Power Move In South Boston

From Dave Brigham:

When I heard that this sexy beast was going to be redeveloped, I was dubious. This is the former South Boston Edison Power Station. It's massive and surely contaminated. Built more than a century ago, it was powered down in 2016 after decades of serving as the largest such station in New England. Now known as L Street Power Station, the complex covers 15 acres. The development team plans to "create activity and engagement with housing, retail, a 344-key hotel, two commercial buildings and space for the arts; all of which will be anchored by the preservation of the former power station’s century-old turbine halls, which are rich with cultural history," per the project's official web site.

The project will take many years and millions upon millions of dollars to accomplish. For a look at what the developers hope to accomplish, check out this filing. I fully support this project despite the fact that many cool architectural features -- the smokestack and some of the buildings -- will be lost. I'm always happy when new developments include historic structures. Still, a project of this size and scope can easily run into problems and cost overruns. I'm cautiously optimistic about the opening up of another new neighborhood in Boston.

Let's take a look at a little of what's in the neighborhood currently.

On the opposite corner from the power station sits 840 Summer Street, home to Shag, the salon run by the sorta famous Sandy Poirer. He cuts hair and was on TV. The ghost sign is for Condit Electrical. Here's the front of the Shag building, which is officially known as the the Cahill Building.

A few blocks away sits this beauty of a bar. You know you're in Southie with that bold color.

Just up the street from the old-school Shannon Tavern sits the defunct Thirst.

With the black awnings, fancy lights and beer tap in the logo, Thirst almost surely catered to hipsters. Well, those bearded, skinny-jeans wearing fools didn't show up, apparently, because it closed almost a year ago. I'm not sure how long it was in business. With the coming of L Street Station, there are sure to be more high-end bars offering fruit-infused beers and fancy, overpriced small plates before long.

A few more steps up K Street and you've got this view.

Here, the newer part of the old power plant is framed by, on the left, King Terminal, a former warehouse complex now home to artist studios and a movie casting company, and Ethel & Andy's Sandwich Shop, which looks like something out of the 1940's, and may well be.

Last, and certainly not least, is this old smoke stack.

Took me a while, but I found out that Linde Air Products once sat on this site, where now Accurate Fastners, Inc., operates. In 1918, Linde was granted the permission by the City of Boston to lay down railroad tracks at the intersection of 1st and K streets to transport freight. From a 1918 official document I found via Google Books, some cool details of the agreement: "Also upon condition that a flagman shall display a flag by day and a lantern by night whenever an engine, car or train is approaching and while it is passing over said tracks...."

Stay tuned....