In a city where culture and community are as rich and variegated as the storied streets themselves, the historic Harvard Square Kiosk is gearing up for an auspicious transformation. According to an announcement from the City of Cambridge, in collaboration with CultureHouse and the Cambridge Office for Tourism, the iconic kiosk will be repurposed into the Cambridge Kiosk, a bustling community space, and visitor information center, with doors set to swing open in early 2025.
The revamp process is community-driven, with a two-year plan inviting local input to reflect a broad spectrum of needs and dreams. Beginning now, applications for the City’s new Cambridge Kiosk Advisory Committee are open to the public. Furthermore, CultureHouse is seeking propositions via an interest form from artists, nonprofits, and businesses, for future events and programming that will happen at the kiosk. Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang expressed that at the heart of this initiative is a mission to “provide greater opportunities for creativity, connection, and collaboration in the center of Harvard Square.”
Managing and programming the Kiosk will be CultureHouse’s wheelhouse. This organization, known for rejuvenating dormant spaces into cultural hotspots, will spearhead a series of multilingual surveys and interactive sessions for public input on desirable activities and functions in the renewed space. Executive Director Aaron Greiner told the City of Cambridge, “Programming at the Cambridge Kiosk will continuously evolve to meet the needs of the community and turn the space into a dynamic hub where people from all places and backgrounds can come together to experience culture and to build relationships.”
The Cambridge Kiosk’s refurbishment not only extends an invitation to embrace the contemporary but also honors the rich tapestry of its past. Kathy Watkins, Commissioner of Cambridge Public Works, shared a snapshot of the meticulous preservation efforts underway, advising visitors to “take a moment to look up at the details of the roof, the interior wood ceiling, and the brick columns that have been painstakingly restored,” celebrating both its storied history and envisioned future.
In the interim, visitor services formerly housed in the kiosk have been temporarily relocated to Cambridge Savings Bank’s ground floor. Robyn Culbertson, Executive Director of the Cambridge Office for Tourism, reassures that the dedicated staff will continue to aid visitors with “navigating the city and discovering its vibrant cultural scene.” With the anticipated opening of the Cambridge Kiosk, the promise of a nuanced and colorful future is as tangible as the bricks laid down nearly a century ago. For those eager to play a role or just stay in the loop, opportunities beckon at cambridgekiosk.org.
The historic Harvard Square Kiosk is going to reopen in early 2025 as a community space.
The City of Cambridge announced this news in a press release sharing that the space will be named the Cambridge Kiosk which will also act as a “vibrant cultural incubator” and a “visitor information center.” The city announced the space will be be run by the new Cambridge Kiosk Advisory Committee. Those interested in serving on that committee can apply here.
Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang said in a statement, “The activation of the Cambridge Kiosk represents a significant milestone for our community. By transforming this historic landmark into a dynamic public space, we will provide greater opportunities for creativity, connection, and collaboration in the center of Harvard Square.”
The kiosk has existed since 1927. Notably, it featured the Out of Town Newsstand from 1983 until the kiosk closed in 2019.
Commissioner of Cambridge Public Works Kathy Watkins said in a statement, “The Kiosk has adapted over its nearly 100 years to meet the needs of the community and it is exciting to see it transform yet again. The current renovations have been led by a dedicated team of architects, engineers and historians and will support this treasured building becoming a modern amenity, while honoring and celebrating the historic details that make it special.”
The Harvard Square Kiosk, which has sat in the heart of the square at the mouth of the MBTA stop for nearly 100 years, is set to reopen early next year, the City of Cambridge announced Thursday.
The Kiosk, which has been “recently restored,” will open in partnership with the Cambridge Office for Tourism and Somerville-based nonprofit CultureHouse, the city announced. The landmark will be renamed the Cambridge Kiosk to be a “cultural incubator, community gathering space, and visitor information center.”
“The activation of the Cambridge Kiosk represents a significant milestone for our community,” Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang said in a statement. “By transforming this historic landmark into a dynamic public space, we will provide greater opportunities for creativity, connection, and collaboration in the center of Harvard Square.”
The historic kiosk has been vacant since before the pandemic, when longtime Cambridge landmark Out of Town News closed in 2019. The newsstand was the natural center of the square, providing global news since 1978, when the Kiosk was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was registered as a Cambridge Landmark in 2017.
Since 2019, the kiosk has been under seemingly perpetual construction, surrounded by a chain link fence, in the middle of Cambridge’s biggest tourist spot. The Boston Globereported last week that the construction cost $3.3 million, or about $6,600 per square foot.
Now, Cambridge is looking for community members to join the Cambridge Kiosk Advisory Committee and for local partners to host events at the Kiosk. CultureHouse will hold community meetings and do surveys to discuss how to use the space moving forward.
“Programming at the Cambridge Kiosk will continuously evolve to meet the needs of the community and turn the space into a dynamic hub where people from all places and backgrounds can come together to experience culture and to build relationships,” said Aaron Greiner, the executive director of CultureHouse.
By Malcolm Johnson• Published November 1, 2024 • Updated on November 1, 2024 at 7:56 pm
A historic Harvard Square kiosk is set to reopen early next year. Its local impact has spanned decades as it served as a popular newsstand in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Organizers have a modern vision for the local landmark, which is nearly 100 years old.
“The kiosk was constructed in 1927 by the Boston Elevated Railway. It was originally an entrance to the Cambridge subway which should’ve been completed in 1912,” explained Charlie Sullivan, Cambridge Historical Commission executive director.
The kiosk was reconstructed and became Out of Town News, which closed in 2019. It was a key service in days predating the internet.
But how can the legacy of the institution be preserved in the 21st century? Melissa Peters, the city’s chief of planning strategy, has some answers.
“The windows are all full size as well as transparent and it’s meant to be an indoor, outdoor space. Really the living room of Harvard Square,” Peters said.
The kiosk seeks to serve as a cultural hub – a place for visitor information, arts and culture and social connection. It’s reopening with several partnerships, including one with Culture House, which improves livability by transforming underutilized spaces into social infrastructure.
“It’s also an opportunity to create a space where people can connect across that difference. In times when we have loneliness and division, having a chance to meet on level ground is an important way to rebuild that social trust that we’ve had over the couple years, Executive Director of Culture House, Aaron Greiner, said
The Harvard Square Kiosk, which has sat in the heart of the square at the mouth of the MBTA stop for nearly 100 years, is set to reopen early next year, the City of Cambridge announced Thursday.
The Kiosk, which has been “recently restored,” will open in partnership with the Cambridge Office for Tourism and Somerville-based nonprofit CultureHouse, the city announced. The landmark will be renamed the Cambridge Kiosk to be a “cultural incubator, community gathering space, and visitor information center.”
“The activation of the Cambridge Kiosk represents a significant milestone for our community,” Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang said in a statement. “By transforming this historic landmark into a dynamic public space, we will provide greater opportunities for creativity, connection, and collaboration in the center of Harvard Square.”
The historic kiosk has been vacant since before the pandemic, when longtime Cambridge landmark Out of Town News closed in 2019. The newsstand was the natural center of the square, providing global news since 1978, when the Kiosk was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was registered as a Cambridge Landmark in 2017.
Since 2019, the kiosk has been under seemingly perpetual construction, surrounded by a chain link fence, in the middle of Cambridge’s biggest tourist spot. The Boston Globereported last week that the construction cost $3.3 million, or about $6,600 per square foot.
Now, Cambridge is looking for community members to join the Cambridge Kiosk Advisory Committee and for local partners to host events at the Kiosk. CultureHouse will hold community meetings and do surveys to discuss how to use the space moving forward.
“Programming at the Cambridge Kiosk will continuously evolve to meet the needs of the community and turn the space into a dynamic hub where people from all places and backgrounds can come together to experience culture and to build relationships,” said Aaron Greiner, the executive director of CultureHouse.
Beloved Massachusetts Eatery Named ‘Most Charming Restaurant’ In The State
By Logan DeLoye
October 29, 2024
Photo: iStockphoto
If you’re already planning on dining out, why not enjoy a tasty meal at the most charming restaurant in the state?
A main course pairs well with a few savory, pre-meal appetizers and a sweet desert to follow, but nothing compliments a dish quite like ambiance, or as Gen Z would say: the “vibe.”
If the overall vibe of the restaurant is good, then the food and experience might just soar over your expectations. While there are many restaurants scattered throughout Massachusetts, only one is known for having the most charming vibes around.
According to a list compiled by LoveFood, the most charming restaurant in Massachusetts is Harvest in Cambridge. This restaurant was praised for its ambiance and delicious dishes among other beloved qualities.
Here’s what LoveFood had to say about the most charming restaurant in the entire state:
“In the beautiful city of Cambridge, down a cobbled path in the heart of Harvard Square, is Harvest. This elegant restaurant presents the best of New England cuisine, with chefs working closely with local farmers to devise seasonal menus. The interiors are smart, with dark woods and neutral tones, while there’s a beautiful patio for dining al fresco.”
For more information about the most charming restaurants across the country check out Love Food‘s full list!
A still from “Practical Magic.” (Courtesy Warner Bros.)
Massachusetts romance readers will soon have a meeting place for all things literary love and lust in Cambridge: Lovestruck Books. The brick-and-mortar store dedicated to romance of all subgenres and a selection of general fiction will open at 44 Brattle St. in Harvard Square this winter.
Owner Rachel Kanter plans to spotlight works by women, people of color and LGBTQIA+ authors. “We’re seeing publishers taking notice of authors that maybe traditionally would not have been published by a big five publisher, so that’s really exciting, because it means that more and more stories are getting out and being celebrated,” said Kanter. “That’s one of the things that has always attracted me to the romance genre, and I really wanted that to be reflected in our store.”
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To get potential visitors excited, the bookstore is hosting events leading up to its opening, including a night celebrating “Practical Magic” at The Brattle Theatre on Oct. 29.
The 1995 novel by Alice Hoffman was turned into a film starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock as sisters Gillian and Sally Owens. After their parents die, the girls grow up with their eccentric witch aunts in a small town in Massachusetts. The Owens sisters are outcasts — the townspeople avoid them in fear of the girls cursing them. Still, Gillian and Sally have each other until Gillian runs away and Sally gets married. But they rekindle their connection after Sally has two girls of her own.
The event will kick off with a conversation between Hoffman and Shelf Love Podcast creator Andrea Martucci. Then audience members will settle in for a screening of the cult classic film. Each ticket includes a Lovestruck Books tote bag, a signed copy of the book, a drink ticket and surprise goodies. (The event is already sold out.)
By Spencer Buell Globe Staff,Updated October 23, 2024, 6:10 a.m.
The long-fenced-off location of the Harvard Square kiosk. For decades it was home to landmark newsstand Out of Town News, which left in 2019.David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
CAMBRIDGE — It may not look like much, this 500-square-foot kiosk in the heart of Harvard Square.
Visible through chain-link fencing, which has hemmed it in for years now, the small structure has the shape and feel of an oversized bus shelter, albeit one with handsomely restored brickwork and an ornate copper roof.
It had been the longtime home of Out of Town News, which closed in 2019, but then languished in construction purgatory. That journey is set — allegedly, at least — to wrap up early next year and cost $3.3 million, which would put it in the ballpark of an eye-popping $6,600 per square foot.
There has been jubilation at this news among those who live and work in the square. But also, exasperation at what has transpired as the city has tried to reopen this beleaguered little landmark.
“This project has been dragging on for way too long. It is painfully slow, frustrating, and expensive,” said Denise Jillson, head of the neighborhood’s business association. “With all this money that we have and the resources, and the brain trust that we have, these things should be — it shouldn’t be this difficult.”
Kathy Watkins, the city’s public works commissioner, has heard that very criticism many times over the (many) years the project has crawled along.
“I know people are frustrated about how long these things take,” Watkins said. But “we are super excited to see this coming to a conclusion, have it be open and usable, celebrate the community, and have people embrace and enjoy this building.”
She said refurbishing even a modest rectangular building — the kind of thing that would be a breeze just about anywhere else in the country — is not so simple. Not in Harvard Square, at least.
The kiosk’s story begins in 1928, when it was the headhouse for the transit stop beneath it. The original Out of Town News opened next door in 1954 as a separate newsstand, then moved into the structure in 1984.
The Harvard Square kiosk in 1928 or so. (Cambridge Historical Commission)Cambridge Historical CommissionOut of Town News stand in Harvard Square on Oct. 14, 1966.Bill Brett/Globe Staff
In either location, Out of Town News, which specialized in selling periodicals from around the world to the neighborhood’s globally minded residents, was treated as a landmark. It was for more than half a century an intellectual hub and informal meeting place, and a touchstone for anyone who lived, visited, or studied in Cambridge during its heyday.
Julia Child browsed for recipes there, student protesters routinely rallied near its steps (and sometimes on its roof), and a young Bill Gates is said to have been inspired to explore the potential of computers after reading about them in a magazine bought on its shelves.
In its latter years, even as it increasingly served as a convenience store, the Out of Town brand was a reminder of a simpler time, when people needed to seek out news from far away rather than having it arrive at all hours via smartphone.
But by 2012, its best days clearly behind it, Jillson’s Harvard Square Business Association was calling for the kiosk to be patched up, restored, and put to some other use than what it had become: a place, Jillson said, to buy scratch tickets and a pack of smokes.
Still, ideas are one thing. Plans are another. When it came time to do something about it, the city moved cautiously, and slowly. Many community meetings were held. Working groups formed. Consultants were consulted. Neighborhood groups coalesced.
Out of Town News in 1982.John Blanding, Globe StaffLate-night reading at Out of Town News in 1987.David Binder/Globe Staff
Meanwhile, the kiosk restoration was lumped into the broader project of renovating the plaza surrounding it, which was due for a refresh, bringing it up to modern accessibility standards. (Included in the $3.3 million price tag for the kiosk, officials said, are some modifications to the nearby T stop headhouse that were needed so it could support new accessible grading on the plaza. Renovations for the kiosk and plaza combined are budgeted at about $11.5 million, the city said last week).
By the time Cambridge was ready to break ground, COVID had struck. Supply chain issues slowed progress from there.
Even as construction began in May 2021, the nature of the work itself was an obstacle: a historic structure, in a historic locale, at one of the densest corners of one of the state’s densest cities, at one of its busiest crossings for cars, bikes, and pedestrian traffic.
A contractor to fix up the kiosk would need to specialize in historic preservation, and on obscure design elements like the structure’s artisan-crafted roof. Workers updating the plaza, meanwhile, would need to be willing to use smaller and lighter equipment than is typical, and to operate in phases so the area can remain open to the millions of people who pass through each year.
“The heart of the square is an extremely challenging place to do construction,” said Watkins.
To make matters more complicated, the plaza sits directly atop the age-worn Harvard MBTA station, in some places just a foot-and-a-half above its ceiling. So every step of the project has needed to be reviewed and approved by the T, a laborious and time consuming affair.
“That has been one of the big delays, to be honest,” Watkins said.
The T has certainly had good reason to be extra cautious. Just last year, a Harvard student was injured when a decrepit piece of equipment clattered on top of her inside the stop — an incident that came just two months after a chunk crashed down, nearly hitting a passenger.
A T spokesperson said the agency has “worked diligently” to “review and refine designs” for the project “to ensure that the renovations do not compromise the safety or convenience of riders.”
Despite the challenges, work on the kiosk is itself almost done.
Out Of Town News in 1985.Ted Dully/Globe StaffTom Fosnot of Cambridge read an out of town newspaper at Out of Town News in Harvard Square in 1999.GREENE, Bill GLOBE STAFF
When it opens, it will be a very different space than the landmark people remember.
Where there were once racks of newspapers and magazines along its walls, there are now wide windows, some of which swing open, so passersby can see straight through it. The interior is sparse, and will stay that way, so furniture can be arranged and re-arranged to fit various purposes.
It will, as needed, be used by the city’s Office for Tourism whose staff guide visitors around the square. The city also envisions other uses for its 500square feet, and hopes to use it for temporary attractions like art galleries and historical exhibits, musical performances, lectures, and other events.
Melissa Peters, chief of planning strategy for the city’s Community Development Department, said officials hope the tight space will feel like the beating heart of Harvard Square: “Active and alive and open.”
In this next iteration, the city said it hopes in the near future to publicize a form that various groups — artists, nonprofits, cultural institutions, businesses — can use to pitch ideas for the space. It has tapped the Somerville firm Culture House to direct programming there when it opens.
For most Harvard College students, it will be the first time they encounter the structure from the other side of the fence.
Frankie Freeman, a junior and president of a group of student-run businesses in the square called Harvard Student Agencies, said the new structure will be a step — finally — in the right direction.
“It’s kind of just an eyesore currently,” said Freeman, of Rhode Island, who oversees the student-led tours that kick off right next to the long-dormant kiosk, and the Harvard Shop, which is located next door. “It’s a little saddening to have to talk to tourists who are coming in and want to see this beautiful landscape, but all they get to see as they leave the T is the construction right outside the station.”
Freeman, 20, said he is too young to have ever been to Out of Town News, so has no personal connection to it. “I just hope that they can work efficiently and quickly, and have the construction done so that we can present Harvard as it should be presented.”
Denise Jillson, head of the Harvard Square Business Association, is frustrated by the glacial pace of the project to re-imagine the kiosk that once housed Out of Town News.David L. Ryan/Globe Staff