Last week, we learned (with high hopes) that Boston’s City Hall Plaza could be transformed into a winter wonderland this season. It was reported that the new Anthem Group venture and city centerpiece, dubbed Winter’s Landing, would include “The Polar Bar” restaurant and an Olympic-style ice rink. According to its Facebook page, it would also be a “centerpiece for entertainment, events and winter programming in the City of Boston.”
But alas, our hopes were dashed when we learned that the plans were “on ice,” as the Boston Globe put it. We soon noticed that the Craigslist ad seeking future employees for The Polar Bar restaurant had disappeared. In addition, the Globe reported that Winter’s Landing had not yet secured the necessary permits needed to go forward with the project.
[Update: Since publishing this story, an official source has informed us that all of the permits, site surveys, engineering reports, etc were indeed done, complete, in-hand, approved and finalized. Everything from a permitting and structural standpoint was fine.]
In short, there seemed to be serious questions about whether or not the ambitious project would materialize in time for this year’s holiday season.
Now, we’ve learned from Chris Sinclair, president of The Anthem Group, that Winter’s Landing will most definitely not be happening this year. Sinclair told BostInno in an email today that:
“After much consideration, there was a mutual decision between both the Administration and Anthem to not proceed with Winter’s Landing for this season. The build out and setup completion was too close to the holidays to deliver the type of experience the residents and visitors of the City of Boston deserve.”
But don’t lose all hope just yet. Sinclair does state that they are “immediately looking at next fall/winter.” We’ll be sure to bring you additional information as we learn more about the upcoming 2015 Winter’s Landing project.
[Update: Chris Sinclair has since told BostInno in a follow-up email that:
“the reality is, this is just a complex project and its execution required a little bit more time than the clock allowed us for this year. It was going to be wonderful this season, but it will be better than imaginable in the future.” Sinclair also stated, “Winter’s Landing had been an Anthem creation from over five years ago. We shaped it, built it, and expanded the vision to the finest detail. We then shared it with City Hall and worked with their staff on how to bring it to life. The proper time to pull it together is now. There is a great administration in City Hall, with diligent staff, a grand overall vision and there is a really exciting vibe around Boston in general. Never has there been a better time to bring something so innovative, world-class and desired by residents to Boston during the winter months. We are prepared to do just that.”]
Image via Facebook
