The Temp Agency secures food license to open at 100 High Street in Boston

Overview

Updated Sep 15

A new eating and drinking venue called The Temp Agency has cleared a key permitting step in Boston's Financial District. The City of Boston issued its food establishment license on June 2 for the business at 100 High Street.

The license follows a certificate of occupancy filed May 18 that covers the building's offices, a food hall with live entertainment, stores, a daycare, and a garage. These approvals advance the project but do not confirm the venue has opened for service.

Why it matters

Boston's office towers are adding food and entertainment to draw workers back, and this venue is one test of whether the mix works.

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Key Indicators

$1.37M

Declared value of building permit work

The certificate of occupancy for the 100 High Street building was declared at $1,368,252.

Permitting approvals secured for The Temp Agency

The venue has obtained a food establishment license and the building holds its certificate of occupancy.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Chris Ferragamo

Applicant on the certificate of occupancy

Named as applicant on the May 18 building permit filing

Organizations Involved

The Temp Agency

Hospitality business

Licensed for eating and drinking service

A venue licensed for eating and drinking service at 100 High Street in Boston's Financial District.

City of Boston

Municipal open-data publisher

Issuing permits and licenses for the venue

The municipal body that issued The Temp Agency's food establishment license and the building's certificate of occupancy.

Timeline

May 2026 June 2026

2 events Latest: June 2nd, 2026 · 5 months ago

June 2026
Food establishment license granted to The Temp Agency
Latest Permitting

City of Boston licenses the venue for eating and drinking service at 100 High Street.
June 2nd, 2026
May 2026
Certificate of occupancy filed for 100 High Street
Permitting

Building permit covers offices, daycare, food hall with live entertainment, stores, garage, and common areas.
May 18th, 2026

Scenarios

The Temp Agency opens its doors in the Financial District

Likely Resolves by Jan 1, 2027

Discussed by: No analysts are tracking this; it is a routine permitting milestone for a small venue

The venue completes fit-out and opens to the public, adding a food and drink option to the building's existing mix. The City of Boston's license records would confirm the establishment is active.

Opening stalls after permit approvals

Unlikely Resolves by Jan 1, 2027

Discussed by: Noted by the input event's own caveat that licenses do not guarantee a launch

The food license stays active but the venue does not open. Construction delays, financing gaps, or a shift in plans leave the space dark.

Venue changes hands or concept before opening

Possible Resolves by Jan 1, 2027

Discussed by: Common in restaurant permitting where concept pivots happen during buildout

Another operator takes over the license, or The Temp Agency rebrands or shifts its format before opening. The space still becomes hospitality, but under a different name.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2022–2026

Food halls in Boston office towers (2020s)

After remote work emptied downtown towers, Boston landlords leaned into ground-floor food and entertainment. Food halls with multiple vendors opened inside office buildings across the Financial District, drawing workers and visitors back for lunch and after-work drinks.

Then

Several food hall concepts opened with heavy initial crowds and long lines.

Now

Mixed-use hospitality became a standard playbook for office landlords facing persistent vacancy.

Why this matters now

The Temp Agency's approvals sit inside a building whose certificate of occupancy explicitly includes a food hall with live entertainment. The venue is part of the same strategy of layering hospitality into office real estate.

2021–2026

Downtown office activation after the pandemic (2021–2026)

Office vacancy rates in US downtowns climbed as remote work persisted. Building owners converted lobbies and ground floors into restaurants, gyms, childcare centers, and event spaces to create reasons to commute.

Then

Some buildings saw foot traffic recover as amenities grew.

Now

The mix of uses in office towers is now a permanent feature of property strategy, not a temporary fix.

Why this matters now

100 High Street's certificate of occupancy lists offices alongside daycare, stores, a food hall, and entertainment, a direct example of this broader push.