Lendlease’s 8,000 s/f Clippership Wharf retail reaches full occupancy

Boston, MA Lendlease has reached full completion and occupancy of retail space at Clippership Wharf, a mixed-use residential development. Comprising of 8,000 s/f, the ground-floor, waterfront retail is now occupied by three dining establishments: Café Iterum, The Smoke Shop and Mida for Clippership residents and the city’s community to enjoy.

“The addition of three acclaimed eateries further establishes Clippership as a destination for Bostonians while demonstrating our long-term commitment to enhancing the East Boston waterfront,” said Monique Henley, executive general manager of East Coast Development at Lendlease. “Together with Clippership’s existing public amenities, which encompass everything from art installations to a fully programmed living shoreline, the new businesses enrich the sense of community we’ve cultivated at this highly visible site overlooking the inner harbor and downtown Boston.”

Developed and constructed by Lendlease, Clippership Wharf occupies a seven-acre site overlooking the inner harbor and includes 284 apartments and 194 condominiums. These new eateries complement Clippership’s public amenities, which include a 1,400-ft. stretch of the 40-mile Harborwalk, an amphitheater, dog park, kayaking and boating activities. Clippership Wharf also hosts public programming for the neighborhood to enjoy, ranging from outdoor movies and summer concert series to workout classes.

Marking its third location, Italian restaurant Mida opened a 2,900 s/f space at Clippership in August. Managed by award-winning chef and owner Douglass Williams, with interiors designed by Sousa Design Architects, Mida was recently recognized as one of Boston’s best restaurants in 2023 and Williams was honored by Food & Wine as one of the top 10 Best New Chefs in America in 2020. 

The Smoke Shop, an award-winning barbecue restaurant, unveiled its fifth full-service location in a 4,000 s/f space at Clippership earlier this summer. Led by chef, owner and pitmaster Andy Husbands, with interiors also designed by Sousa Design Architects, The Smoke Shop offers award-winning BBQ alongside one of Massachusetts’ largest American whiskey collections. Three separate outdoor patios add an additional 2,000 s/f of dining space.

Café Iterum, lead by Boston chef Matt McPherson, opened in late 2021 and occupies a 1,100 s/f space in which it serves refined coffee and modern American cuisine to East Boston residents and visitors alike. A 1,400 s/f patio with outdoor fire pits provides additional seating.

In line with Lendlease’s climate-resilient efforts at Clippership, Café Iterum is committed to becoming a zero-waste, sustainable café and has partnered with Eastie Farm to responsibly source local food. Supporting East Boston’s local arts community, Clippership is home to the ClipArt Gallery, a contemporary art space open to the public on Saturdays offering rotating exhibits curated by Atlantic Works Gallery. In addition, two public sculptures were commissioned from local artists, paying homage to the area’s rich history. “Pillar,” a conceptual work inspired by the city’s shipbuilding industry, stands in the courtyard, while “Islands,” located on the Harborwalk, is a sculptural work inspired by the historic transition of five islands into the peninsula known today as East Boston.

Aligned with Lendlease’s industry-leading sustainability commitment, Mission Zero, which aims to achieve absolute zero carbon by 2040, Clippership incorporates numerous environmental innovations. The community’s living shoreline utilizes natural plantings, salt marshes, rocky beaches and wildlife habitats to enhance the site’s climate resilience, while its rooftop solar array can generate enough energy to power the equivalent of up to 40 homes per year. Other sustainability features at Clippership Wharf, which has achieved LEED Platinum certification for its residential units, include a new pilot program with Mill, a novel composting system that transforms food waste destined for landfills into chicken feed.