Construction in downtown Boston. Credit: Yoon S. Byun/The Boston Globe After seeing Greater Boston construction jobs fall by 20 percent during the recession, things are finally looking up again for the city’s industry after a big jump in employment in the past year. The Boston metro area added 8,700 construction jobs between August 2012 and August 2013, according to a report from The Boston Globe. That’s more than the 8,200 added by the also-booming Houston, and only slightly less than the 8,900 added in Los Angeles during the same period. The paper reports that the boom is being driven by Continue reading >>>

__Do I need a broker? Not really, but it helps. As noted, Greater Boston is a warren of listings that are gone often as fast as they appear. Having a good broker can ensure you get your feet in the door to make offers on places before they—poof!—disappear from the market. Do this, though: Establish upfront whether you owe them commission for their services and how much—usually, commissions 'round here run up to 15 percent of a year's rent. And! Usually, you only pay when a broker, in fact, finds you an apartment you can rent. __What can I afford? Oh, dear. Rents in Greater Boston are Continue reading >>>

A new course at  Needham High School that combines group projects, historical research and field trips to study the story of Greater Boston has found new life. The Interdisciplinary Learning Initiative, which funds the class, received $115,000 from the Needham Education Foundation this fall. Most of those funds go toward allowing “The Greater Boston Project” to continue through to the 2014-15 year. Members of the Needham Education Foundation told the School Committee at its Nov. 19 meeting that the course’s “clear and innovative vision” has changed the way Continue reading >>>

DANVERS — Hospice of the North Shore and Greater Boston is changing its name.The nonprofit has found that its rather long moniker does a poor job of describing what it does and where it does it.A business expansion in 2011 tacked the words “and Greater Boston” onto the end of the name, making it unwieldy.“We added five more syllables to Hospice of the North Shore,” said President and CEO Diane Stringer. “We find that even ‘North Shore and Greater Boston’ doesn’t effectively capture the area we service, since some people say, ‘I live in MetroWest.’”The 35-year-old Danvers-based Continue reading >>>

Looking to treat someone special with a gift this holiday season? Looking to indulge in something extra special yourself? Here is a list of wonderfully delicious options to celebrate this holiday season in festive spirit – from restaurants all over the Greater Boston area - first edition. Bistro du Midi For the culinary enthusiast in you or that special someone, Chef Robert Sisca has a range of options available this holiday season.  Tuck into a Chef’s table 100; a wonderful option for two people looking to indulge in something extra special together.  On the second floor of Continue reading >>>

The real question, though, is why? Why would someone want to go out with a different person every night of the week? Frankly, it's exhausting—I know, because I've done it before, back when I was a wee person in my early 20s—and it skirts the other, more important questions of "What" and "Who"? As in: what are you looking for? Something serious, something casual? Who do you want to meet? Who makes you feel happy? A relationship, whether it's romantic or platonic, is not a numbers game. You don't "win" by going out with the most people, or having the largest quantity of Facebook "friends." Sure, Continue reading >>>

Ray Callaway, a 53-year-old carpenter, built partitions in an office building near Fenway Park a few months ago. When that job ended, he went to work framing metal bars in August for Harvard Business School’s temporary dining hall. And when the Harvard project finishes later this winter, Callaway is confident there’s more work on the horizon. The local construction industry, after some of the hardest times in decades, is once again booming, experiencing nearly the fastest employment growth in the nation. In August, Greater Boston added more construction jobs than any other US metropolitan Continue reading >>>

92.5 The River DJ Rita Cary hung out backstage at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium with a sleepy-looking Ryan Miller of the band Guster at Saturday’s 10th annual RiverFeast, which benefited the Greater Boston Food Bank. Those license plates belong to mega Guster fan Amy Pender , who got to meet the band after the show. . . . Lux Bond Green in Wellesley hosted a Friday-night dinner to benefit Newton Wellesley Hospital. Guests included Wellesley Library Foundation trustee Amanda Kennedy (wife of Red Sox Chief Operating Officer Sam Kennedy) and the night’s guest of honor, Continue reading >>>

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Monday, November 18, 2013, 11:39am The Building Owners and Managers Association of Boston (BOMA Boston), a division of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, announced "The Office Building of the Year" (TOBY) award winners at its annual BOMA Boston TOBY and Industry Awards on Nov. 14 at the Westin Copley Place. TOBY categories are separated by total square footage and building type including corporate facility, Continue reading >>>