Porter Square

File:Former estate at Porter Square.jpg

Previously called Union Square, Porter Square was renamed in 1896 after Porter's Hotel to reduce confusion with Union Square in Somerville.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/boston-evening-transcript/171390322/ |title=Newton's Proposed Charter |newspaper=Boston Evening Transcript |date=December 2, 1896 |page=7 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/boston-evening-transcript/171392124/ |title=Realty Affairs in Cambridge |newspaper=Boston Evening Transcript |date=December 7, 1896 |page=10 |via=Newspapers.com}} The hotel was operated by Zachariah B. Porter and is one possible origin of the porterhouse steak.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant/171526487/ |title=Latin Root 'Porto' Gives Scores Of English Words |first=Rob |last=Kyff |newspaper=Hartford Courant |date=June 21, 2015 |page=F3 |via=Newspapers.com}} The hotel was demolished in 1909.Survey of Architectural History in Cambridge: Northwest Cambridge, 1977, {{ISBN|0-262-53032-5}}, Cambridge Historical Commission, Cambridge, Massachusetts. pp. 164-65 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, was built in 1857. The tunnel survives under the nearby Walden Street Bridge, and in 2007–08 was preserved and restored. The "most dramatic loss" of early 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 was extended from Harvard through Porter and Davis Square to its present terminus at Alewife, a project that also left Porter with its most visible landmark, Susumu Shingu's{{cite web |url=http://susumushingu.com/en/index.html |title=Susumu Shingu |publisher=Susumu Shingu |access-date=2012-02-26 |archive-date=2012-03-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330181235/http://susumushingu.com/en/index.html |url-status=dead }} 46-foot painted steel and aluminum kinetic sculpture entitled Gift of the Wind.

File:North Prospect Church.jpg

Lesley University continues to expand in the Porter Square neighborhood, with the relocation of its College of Art and Design to the North Prospect Church and a new building built on the church's former site at the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Roseland Street.[http://www.lesley.edu/PageTemplate.aspx?id=12998 Lunder Arts Center] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416103642/http://www.lesley.edu/PageTemplate.aspx?id=12998 |date=2015-04-16 }} Access date 2013-12-17

In addition to University Hall at 1815 Massachusetts Avenue and the Lunder Arts Center at 1801 Massachusetts Avenue, Lesley also has administrative offices at 815 Somerville Avenue and parking areas across Massachusetts Avenue from University Hall.{{Cite web |url=http://www.lesley.edu/campus/campus-map.html |title=Lesley University Campus Map |access-date=2011-08-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809100951/http://www.lesley.edu/campus/campus-map.html |archive-date=2011-08-09 |url-status=dead }}

File:porter square cambridge massachusetts.JPG The Porter Square Shopping Center consists of two buildings and a parking lot. As of July 2017, it is home to the following stores & eateries:

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.{{cite web | title = Porter Square losing Blockbuster; first, though, a clearance sale! | url = http://www.cambridgeday.com/2009/07/30/porter-square-losing-blockbuster-first-though-a-clearance-sale/ | accessdate = 2011-08-13}}{{cite web | title =Pizzeria Uno closes in Porter Square | url= http://www.cambridgeday.com/2010/03/01/pizzeria-uno-closes-in-porter-square/| accessdate = 2011-08-13}}{{cite web | title = Porter Square Galleria loses third large tenant in Jennifer Convertibles | url= http://www.cambridgeday.com/2010/08/18/porter-square-galleria-loses-third-large-tenant-in-jennifer-convertibles/| accessdate = 2011-08-13}} A Target is being built in the space formerly occupied by Walgreens. As of September 2018, it is home to:

• Anna's Taqueria
• Sprint
• Parelli Optical

File:Porter Exchange Building.jpg

A prominent feature of the Porter Square skyline is the tower on the Art Deco-style building located at 1815 Massachusetts Avenue. The building, now known as University Hall, was originally a Sears, Roebuck store from 1928 to 1985.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1985/7/9/sears-will-close-down-its-porter/|title=Sears Will Close Down Its Porter Square Store|last=WROBLEWSKI|first=DANIEL B.|date=July 9, 1985|website=The Harvard Crimson|access-date=June 15, 2018}} In 1991, Lesley University began leasing classroom space there, and in 1994 the university bought the building, which now houses its Graduate School of Education, bookstore, administrative offices, art and dance studios, and classrooms.{{cite web | title = Writing about a building is not easy | url = http://www.lesley.edu/news/publications/magazine/archive_issues/features_porter.html | accessdate = 2011-08-13 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110809092752/http://www.lesley.edu/news/publications/magazine/archive_issues/features_porter.html | archive-date = 2011-08-09 | url-status = dead }}

Porter Square and The Shops at Porter have a recent history of being a center for Boston's Japanese community. In May 2009, Lesley University ousted Kotobukiya, a Japanese grocery store, from The Shops at Porter, after 20 years in business there. Lesley wanted the space to expand its bookstore.{{cite web | title = Farewell Kotobukiya | url =http://blogs.bostonmagazine.com/chowder/2009/04/29/farewell-kotobukiya/?replytocom=229 | accessdate = 2011-08-13}}[http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/05/04/little_japan_to_lose_its_center/ "Little Japan" to lose its center]{{cite web|url=http://www.upo.harvard.edu/library/clippings/04-22-09_05-05-09.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120809023350/http://www.upo.harvard.edu/library/clippings/04-22-09_05-05-09.pdf |archive-date=9 August 2012 |format=PDF |title=Digest of News Clippings 04/22/09 to 05/05/09 |access-date=2013-08-23}}

As of July 2017, The Shops at Porter is home to many Japanese eateries and businesses. Izakaya Ittoku and Shaking Crab are full-size restaurants, and the other eateries are located in a food court-like area with limited seating.

Other restaurants in the area (as of July 2017) include:

{{Reflist|2}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120702110841/http://www2.cambridgema.gov/CAC/Public/PorterSquareRoadway.cfm Description of Porter Square design project] from Cambridge Arts Council
• [http://www.portersquare.net/ PSNA] Porter Square Neighbors Association

Category:Asian-American culture in Massachusetts

Category:Japantowns in the United States

Category:Neighborhoods in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Category:Squares in Somerville, Massachusetts

Category:Squares in Cambridge, Massachusetts