The Port (Area IV) Neighborhood Guide
The Port snuck up on some us as the new name for the neighborhood formerly know as “Area IV”.
It’s a great time to recognize all of the change and the future for this neighborhood.
From the City of Cambridge Website:
“The Port, formerly known as Area Four, is a high-density residential neighborhood with around seven thousand residents, bounded by Hampshire Street to the north, the Boston & Albany Railroad to the east, Prospect Street to the west, and Massachusetts Avenue to the south. The major commercial center and transit center of The Port lies in Central Square with the main commercial strip along the Massachusetts Avenue edge, while smaller commercial areas exist along Main Street, Prospect Street, and Hampshire Street. Most of The Port is residential in character. However, the triangle in the southern part of the neighborhood bounded by Massachusetts Avenue, Main Street, and the Grand Junction Railroad (sometimes known as the Osborn Triangle) is a former industrial center now home to high-tech labs and offices, as well as facilities for the neighboring Massachusetts Institute of Technology.”
Living in The Port
As more Pharma and other tech companies move to Kendall Square, Central Square, and near the MIT Campus, The Port has rapidly become the place to live that is the closest to work for so many more people than ever before.
With this transition, we see new shops, new restaurants, as well as many new housing units and types of housing.
Where is The Port?
Changing the name to The Port brought lots of questions. What happened to Area IV? And why is this landlocked neighborhood called The Port? Erm, actually, it was The Port long before it was Area IV.
The Port was named “United States Port of Delivery” in 1805, according to Cambridge Day. Since then, tides of water, bridges, draw bridges, canals, landfills, politics, wars, and changes in transportation technologies have come and gone. The area had names like Cambridgeport, The Port, Area IV….but in 2015 voted to restore itself as The Port.
Map of The Port
The Port Attractions
Landmark Kendall Square Cinema
355 Binney Street
Special events, local premieres, benefit screenings, film festivals.
The Garment District
200 Broadway
Beloved destination thrift shop with preowned and vintage clothing, Boston Costume, and By the Pound.
The Port Parks and Playgrounds
Greene-Rose Heritage Park
Harvard St/Moore St
Playground, Water Play, Open Field, Benches, Landscaping, Trees, Public Art Installations, Tennis, Community Gardens, Extended Hours, Morning Shared Off-Leash Dog Hours
Moore Street Community Garden
89 Moore Street Cambridge
Market Street Park – Arthur J. Shallow Playground
Market St/Bristol St
Playground
Bunzey Park
Broadway/Hampshire St
Squirrel Brand Park
Broadway/Boardman St.
Small Playground, Community Garden
Squirrel Brand Community Garden
Lafayette Square
Massachusetts Ave/Main St
Seating, Trees, Landscaped Areas, Art, Pedestrian Lighting, Space for Community Events
Anthony Paolillo Tot Lot
Pine St/Eaton St
Playground
Clement G. Morgan Park
Columbia St/Washington St
Playground, Basketball, Extended Hours
Elm and Hampshire Plaza
Elm St/Hampshire St
Seating areas, climbing and spinning structure, dance chimes feature, plantings, landscaping
Sennott Park
Broadway/Norfolk St
Playground, Tot lot, Water Play, Basketball, Soccer, Softball, Fitness Station, Extended Hours
