noteworthy
In the heart of Suffolk’s downtown Boston campus lies the Granary Burying Ground, the final resting place for Revolutionary War-era patriots including Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and the five victims of the Boston Massacre. Across Tremont Street is the renowned Beantown Pub, the perfect setup for Duck Boat tour guides to tell their oft-repeated joke: On your left is the Beantown Pub, the only place you can drink a cold Sam Adams while looking out at a cold Sam Adams.
A bit tasteless, perhaps, but it does make the point that this location, bisected by the red bricks of the Freedom Trail, is about as historic as it gets in the heart of one of the nation’s most historic cities. In June, Suffolk University bought the building that houses the Beantown Pub—101 Tremont. Pending a thorough permitting and review process by the city of Boston, the University will convert it from its current office configuration into Suffolk’s sixth residence hall, with as many as 290 beds when it opens, slated for fall 2026.
The move, which expands the University’s downtown campus corridor, comes in response to record numbers of undergraduate applications in recent years and a strong demand for student housing.
It also takes advantage of a central location that aligns perfectly with Suffolk’s commitment to experienced-based and immersive learning in the city. “Anything that allows more of our students to live right in the heart of Boston and facilitate the use of the city as a learning tool has enormous educational benefits,” Suffolk President Marisa Kelly wrote in announcing the purchase.
Duck Boat tour guides need not fear, however: The Beantown Pub, she said, will remain.
Return to Table of Contents
Fall 2024
Photograph: Michael J. Clarke
By Greg Gatlin
