Led by the Cambridge Harmonica Orchestra, the colorful extravaganza featured exotic cars, celebrity look alikes, dancers from the Harvard sponsored Citystep troupe, and popular Harvard Square street performer Brother Blue.
The celebration was assured of attracting public and media attention to the project that was once the focus of controversy. Today. Charles Square appears to have converted many of its earlier critics.
Friedman of Carpenter and Co said that the day The Boston Globe published a review last week praising Charles Square's architecture. "I got five calls before 8 a.m. Three were from people who had sued us, pressing totally unanimous approval,"
The project's 700-space derground garage is expected to help alleviate the parking crunch in the Square. The facility was included partly as a concessions to the development's opponents.
Sheldon Cohen, owner of the Out of Town News newsstand and ticket agency. predicted that the development would increase business in the Square by attracting more people to the area "I think the community has come together in seeing that it is a viable project. It's better for the community," Cohen added.
Charles Square's first-class shops, hotel, and condominiums should bring "a slightly different kind of clientele" into the Square, predicted Sally Alcorn, executive director of the Harvard Square Business Association. Condominiums at Charles Square are priced from $250,000 to $850,000 she noted.
But another prominent local businessman was more skeptical "I'd like to feel very optimistic, yet I don't," said Frank N. Cardullo, owner of the Wursthaus and Cardullo's added that Charles Square establishment's would have to be "extremely expensive" to meet their high overheads.