Downtown Crossing

It features large department stores as well as restaurants, souvenir sellers, general retail establishments, and street vendors.

Historically, the district was anchored by two department stores, Jordan Marsh and Filene's which stood opposite each other at the intersection.

While both stores have since been bought by other chains and no longer exist, the district continues to be a major pedestrian shopping area, with the area of Washington, Winter, and Summer streets surrounding the intersection closed to most vehicular traffic; pedestrians may walk freely in the street.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Summer Street was an upscale neighborhood, with townhouses designed by Charles Bulfinch and others.

The window display has since relocated to Boston's Hynes Convention Center, and then to City Hall Plaza.

Following the success of the Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston decided to redevelop the Washington Street area into a pedestrian-only mall, which was unveiled in 1979.

Vornado Realty Trust had been paying Filene's $500,000 a month in compensation for closing their Downtown Crossing store.

In the second half of 2015, supermarket Roche Bros. and Primark, an Irish clothing retailer, opened to occupy the ground floor of the Burnham Building.

[7] In 2010, Suffolk University renovated and restored the historical Modern Theatre and built a ten-story dormitory on top of the theater.

[8] A plaque on the Macy's building marks the location of the first mint in the British colonies, established by John Hull in 1652.