News & Updates

New Theaters, New Retail- 2010 was a Great Year for Downtown Crossing

Jan 05, 2011

2010 was an exciting year for Downtown Crossing with the opening of two new theaters and many new retail locations. Mayor Menino and the BRA joined Emerson College to celebrate the grand opening of the Paramount Center in March 2010. The project has restored one of the city’s most beloved theatres while also creating a truly mixed-use project that will enliven lower Washington Street with the infusion of 260 students. In addition to the fully restored 550-seat theatre, the center offers a restaurant, a scene shop, classrooms, faculty offices, practice rooms, rehearsal rooms, a sound stage, a black box theatre with seating for 140 people, a film screening room for approximately 180 people and four levels of dormitory housing for 260 students.

On Thursday, November 4, Suffolk University also celebrated the opening of its fully restored 185-seat Modern Theatre . The event was followed on Friday, November 5 with a community open house, from noon-6 p.m. The open house included special entertainment throughout the afternoon. Mayor Menino and the BRA have long worked to acquire and save the Modern Theatre to ensure that it will remain an active civic and cultural resource for the City of Boston. In 2007, the BRA issued a RFP for the Modern and chose Suffolk University as the developer. The Modern is the last of the three Landmark theatres in this area that the Menino Administration sought to save. The Opera House opened in 2004 after receiving a $31 million restoration; and the Paramount Theatre as part of a $80 million redevelopment project by Emerson College.New Downtown Crossing Retail Businesses Opened in 2010* TD Bank (Winter Street) b.good (Washington St.)

Stoddards Fine Food & Ale (Temple Place)

Subway (Washington St.)

Petite Robert Central (101 Arch)

D'guru (Devonshire)