, creates a unique pie combining the best of New Haven, New York, and New Jersey's styles. The result is a tangy, saucy masterpiece with an extra crunch from the cornmeal on the crust. The atmosphere is pure Boston with its well-worn booths, gruff servers straight out of central casting, and boisterous locals. There is another location in Peabody. Address: 111 Chelsea Street, East Boston Phone: Find online: .bofbpic img { width: 100%; height: auto; } Si Cara Si Cara. Lane Turner/Globe Staff This Central Square natural wine bar from chef Michael Lombardi (Salty Pig, SRV) specializes in canotto-style pies — a puffy-edged, less rule-bound cousin to Neapolitan pizza. The crust is gloriously tangy sourdough; the toppings are less rule-bound, too. In addition to margherita and pepperoni pies, you'll find combinations such as confit potato with pea tendril, 'nduja, and almond — or fried artichoke with miso cream and preserved lemon. At lunch, there's also pan pizza by the slice. Address: 425 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge Phone: Find online: Boston Globe Best of the Best winners for 2025 were selected by Globe newsroom staff and correspondents, and limited to Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and Brookline. We want to hear from you: ? 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