Sidewalks Take Shape on Brookline Boulevard

Customers in the 700 and 800 blocks of Brookline Boulevard can now walk on solid ground when they visit their favorite businesses.

Sidewalks were poured in front of several businesses Wednesday and Thursday, and although a chain link fence still separates the storefronts from the road, business owners said there are unmistakable signs of progress.

“It’s so nice to walk on real ground,” said Ben Haake, co-owner of Cannon Coffee. “The planting beds are going in, and we know there are benches on the way. It’s been fun to watch all this. It really is like a facelift.”

The Brookline Boulevard Reconstruction Project, which started in March, already has been a long process for those living through it, and some businesses owners worried that the barriers in front of stores would deter customers.

Business has been slightly slower at Cannon, but Haake said he doesn’t want to blame the construction for that.

“We would like to say we’d be busier if the construction wasn’t happening, but our regular customers have really been pretty loyal,” Haake said. “We really can’t complain.”

A few doors down at Melissa Distel Photography, Marsha Herrle said she felt the same—construction has been a long process, but not a bad one.

“Our clients have been pretty brave wanting to come even though this is happening,” said Herrle, who works as Distel’s assistant. “With the nature of our business, we don’t have many walk-ins, but people are still willing to schedule and make their ways up here.”

Both Haake and Herrle said they’ve also been pleased with Facchiano Contracting, the company completing the work. Facchiano's workers now spend as much time on the Boulevard as the business owners themselves.

“They’ve been excellent,” Haake said. “They’ve been very receptive to us. They’ve been very patient about answering our questions, and we’ve had lots of questions.”

Because Distel's photography studio specializes in children and baby photos, Herrle said she worried about children making their way through the construction site. 

“We have a lot of people coming in with babies, and the workers outside have been absolutely great about making sure they get in safely,” she said.

Rick and Peggy Lawrence, who own Beach Treats Gifts at the end of Brookline Boulevard, aren’t directly affected by construction yet, but Rick Lawrence said watching the work down the street makes him look forward to seeing the end result. 

“This whole park area is just going to be beautiful,” Lawrence said of Cannon Park, which is across from his store. “It will be great to stroll the Boulevard for shopping and dining.”

The current construction, including the noise and dust, is a temporary inconvenience, he said, for something sure to be better.

Haake echoed the sentiment. He’s ready to see a finished street in front of his store, he said, but he can put up with a little more dirt and noise to get there.

“That’s just the price of progress,” he said.

Do you own a business, or live on the Boulevard? What has been your experience with the construction?

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