By Times staff
2024 was memorable year on and around Beacon Hill for a variety of reasons.
Regarding preservation, it was a milestone year for the Beacon Hill Historic District. With the passage of a new law on July 3, the District was expanded to include the south side of Cambridge Street while the Beacon Hill Architectural Commission was also given the power to issue fines for violations of its regulations for the first time.
*On Jan. 11, the Friends of the Public
Garden joined representatives from the
Boston Parks Department for the lighting
of the Alexander Hamilton (seen
here) and Col. John Glover statues on
the Commonwealth Avenue Mall.
*On Feb. 3, the Beacon Hill Civic
Association held its Beacon Hill Gala
2024 at the Four Seasons Hotel Boston.
Charles Street’s retail landscape remained strong, despite the loss of a couple of beloved, longstanding businesses.
Savenor’s Market closed in June after 22 years in the neighborhood, with officials pointing to a changing marketplace in the aftermath of the pandemic.
King & I, formerly at 145 Charles St., closed in August after more than 30 years, following the death of the patriarch of the Thai restaurant.
Mayor Michelle Wu joined residents and community leaders in the
West End on April 2 for a signing of a new ordinance creating a
City Planning Department.
Another longstanding Charles Street restaurant, Bin 26 Enoteca, closed on June in after nearly two decades in business, but the space was reborn as a Basque-inspired restaurant, Zurito, in November. Babak Bina, one of the co-owners of the erstwhile Bin 26, is among the ownership team behind the new establishment.
Tom Kershaw is seen on the steps of the Hampshire House
on Monday, June 10, 2024 – the 55th anniversary of him
taking ownership of the business. *On June 10, Tom Kershaw
marked 55 years of ownership of the Hampshire House with
an invitation-only luncheon that brought together familiar
faces from throughout his lengthy career.
A newcomer to the neighborhood, The Hummus Shop, which opened at 37a Charles St., on Oct. 12, has been an instant success, as well as the sole establishment on the Hill selected to receive funding via the last round of the city’s Supporting Pandemic Affected Community Enterprises (SPACE) grants.
Steps away from the Hill, The West End Museum reopened on Staniford Street in May, boasting a newly renovated and expanded space befitting of its extensive collection of archives from that neighborhood’s history. The Museum had fallen prey to a substantial flood in January of 2022, and their impressive, new home is a true testament to the organization and its resilience.
So as the curtain closes on ‘24, we invite readers to look back on another year in the neighborhood.