More amenities sought for Downtown Crossing area - Boston Business Journal:

http://www.scuba-instructors.com/news/009_training.html
The move comes amid more people makinb downtown Bostontheir home, as residentialo projects that include 45 Province St., Park Essexs in Chinatown and several Financial District condio deals are being developed. Accordingb to the association survey, which has yet to be residents and shoppers wantmore amenities, such as a grocert store and casual family They don't want dirt and they don'gt want sidewalks in disrepair. The in conjunction with the city, has plans to clean up the while national and local retailers viefor leases.
Last Mayor Thomas Menino introduced an Economid Impact Initiative that has include two majorcleanups (a $50,000 annualk effort), educating merchants on "signage codes" (sandwich boards and plastic banners are and the Boston Art Windows Project, whicj features artists' works in vacant windows. The 40-plus pushcart vendors soon may need to conforkm to uniform umbrellasand signs. Downtown Crossing, the area where Washingto and Boylstonstreets intersect, to Tremont Street, over to Coury Street and abutting the Financial Districf (the lines are blurred between the two areas), comprisesa about 1.65 million square feet of retaik space.
Of that, 118,000 square feet or nearluy 7 percentis vacant. One person spends, on average, $119 per 43 percent above the nationalo average. More than 25,000 people pass througjh daily basis. Brighton-based quick-service restauran is sharing 500Washington St. with Colorado-basesd Quizno's Subs. Bay Statre retailers such as Staples and waited for the right locales to maketheifr moves. While there are no plans for a groceryu store or an AnneTaylor (a store mentioned in the survey), Maryland-based Mattress Discounterx is moving into the former HMV Records space on Winte r Street and Canton-based Casual Male Big and Tall planws to open at 419 Washingtoh St.
Chicago's jewelry retailer Ultra Diamonds is slated to go into the formeerGlobe Bookstore. David Marks, ownert of Boston's longtime cutlery retailer Stoddard's, has one store in Copleuy Place and another in the Mall at Chestnut Hill, but wants to return to Downtown Crossing, where the company was founded in 1800. Markas sold 50 Temple Place, the store's home since the for $1.5 million last "Downtown Boston offers a kind of energy and realith that is very important to us asa retailer," said "It's an urban part of the world that has not been