This Is Framingham

Hi. I’m Ethan (Michelle’s significant other). Michelle is away for a few days, so I’m filling in.

When Michelle and I went to visit the Fountain Street Studios a while back, one of the artists happened to mention that Henry Hobson Richardson had designed the old Framingham railroad station. [For those that don’t know, H.H. is considered one of the three most important American architects, and was the first to have a worldwide influence.] I have to admit I was doubtful because even though I’ve spent many a time sitting at the traffic light at the intersection of Waverly and Concord Streets, I never once looked over and said “Whoa! Look at that railroad depot! Is that an H.H. Richardson here in Framingham???” Research however proved the artist correct, so I went downtown on foot to take a closer look.

After checking it out up close and with a friendlier eye, I still have to say the building is really nothing to blog about. It’s definitely not Boston’s Trinity Church (one of H.H.’s most famous designs), BUT it’s not every town that can say it’s got a building designed by one of the most important American architects ever. At the risk of sounding a little dorky, I think it’s pretty neat that we’ve got one.

The only sad part to this story is that the building isn’t being used right now. Evidently an Indian restaurant called Udupi Bhavan was the last to call it home, but they’ve moved on to another location. I’m not sure if there are plans to use the old station for something new yet, but I really do hope so. It would be sad to see an H.H. Richardson building left vacant and useless. And I hope whoever takes it on next puts in just a little effort to spruce it up a bit. Seems like even though it’s no Trinity Church, with a little dusting off it could be a nice cultural treasure in downtown Framingham.

Finally the “for lease” signs in the windows of the old Woolworth have gone and paper is up in the windows to hide whatever exciting construction is going on in there.
I noticed that half of the old sign has tuned yellow.  I’m not really sure why.  Is the new owner making it yellow and ran out of paint, on a perfect line down the middle?  Will everything in the store be half yellow and half white?  Who knows!
Whatever it’s going to be, it needs R&R panel with sheet rock.  So basically, it could be anything- but, it’s going to be something! So I’ll look forward to that and hope it’s something I want to go to.  

I originally took this picture to post about fond memories of learning to drive at A&A auto school.  Getting the hands on experience of driving with the instructor who looked like he or she wanted to be anywhere but in the car with me and my classmates.  I remember I used to think it was cool that the instructors would smoke in the car. 
I was noticing that in the picture next door the old army recruiting office is under construction.  I looked up on the town permit page to see if I could find out anything and I saw this.
Is this THE health clinic that has been talked about so much?  I didn’t know it was approved and I thought it was going down by the dentist office on Waverly street but maybe I’m wrong on both counts. 

 

I miss the 400 Club, they had excellent eggplant parm subs.  It was doing nothing for a while then was bought, has been repainted and the booths were out in the parking lot one Saturday with a sign that read “FREE”.
I hope it’s not going to be another insurance office or boring business, why else would they get rid of the booths?