It has a new name, a new look and some new features, but the big changes are yet to come at the Arsenal Project.
Since buying the Arsenal Mall and changing the name to the Arsenal Project, the owners – Boyston Properties and The Wilder Cos. – said they have plans to add stores, restaurants and other features to the site. Arsenal Project General Manager Allyson Reed said nothing has been set in stone, but she expects they will have something to announce in the next few months.
The mall has reached out to the public through social media to find out what kind of things they want to see in the upgraded mall.
“We asked what they want to see – restaurants, stores and everything else,” Reed said. “People are interested in local businesses. They will be a big part of our strategy.”
In the meantime, the mall has tried to create some buzz with new additions. One of most popular is the food trucks on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“We have 400, 500, 600 people a week. It has been very well received,” Reed said.
They started with four food trucks, and recently introduced a fifth one – Charlie Dogs, which serves hot dogs and Italian ice. They join The Chubby Chickpea Mobile, Fugu, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese and Frozen Hoagies.
Many workers head over from places like Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, NESN, and athenahealth and other places in the Arsenal on the Charles. Parents also bring their children, so they have face painters, chalk for kids to draw with and a band every week. The food trucks will keep coming each week through the end of October.
“(The food trucks) have brought people to the Arsenal Project that may not have been here for some time,” Reed said.
The Arsenal Project presented a drive-in movie on Aug. 19, and Reed said she and others are working on some more events in the fall and during the holiday season.
“The goal is to create some excitement and bring some new things while we are in the transition phase,” Reed said.