'Kite Day Happy Full' Vending Machine Park Is a No-Go for Kendall Square

For quite some time now, the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority has been looking for a temporary (but perhaps several years long) use for Parcel 6, a small space at Third and Binney Streets that currently holds construction equipment and will one day be encompassed by a larger construction site. Cambridge Day reports on a couple of interesting food-related proposals that won't come to pass: a vending machine park and a shipping container marketplace. Instead, pending permitting and a variety of other factors, the space may house some food trucks by the fall.

The vending machine project, the brainchild of Somerville consultant Relish Management, had the charming working name of Kite Day Happy Full, "a combination of words that doesn't work logically but resonates emotionally," according to the Day. It would have included a zig-zagging row of numerous machines offering local packaged foods, produce, meats, and more, as well as toys, zines, and other fun non-food items. Similarly, a proposed shipping container marketplace would feature rotating storefronts offering food, crafts, and more.

But the potential upfront costs for either concept seemed too high to the authority, since the project will only last for three years or so. A food truck lot requires less work and money to get up and running, although there are still hurdles, like providing running water to an area with limited water access. The Cambridge Redevelopment Authority's executive director, Tom Evans, told the Day that the wheels are in motion as he has begun setting up meetings with local restaurants to hear feedback.