Assembly Row is about to change the city of Somerville as we know it. The area, according to its website, is “Boston’s new BFF,” and plans to be a “rare breed of shopping, living, working and playing,” in Somerville’s Assembly Square. After building a good amount of buzz over the past year in Somerville and the surrounding neighborhoods, its official launch is on the summer’s horizon. And today, Assembly Row announced the details of its “Grand Opening Season,” which will stretch from May through September of 2014.
During the grand opening, 32 outlets, restaurants and attractions will open at Assembly Row, with at least 10 more businesses slated for fall of 2014, expected to arrive by Black Friday in November. The major destinations anchoring the district are the area’s newest movie theater, AMC Assembly Row 12, which has already opened, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, the much-anticipated LEGO-themed amusement center and first of its kind in New England, and Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5TH, a more affordable shopping outlet from the Saks company.
In addition to those destinations, Somerville can expect to welcome 23 new outlet retailers, including a LOFT Outlet, Converse and J. Crew, as well as seven new restaurants, like Legal on the Mystic, an offshoot of the local Legal Sea Foods chain.
To visualize the set up of Assembly Row, check out the map excerpt below:
Assembly Row has already begun boosting the job market in Somerville; earlier this year, they hosted two weekend job fairs, the first held exclusively for Somerville residents. And while the addition of 30+ retailers, restaurants and other businesses will surely increase foot traffic and tourism to the area, Assembly Row is focusing on ventures beyond the buildup of storefronts and restaurants. In April, they led a call for local artists to teach Art in the Park classes, a free, outdoor art class series led by Assembly Row and the Somerville Arts Council, to be held at Baxford Riverfront Park on the Mystic River this summer. The classes will run every Sunday from June 29 to July 27, 2014.
The district will also continue their summer-long handmade arts market ASSEMBLED, which will begin its 2014 season on June 7 through September 13, 2014. The market features Somerville artists, Etsy vendors and New England’s creative talents of all kinds, and interested artists and vendors can apply here. Opening day of ASSEMBLED will also mark the 2014 Somerville Food Truck Festival, when 20+ popular area food trucks will descend on Assembly Row for one day only.
In addition to the businesses, Assembly Row will bring a waterfront park to the Mystic River shore, complete with bike lanes and amphitheater, which, once completed, will stretch six acres of riverfront. Slated for this fall, commuters can also anticipate an Orange Line T stop dedicated to Assembly Row, allowing easier access for the city to enjoy and explore the new developments, as well as free parking.
Keep in mind, this is just phase one of the development at Assembly Row. In the future, the completed district will include 500,000 square feet of retail and restaurant property, 1.75 million square feet of office space, a hotel, 2,100 new residences and a six-acre waterfront park, totaling 40 acres of Mystic River-front property.
While the AMC movie theater and the Assembly Row JP Licks are now open for business, expect the bulk of openings to start popping up beginning at the end of May. Here’s the complete schedule of openings of Assembly Row’s “Grand Opening Season,” from May through September, subject to change.
MAY
May 16
Nike Factory Store
May 22-30
adidas
Brooks Brothers
Charlotte Russe
Chico’s Outlet
Converse
LEGOLAND Discovery Center
Orvis
Pendleton Woolen Mills
PUMA
Reebok
Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH
Clarks Outlet
Kay Jewelers
Le Creuset
Luggage Factory
Papagayo Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar
Steve Madden
Wilsons Leather
JUNE
Hair Cuttery
JULY
Fuji Restaurant
Legal’s on the Mystic
SoMA Salon and Spa Aveda
AUGUST
Motherhood Maternity
Sugar Heaven
SEPTEMBER
Earls Kitchen + Bar
Ernesto’s Pizza
J.Crew
LOFT Outlet
PAUL Bakery
Featured image and map via Assembly Row