Business began to pick up again in 2004, but the renovation of its Church Street building during the Christmas season was “absolutely devastating,” Carrier said, because it obstructed the storefront from view.
Carrier said fears that the reconstruction of Palmer Street would similarly hurt his business factored into his decision not to renew his lease.
But city officials vigorously defended their project, touting it as an important step toward improving public space.
“I don’t see anybody else going because of the renovations,” said Robin Lapidus, Association Executive Director of the Harvard Square Business Association, “I mean people withstand renovation, businesses withstand renovation.”
“These are designs that will make it the most photographed place in the square,” added John DiGiovanni, who directs the project and is the president of Trinity Properties, which owns the Garage.
—Staff writer Natalie I. Sherman can be reached at nsherman@fas.harvard.edu.