At its February meeting, the Jeffries Point Neighborhood Association (JPNA) voted to support the Navy Yard Hospitality Group’s (NYHG) efforts to seek a liquor license for an outdoor dining proposal that would include a Tall Ship and large patio near Pier I in East Boston.
JPNA members voted 33 to 6 in favor of supporting NYHG’s plan to apply to the city for a liquor license for its “Eastie Landing” proposal on the waterfront.
Last year NYHG, which owns Reel House on New Street in Eastie and other locations in Charlestown, the Seaport and Faneuil Hall, approached Massport with the idea of docking a 242 foot steel hull Tall Ship at Pier I to create a unique dining experience for Eastie residents. Over the spring and summer NYHG docked a tall ship at the pier and began an extensive rehab of the ship to accommodate three bars and a dining area.
However, NYHG’s Charlie Larner said COVID put a damper on opening Eastie Landing last year but hopes to be up and running once the warm weather returns to New England.
Larner said his group plans to finish refurbishing the Tall Ship as well as placing recycled materials, like old shipping containers, to activate the space and for decor and programming. NYHG has six shipping containers, which will be on the pier, and can be used for selling lobster rolls or tacos, or beverages. There will also be some shipping containers that house small retail operations. On the pier itself NYHG will be using string lights and materials such as the electrical cable wraps as tables. Larner has said NYHG is trying to be creative and use recycled material as much as possible.
NYHG also wants to do a weekly Movie Night that drives families down to the pier early in the week. With regards to live entertainment the only “at-night-event” would be Movie Night. When it comes to the stage for the concert series NYHG only plans on doing a summer concert series during the daytime.”
The ship itself has a 4,500 square foot main deck that will house three bars. One of the bars is at the stern and the stern bar will be doing a lot of small fundraising events and other functions. The food that NYHG will have coming out of a galley kitchen will be raw selections, small plates focusing on Mediterranean fare, and charcuterie
Like over at the Reel House, the NYHG would provide free water shuttle services between Eastie Landing and the other three NYHG restaurants in Eastie, Charlestown and the Seaport.
NYHG wants to not only gear this proposal to adults but to children and families as well with seasonal activities like a pumpkin patch in the fall and a winter wonderland during the holiday season. This is not the first time someone has proposed a floating restaurant in Eastie. Eight years ago Boston Harbor Cruises’ Principal Owner Rick Nolan wanted to anchor a floating restaurant off Eastie’s shores. However, after community support Nolan delayed the idea before finally abandoning it all together.