About Leather District
My personal favorite from an architectural standpoint, the Leather District is centrally located between Chinatown and the Financial District and remains relatively untouched by the high-rise development that is happening throughout Boston Metro’s neighborhoods. Spanning nine blocks bordered by Kneeland Street to the South, Essex Street to the North, Atlantic Avenue to the East and Lincoln Street to the West, this neighborhood is made up of mostly warehouse structures with lower level storefronts and is probably the best example of what the city’s business center looked like in the late nineteenth century. Back then it was home to the leather industry and was the wholesale supply area for raw materials in the days when the shoe industry was a regional economic mainstay. These wholesalers required space for display and workshops, thus, ground floor display windows dominate these buildings, most with cast iron facades. A few leather firms are still here today, but over the last 30 years, the Leather District has grown as a mixed-use area, and continues to grow with the arrival of a variety of commercial and residential tenants. Around the corner from South Station (MBTA Red Line, Commuter Rail, Amtrak and several interstate bus lines), the location is quite convenient for commutes to most of Boston’s surrounding areas, as well as for visitors coming in from outside the city and state. Residents are attracted to the authentic “loft living” options that characterize the Leather District. These buildings typically feature large open spaces with industrial details, very high ceilings, enormous windows, and exposed beam, brick and duct work.
NOT TO BE MISSED: Try the best sushi in Boston at O Ya, the best coffee in the world at Gracenote, then spill into Offsuit for a moody beverage, South Street Diner, anytime of day, and take a stroll through the gates of neighboring Chinatown.