Boston Pergolas: Leaving An Imprint Across The Region

A fantastic series of projects have been recently completed by Boston Pergolas. Manolis Christo, a Westwood resident and a Westwood Living Expert Contributor, connected with me to talk about three separate jobs that have been keeping his team busy and what makes them unique.
 
Tom: You’re most excited to talk about Harvest. Let’s start there.
 
Manolis: A Harvard Square Icon Turns 50. Harvest has been a beloved staple in Harvard Square for half a century. Known for its fine dining and farm-to-table philosophy, the restaurant has long been a favorite of Harvard faculty, staff, and even students who are lucky enough to discover it. Its food and atmosphere are nothing short of exceptional.
 
Six months ago, Harvest reached out to us with a request for specialty services. After a thorough site visit and analysis, we realized this project would be a unique engineering challenge. The restaurant’s patio featured a historic wooden trellis — an element they were determined to preserve. Because of Harvest’s traditional character, they didn’t want to modernize the space in a way that would detract from its timeless charm.
 
The goal was clear: enclose the patio while keeping the original timberwork intact. To achieve this, we collaborated with two engineering teams to design a custom louvered-roof system that could be seamlessly mounted on top of the existing trellis. We then enclosed the perimeter with vinyl screens, striking the perfect balance between comfort and authenticity.
 
The finished space is both functional and beautiful, honoring Harvest’s rich history while offering guests an upgraded dining experience. The result truly speaks for itself. They can now take reservations for the patio and utilize that space in confidence, rain or shine.
 
Tom: I was recently in Terminal A at Logan Airport and I didn’t realize Boston Pergolas was the company that constructed the pergola over the new “Newslink of Boston.” Walk me through that one. It looks incredible.
 
Manolis: Logan was an especially interesting project. We first received a call from Boston Urban, an architectural firm I’ve admired for years for their innovative commercial work. They reached out to discuss the structural characteristics of our extrusions and the feasibility of using beams to frame a new retail space.
 
The challenge was unique because the project fell under Massport’s jurisdiction – not the City of Boston or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Massport has its own regulations, which meant we had to develop a highly customized design. The site itself was triangular, creating complex angles that demanded creative engineering solutions.
 
The retail location, Newslink of Boston, is part of a larger chain that runs from here down to Florida. While most Newslink stores have smaller footprints, this one was unique: it sat in a wedge-shaped area where the existing store wasn’t making full use of the space. With our custom framing system, we were able to expand the footprint and maximize the triangular layout.
 
To add to the challenge, all construction had to be completed overnight to avoid disrupting airport operations. Thanks to our prefabricated extrusions and efficient framing process, we delivered the build in a fraction of the time traditional methods would have required. In the end, Newslink gained a larger, more functional space to sell essentials like water, snacks, magazines, and souvenirs – all within a design that turned an awkward footprint into an advantage.
 
Tom: The third project is at the Legal Sea Foods located at Lynnfield Marketstreet. That has some historical significance, if I’m not mistaken?
 
Manolis: Legal Sea Foods is one of our valued clients, and we recently designed and branded custom clear vinyl screens for their Lynnfield location. This project was especially exciting because it marked the very first integration of their new logo – a clever design that incorporates a seafood shell cracker into the shape of a lighthouse.
 
To complement the new branding, we used MagnaTrack screens, which are engineered for marine environments and built to withstand ultra high winds. Unlike the lighter-duty screens the restaurant had previously used (which often failed), these heavy-duty MagnaTrack screens provide exceptional durability. The team at Legal Sea Foods is thrilled with the upgrade, both for its functionality and for the way the new branding comes to life on the screens.