The Leather District is a small, tightly defined neighborhood wedged between the Financial District and Chinatown, just inland from the waterfront. Roughly bounded by Kneeland Street, Essex Street, Atlantic Avenue, and Lincoln Street, it takes its name from the leather and shoe trades that dominated the area in the late nineteenth century. The land itself was created when Boston filled in the former South Cove in the 1830s, opening the way for the brick-and-stone commercial buildings that still define the district’s character.
Today many of those handsome former warehouses have been converted into lofts, offices, galleries, and restaurants, giving the compact grid a distinctive industrial-chic feel. Its standout feature is location: South Station borders the neighborhood, putting Red Line, Silver Line, commuter rail, and bus connections within easy reach. The Leather District is best experienced on foot as a short architectural detour between downtown and Chinatown.
Good to know
- Named for the leather and shoe industry that dominated the area in the late 1800s
- Built on land created by filling the former South Cove in the 1830s
- Known for converted brick warehouse buildings now used as lofts and offices
- Adjoins South Station for Red Line, Silver Line, commuter rail, and bus connections
Getting there
- Address: Bounded by Kneeland, Essex, Atlantic Ave & Lincoln Streets, Boston, MA 02111
- Neighborhood: Leather District (between Financial District and Chinatown), Boston
- Nearest T: South Station (Red & Silver Lines), which adjoins the district