Downtown Crossing, one of the city’s premier shopping districts, is facing another holiday season without its crown jewel — the Filene’s building.
The stalled One Franklin redevelopment project has left a gaping hole, literally, in the heart of the area. Yet city officials and storeowners hope a combination of new restaurants, hotels and an outdoor marketplace can pump life into the struggling retail center.
This Saturday, Downtown Crossing will unveil its Holiday Market, a daily showcase for local businesses to highlight jewelry, clothing, ornaments, flowers, paintings and food. The market will run through Christmas Eve.
Meanwhile, the opening of both a new restaurant — Stoddard’s — at Temple Place and the Ames hotel on Court Street a few blocks away, as well as the return of “The Nutcracker” to the Opera House and the Macy’s tree lighting, have officials crossing their fingers the district can recapture its shopping swagger.
“There are many new things taking place this year, and we think all of that will be an added attraction to bring people back to this area,” said Rosemarie Sansone, president of the Downtown Crossing Partnership.
