25 Central Square Restoration

Cambridge, MA

25 Central Square, formerly the Falafel Palace, and in its revitalized condition, the Aleppo Palace, was a compact but challenging project, given its location on a busy avenue, sandwiched between much larger buildings, with only a narrow alley for access. Originally a White Tower hamburger eatery in the early 20th century, this historically significant building was unfortunately quite deteriorated and in need of substantial repairs when the project was conceived in 2017. Working with the Owner, the tenant, and numerous City of Cambridge departments, PRA Architects led a restoration of the property to regain its glory and stabilize it for years to come. The renovation included substantial repairs to its unique glazed brick exterior, new entrance door to match 1938 original, new windows, including pass-through service window, numerous structural and mechanical repairs, exterior lighting and signage. The thoughtful and deliberate design and material selection resulted in PRA and the rest of the project team receiving recognition from the Cambridge Historical Commission with a 2018-19 Preservation Award! This award, given to a select few projects each year, is recognition for a building's role in conserving and protecting the historic character and architecture of the City of Cambridge, MA.  All of us at PRA Architects are honored to have our work recognized for this very important accomplishment and pleased to have received our fifth such award from the Cambridge Historical Commission.