The owners of Cambridge’s legendary Middle East have proposed its demolition.
[This story first appeared on Boston Restaurant Talk.]
The exact future of one of the region's best-known music complexes continues to be unknown, especially based on a new proposal now on the table that mentions the potential tearing down of the building.
According to an article from Cambridge Day (via a Cambridge Historical Commission Meeting notice), The Sater family -- who own The Middle East along with the property itself -- have put out a plan that would demolish the Mass. Ave. structure and replace it with a six-story hotel that would have two stages for live entertainment.
A blueprint posted shows that the basement has a section labeled "Middle East Music Venue" while the first floor has a section simply labeled "Music Venue," and the first floor also shows three spaces for retail while the 6th floor has a restaurant/bar space.
Cambridge Day mentions that there is a request to postpone the Sept. 8 meeting which could mean that the proposal might not be heard until next month at the earliest, as the next commission meeting is slated to take place on Oct. 6.
Nabil and Joseph Sater, who purchased The Middle East in 2014, put the site up for sale in early 2020, though the listing was ultimately taken down and no sale took place.
The address for The Middle East is 472-480 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139. Its website is at https://www.mideastoffers.com/
U.S. & World
[Earlier Article]
The Middle East Restaurant and Nightclub in Cambridge's Central Square Has Been Put Up for Sale
[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]
NOTE: Leslie Hurwitz, who is the father of Marc (the founder of this site) is currently dealing with health issues and needs your help. Please donate if you can at https://gofund.me/76d8ba28, thanks!
