Washington Square is a neighborhood of Brookline, Mass., a suburb to the southwest of downtown Boston. It is located where Washington Street and Beacon Street meet. Until recently, it has been not as bustling as its cousin areas, Cleveland Circle and Coolidge Corner. In the last few years, however, a transformation has been taking place at Washington Square. The large number of upscale eateries that have opened in the area have gone a long toward giving it a new vibe, and Washington Square is becoming the place to go inn Brookline for good food and lots of atmosphere. Some of the restaurants in the area offer outdoor dining in the warm weather.
Washington Square has a great history. In the last 19th century, it was home to some very elegant homes built by wealthy businessmen from Boston. It was a quiet, rural area before Beacon Street made it available as a suburb. Eben Jordan, of the Jordan Marsh Department Stores, built a large mansion on Washington Square and bought much of the land in the area. He developed it as housing lots, which he sold. Apartment blocks followed on Beacon Street, and eventually, all the great estates gave way to commercial development.
Today, Washington Square reflects every era of its development. There are several gorgeous Art Nouveau buildings, Art Deco beauties, and the modern high-rise apartment buildings. Many of the buildings have been restored and reflect the great style in which they were created.
The area has a T stop, which makes access to Boston quick and easy. Washington Square also has a variety of housing options — condos, duplexes, and apartments — available on its tree-lined streets. The neighborhood has sidewalks, and walking is safe and enjoyable. There are a lot of independent businesses, but not many chains have a branch in the neighborhood, except for, of course, a Starbucks.