IMAGE BY SCOTT MURRY @HOTDOGTACO
Slowly, the tides of change are moving in to Faneuil Hall.
The North End Waterfront is reporting that the 40-year-old staple for seafood, tourists, and drunken college kids, The Salty Dog, is being evicted from its home by the property management. The move is presumably due to the planned overhaul of the entire marketplace to make way facade upgrades, national chains, and a proposed 180-room boutique hotel above the South Market.
This isn’t coming out of nowhere, either. Earlier this month, the New York Times reported on proposals for the first major-scale renovation of the property since the 1970’s, spearheaded by a privately held real estate investment firm in New York, and subject to approval by the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the city’s Landmarks Commission. In it, they mention the powers behind it plan to “not remove ’99 percent of the tenancy,’ although it may move tenants around and alter their spaces” and that those with no “local ties or relevance” will be getting the axe.
A dubious claim by the developers, considering it was at a meeting last week with North End/Neighborhood Waterfront Council (NEWNC) where longtime vendors voiced concerns about the purging of local pushcarts and food purveyors to open up prime retail and restaurant real estate for the deep-pocketed. Which, if the outsing of The Salty Dog is any indicator, could be just the beginning in a series of changes to polish over the past, remove the present, and make way for the internationally chain-flavored future.
At present there’s no hard date for when The Salty Dog will close for good, so check back for updates as this project continues to unfold. Until then, stop in for some old school Faneuil Hall grime-charm, beer, and stuffed quahogs while you still can.
[DECEMBER 16 HAPPY DAY FOR SEAFOOD IN FANEUIL HALL UPDATE: Universal Hub is reporting that a spokesperson from the leaseholder, the Ashkenazy Acquisition Corp, is saying “Ashkenazy has not evicted Salty Dog and has no plans to do so.” We’ll keep you updated to further developments.]
Dan is a freelance journalist and has written for publications including Vice, Esquire, the Daily Beast, Fast Company, Pacific Standard, MEL, Leafly, Thrillist, and DigBoston.
