Southern Proper to Close
The uniquely designed Southern comfort food spot in the South End – Southern Proper – closed its doors for good after dinner service on Dec. 31, according to a post on Instagram by Chef and Owner Jason Cheek. Southern Proper featured fried chicken, homemade sausages, smoked meats and a full bar in its space at The Girard, 600 Harrison Ave. The restaurant opened in 2018 after getting the approval of neighbors in the East Berkeley Neighborhood Association and in the Blackstone/Franklin Squares Neighborhood Association. The restaurant was particularly unique for its exposed pine interiors, and use of recycled wood in its construction.
“I am so fortunate to have accomplished this dream of mine and to have met so many amazing people during this time of my life. I will continue to grow in my career and will continue to build the relationships I’ve made through this wonderful restaurant. Thank you, everyone, for all your support through the last few years,” wrote Cheek on his Instagram account.
Christmas Tree Recycling
Christmas tree recycling will take place on the first two weeks of January, from the Jan. 6 week of collections to the Jan. 13 week of collections.
All ornaments and lights should be removed from the tree and it should be placed bare on the curb for the neighborhood’s first recycling day. It should be placed on the curb by 6 a.m. for pickup. The tree will get shredded at a central facility and then used as compost in various Boston parks next spring. After the first two weeks, trees will be collected as trash and will go to the incinerator/landfill with the regular trash.
Back Bay Happenings
•Boston Common Master Plan Open House
Join the Friends, the City of Boston, and Weston & Sampson for the Second Boston Common Master Plan Open House at the Josiah Quincy School Auditorium in Chinatown, 152 Arlington St., on Wednesday, Jan. 15. The Open House format will include a slideshow presentation, question and answer period, and an opportunity for active participation within small breakout groups. Your continued participation is crucial in planning the brightest future for Boston Common.
• SAVE THE DATE for a new winter event on Boston Common! To celebrate our 50th Anniversary, on Sunday, Feb. 9, the Friends of the Public Garden will be sponsoring Skating with Friends, free skating for all on the Frog Pond! Stay tuned for more updates.
South End Dates
•The next Sound End Forum Opiate Working Group meeting takes place on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 4 p.m. in the Hampton Inn and Suites, Mass/Cass.
•The Blackstone/Franklin Square Neighborhood Association meeting will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. in the D-4 Police Community Room, Harrison Avenue.
Fenway Times
• Fenway Center Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting
The BPDA will host a Citizens Advisory Committee meeting on Jan. 21, from 6-8 p.m. at the Fenway Community Center, 1282 Boylston St. Please note that the purpose of this meeting is different than that of a traditional community meeting. As part of the development review process, Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) members work closely with BPDA staff to identify the impacts of a project and recommend appropriate community benefits to offset those impacts. CAC meetings prioritize discussion between the project proponent (i.e. the developer) and CAC members. The proponent proposes changes to the previously approved Fenway Center Phase 2 project. The revised program consists of 692,000 square feet of lab space, which includes associated office and support spaces, along with 48,400 square feet of ground-floor retail space. The Proponent proposes to construct approximately 501 parking spaces as a component of Phase 2, for a total of 790 Project parking spaces. The Project Change will therefore reduce the overall project parking count by approximately 550 spaces as compared to the previously approved project.
• Construction begins on Van Ness Lot
Work has started on the parking lot on the corner of Van Ness and Ipswich Streets behind CVS as part of the overall Fenway Music Hall and bleacher improvement projects project. This will be a new designated area for TV trucks and other storage related to Fenway Park that was previously located on the site of the future MGM Music Hall at Fenway. This part of the project mostly involves leveling and resealing.
•Select Red Sox 2020 Tickets on Sale Now
Red Sox 2020 “Sox Pax” and single-game tickets for select April, May, and September games are on sale as of today. Tickets are available online at redsox.com and by phone at (877) RED-SOX9. “Sox Pax” are packs of three or four games with a variety of date and seat options, including Interleague games, summer weekend games, and matchups against the Yankees and Cardinals. You can view these purchase options here. There will be a limit of three Sox Pax (up to four tickets each) per person, and 12 single-game tickets per transaction.