After years of hearing,
"Construction is going to begin soon!"
businesses surrounding the giant hole in the ground in Downtown Crossing had all but given up that anything EVER was going to happen to the giant hole. It has been a long standing neighborhood belief that eventually the gaping maw in the ground left by the merger of Filene's with Macy's was going to grow big enough to suck the dwindling profits of all surrounding businesses right into it.
We (I used to work for Filene's and I now work for another business in the area) wanted to believe otherwise but the fact of the matter was, the facade of the old building loomed over all surrounding businesses like the grim reaper.
We all watched while politely averting our eyes, as business after busniness failed along the surrounding streets and hoped and prayed that the next would not be the one who paid our own bi-weekly pittances.
(The gold shop that went under due to an international police investigation that uncovered the business was a front for identity fraud doesn't count. Filene's did not put them out of business, their own massive greed and stupidity did)
But lo!
My boss informed me a week or so ago that construction was starting at "The Giant Hole In The Ground" and when I clearly did not believe her she said,
"No, really! Go look for yourself! It's actually happening!"
And, go figure. There really is stuff happening at Boston's little brother to 'The Big Dig'.
The sun shines through onto Winter Street:
Walls opened up, lights are on and things seem to be moving along.
Cautiously optimistic but even a little optimisim is something new for Downtown Crossing, we're all hopefull the glass really is half full this time...
