Porter Square is a neighborhood in Cambridge

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...

 and Somerville

Somerville, Massachusetts

Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...

, Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

 in the USA, located around the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Somerville Avenue, between Harvard

Harvard Square

Harvard Square is a large triangular area in the center of Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue, Brattle Street, and John F. Kennedy Street. It is the historic center of Cambridge...

 and Davis

Davis Square

Davis Square is a major intersection in the northwestern section of Somerville, Massachusetts where several streets meet: Holland Street, Dover Street, Day Street, Elm Street, Highland Avenue, and College Avenue.- Location :...

 Squares. The Porter Square station

Porter (MBTA station)

Porter is a train station in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is located at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Somerville Avenue . It also serves portions of Somerville. The station was designed by Cambridge Seven Associates and opened on December 8, 1984. At 105 feet below ground, it is the...

 serves both the MBTA

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...

 Red Line

Red Line (MBTA)

The Red Line is a rapid transit line operated by the MBTA running roughly north-south through Boston, Massachusetts into neighboring communities. The line begins west of Boston, in Cambridge, Massachusetts at Alewife station, near the intersection of Alewife Brook Parkway and Route 2...

 and the Commuter Rail

MBTA Commuter Rail

The MBTA Commuter Rail serves as the regional rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, in the United States. It is operated under contract by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company a joint partnership of Veolia Transportation, Bombardier Transportation and Alternate...

 Fitchburg Line

Fitchburg Line

The Fitchburg Line is an MBTA line that runs from Boston's North Station to Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The line is along the tracks of the former Fitchburg Railroad, which was a railroad line across northern Massachusetts, United States, leading to and through the Hoosac Tunnel. It is one of the...

.

In 2004-06 the principal intersection, including the area adjacent to the shopping center, underwent extensive construction to improve access for pedestrians, bicyclists, and mass transit users, and improve drainage and storm water conditions. The artist Toshihiro Katayama http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~katayama/ of Harvard University

Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...

, in conjunction with the landscape architect Cynthia Smith, designed a new visual look for the square including contrasting light and dark concrete paving, stone walls and boulders.

History

Porter Square was named for the now-vanished Porter's Hotel, operated by Zachariah B. Porter, who also left his name to the hotel's specialty, the cut of steak known as porterhouse. The hotel was demolished in 1909. The square, formerly flanked by cattle yards that used the Porter rail head to transport their beef throughout the US, was an important center for commerce and light industry as early as the late 18th century. A tunnel for moving cattle to and from the railroad without interfering with street traffic, known as the Walden Street Cattle Pass

Walden Street Cattle Pass

Walden Street Cattle Pass, also referred to as the cow path, is an historic site adjacent to the MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line right-of-way, under the Walden Street Bridge in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was added to the National Historic Register in 1994.The site, a tunnel for moving cattle...

, was built in 1857. The tunnel survives under the nearby Walden Street Bridge, and recently, in 2007-08, was preserved and restored. The "most dramatic loss" of 19th century landscape in the square was the leveling of the old Rand Estate in 1952 to make way for the Porter Square Shopping Center.

In 1984 the Red Line

Red Line (MBTA)

The Red Line is a rapid transit line operated by the MBTA running roughly north-south through Boston, Massachusetts into neighboring communities. The line begins west of Boston, in Cambridge, Massachusetts at Alewife station, near the intersection of Alewife Brook Parkway and Route 2...

 was extended from Harvard

Harvard Square

Harvard Square is a large triangular area in the center of Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue, Brattle Street, and John F. Kennedy Street. It is the historic center of Cambridge...

 through Porter and Davis Square

Davis Square

Davis Square is a major intersection in the northwestern section of Somerville, Massachusetts where several streets meet: Holland Street, Dover Street, Day Street, Elm Street, Highland Avenue, and College Avenue.- Location :...

 to its present terminus at Alewife

Alewife (MBTA station)

Alewife, located at the intersection of Alewife Brook Parkway and Cambridgepark West in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a local intermodal transportation hub. It is the northern terminus of the MBTA's Red Line, and a bus terminal for several local routes and one intercity route. It opened in 1985.The...

, a project that also left Porter with its most visible landmark, Susumu Shingu's http://susumushingu.com/en/index.html 46-foot stainless steel kinetic sculpture entitled Gift of the Wind

Gift of the Wind

Gift of the Wind is a large-scale public kinetic sculpture, by Susumu Shingu, located in Porter Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts at the Porter, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority subway and commuter rail station...

.

Porter Exchange and local "Japantown"

A prominent feature of the Porter Square skyline is the tower on the Art Deco

Art Deco

Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...

-style building located at 1815 Massachusetts Avenue

Massachusetts Avenue (Boston)

Massachusetts Avenue, known to locals as Mass Ave, is a major thoroughfare in Boston, Massachusetts, and several cities and towns northwest of Boston...

. The building, now known as the Porter Exchange or University Hall, was originally a Sears, Roebuck

Sears, Roebuck and Company

Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...

 store from 1928 to 1985. In 1991, Lesley University

Lesley University

Lesley University is a private, coeducational university in Boston, Massachusetts and Cambridge, Massachusetts.The university is a member of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, National Association of Schools of Art and Design, and New England Collegiate Conference.-History:The...

 began leasing classroom space there, and in 1994 it bought the building, which now houses its bookstore, administrative offices, art and dance studios, and classrooms.

Porter Square and the Porter Exchange have a long history of being a center for Boston's Japanese community. In May 2009, after 20 years in business, Lesley University ousted Kotobukiya, a Japanese grocery store, from the Porter Exchange. Lesley wanted the space to expand its bookstore.

For over two years, Porter Square was without a Japanese grocery store, until the former owners of Tokai opened Miso Market a few blocks from the Porter Exchange in August 2011.

Sasuga Japanese Bookstore was located in Porter Square on Upland Road, but closed its physical store in 2004.

As of August 2011, the Porter Exchange is home to many Japanese eateries and businesses. Bluefin & Tavern on the Square are full-size restaurants, Tapicha is a kiosk with no seating, and the other eateries are located in a food court-like area with limited seating.

Eateries Bluefin - Japanese restaurant & sushi Sushi is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...  bar Café Mami - Japanese cuisine Japanese cuisine Japanese cuisine has developed over the centuries as a result of many political and social changes throughout Japan. The cuisine eventually changed with the advent of the Medieval age which ushered in a shedding of elitism with the age of shogun rule... Chocho's - Korean cuisine Ittyo - Japanese cuisine, udon Udon is a type of thick wheat-flour noodle of Japanese cuisine.Udon is usually served hot as noodle soup in its simplest form as kake udon, in a mildly flavoured broth called kakejiru which is made of dashi, soy sauce , and mirin. It is usually topped with thinly chopped scallions... , soba Soba is the Japanese name for buckwheat. It is synonymous with a type of thin noodle made from buckwheat flour, and in Japan can refer to any thin noodle . Soba noodles are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or in hot broth as a noodle soup... Japonaise Bakery - Japanese bakery, ice cream, snacks Masa's Sushi Bar - sushi Sushi is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...  bar Sapporo Ramen - ramen Ramen is a Japanese noodle dish. It consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat- or fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and uses toppings such as , , kamaboko, green onions, and occasionally corn... Tapicha - bubble tea Bubble tea Bubble tea is the name for pearl milk tea and other similar tea and juice beverages that originated in tea shops in Taichung, Taiwan during the 1980s. Drink recipes may vary, but most bubble teas contain a tea base mixed with fruit and/or milk... Tampopo - Japanese cuisine Tavern in the Square - American cuisine & bar

Stores Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...  / Lesley University & Art Institute of Boston Bookstore City Sports City Sports City Sports is an American sporting goods retailer operating mostly on the east coast of the United States. Its chief products include athletic apparel, footwear, and equipment...  - athletic equipment & clothing Tokai - Japanese gift shop Other businesses Bally Total Fitness Bally Total Fitness Bally Total Fitness is an American fitness club chain which operates 100 gyms, in several U.S. states. In November of 2011, competitor L.A. Fitness took over operation of 171 former Bally locations...  - gym Citibank Citibank Citibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...  - bank Hands-On Health - massage, acupuncture Acupuncture Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body.... , chiropractic Sora Total Health and Beauty - Japanese cosmetics Total Travel & Excursions - Japanese travel agent

Lesley University/Art Institute of Boston

In addition to 1815 Massachusetts Avenue, Lesley University also has administrative offices at 815 Somerville Avenue and an auditorium at 1801 Massachusetts Avenue.

Lesley University continues to expand in the Porter Square neighborhood, with current plans to relocate the Art Institute of Boston to the site occupied by the North Prospect Church on Massachusetts Avenue, across Roseland Street from University Hall.

Porter Square Shopping Center

The Porter Square Shopping Center consists of two buildings and a parking lot. As of August 2011, it is home to the following stores & eateries:

Main Building Shaw's (formerly Star Market Star Market Star Market was a New England chain of supermarkets owned by the Mugar family and based in Greater Boston. The company was sold to The Jewel Companies, Inc. in 1964, and was later sold to Investcorp, which sold the chain to Shaw's Supermarkets... ) - grocery store TAGS Hardware - hardware store Porter Square Books - independent bookstore & cafe Cambridge Naturals - natural health store Dunkin Donuts Panera Bread Panera Bread Panera Bread is a chain of bakery–café quick casual restaurants in the United States and Canada that sells breads, sandwiches, soups, salads, and other bakery items. Its headquarters are in Sunset Hills, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.-Corporate history:In 1993, Au Bon Pain Co... Gentle Dental

CVS Building CVS/pharmacy - 24-hour pharmacy Emack & Bolio's Emack & Bolio's Emack & Bolio's is a chain of ice cream stores based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The chain was founded by Robert Rook, a lawyer and self-declared hippie who has worked closely with the homeless, Vietnam war protesters, civil and gay rights advocates, and numerous rock bands such as...  - ice cream shop Healthworks - gym for women Mudflat Gallery - showcase for clay artists Sign of the Dove Artisans' Cooperative

Porter Square Galleria

Adjacent to the Porter Square Shopping Center is a small mall called the Porter Square Galleria. In recent years it has lost several large tenants. It is currently home to:

• Anna's Taqueria
  Anna's Taqueria
  Anna's Taqueria is a chain of fast-service Mexican-fusion restaurants in the Boston area.-Overview:Anna's is modeled after U.S. West Coast style Mexican cuisine, specifically the Mission-style or San Francisco burrito. Its menu offers only four core items: burritos, tacos, quesadillas and Mexican...
  
  
• Kool Smiles
• Pier 1 Imports
  Pier 1 Imports
  Pier 1 Imports Inc. is a Fort Worth, Texas based retailer specializing in imported home furnishings and decor, particularly furniture, table-top items, decorative accessories and seasonal decor. The chain operates over 1,000 stores under the name Pier 1 Imports in the United States, Canada, Mexico...
  
  
• Planet Fitness
  Planet fitness
  Planet Fitness is an American franchise of fitness centers based in Dover, New Hampshire. Each gym features exercise equipment and personal trainers to assist its members. It markets itself as a "Judgement Free Zone", though somewhat controversially it has rules in place to discourage deadlifters...
  
  

Other restaurants

Other restaurants in the area include:

Aguacate Verde (formerly Tacos Lupita) - Mexican cuisine Mexican cuisine Mexican cuisine, a style of food that originates in Mexico, is known for its varied flavors, colourful decoration and variety of spices and ingredients, most of which are native to the country. The cuisine of Mexico has evolved through thousands of years of blending indigenous cultures, with later... Christopher's - American cuisine American cuisine American cuisine is a style of food preparation originating in the United States of America.American cuisine may also refer to:* American Cuisine , a 1998 French film...  & bar The Elephant Walk - Cambodian & French cuisine French cuisine French cuisine is a style of food preparation originating from France that has developed from centuries of social change. In the Middle Ages, Guillaume Tirel , a court chef, authored Le Viandier, one of the earliest recipe collections of Medieval France... Passage to India - Northern & southern Indian cuisine Indian cuisine Indian cuisine consists of thousands of regional cuisines which date back thousands of years. The dishes of India are characterised by the extensive use of various Indian spices, herbs, vegetables and fruit. Indian cuisine is also known for the widespread practice of vegetarianism in Indian society... RodDee - Thai cuisine

Stone Hearth Pizza - regular & gluten-free pizza & pasta Sugar & Spice - Thai cuisine Toad - bar that features live bands Wok N Roll - American Chinese cuisine American Chinese cuisine American Chinese cuisine refers to the style of food served by many Chinese restaurants in the United States. This type of cooking typically caters to Western tastes, and differs significantly from the original Chinese cuisine.-History:... ZING! Pizza - regular & gluten-free pizza

Chronic homelessness

The presence of chronically homeless

Homelessness

Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...

 individuals has persisted in recent years in the Porter Square area. Aware of this issue, designers of the Square's 2004 redevelopment intentionally limited the amount of public seating available because of controversy and fear of providing the homeless with a place to rest. However, some have found shelter inside the route 83 bus shelter at Porter Square Station

Porter (MBTA station)

Porter is a train station in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is located at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Somerville Avenue . It also serves portions of Somerville. The station was designed by Cambridge Seven Associates and opened on December 8, 1984. At 105 feet below ground, it is the...

, partially inhibiting its intended use. Another homeless individual, who was on the commuter rail

MBTA Commuter Rail

The MBTA Commuter Rail serves as the regional rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, in the United States. It is operated under contract by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company a joint partnership of Veolia Transportation, Bombardier Transportation and Alternate...

 tracks in 2007, was struck and killed by an MBTA

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...

 train. In its Annual Crime Reports, the Cambridge Police Department has repeatedly named Porter Square as one of the city's "hotspots" of homeless activity, noting that it has been a "constant hang out for homeless people to gather and in some cases, to sleep."

External links

• Description of Porter Square design project from Cambridge community development site
• PSNA Porter Square Neighbors Association