Boston's The Middle East, the much-loved and long-running rock club and restaurant in Cambridge’s Central Square, could soon look a lot different. As The Boston Herald reports, The Sater family who own The Middle East, as well as the property, have filed plans to demolish the current one-story building and replace it with a six-story hotel with basement and ground-floor music venues, as well as a top floor restaurant and bar.
The club, which currently has three stages within it, has been hosting shows since 1987, when legendary Boston promoter Billy Ruane convinced the owners to start booking shows. The Middle East hosted pretty much every band on the rise since, and a few who were way too big to be playing there. It was next door to fellow indie rock club T.T. the Bear’s which closed in 2015 and became new venue Sonia which is also owned by the Saters. That would also be demolished if the proposed plans happen.