of the turnpike near the Charles River is known as Lower Allston (or North Allston). It consists of streets north of Cambridge Street and the Turnpike, all the way to the Charles River. It extends westward to Everett Street and eastward to the Charles River. In its center is Allston Square at the crossroads of Western Avenue and North Harvard Street. Allston is named for the great painter and 1800 Harvard graduate, Washington Allston, "The Father of American Romanticism". Allston Square is appropriately located halfway between Harvard Square in the North and Allston Village, Boston's 'Greenwich Village' in the South. Allston claims to be the only community in America named for an artist. Lower Allston is a small neighborhood that consists of a mix of young professionals, blue-collar tradesmen, members of the educational community, homeowners, and long-term residents. Unlike the rest of Allston, Lower Allston has far fewer students. The neighborhood is very quiet, has extremely low crime, and is an easy walk to Allston Village or Harvard Square. Lower Allston has close proximity to Route 2, the Mass Pike, Storrow Drive, and Soldiers Field Road. Public transportation includes the Red Line at Harvard Square, the Green Line at Packard's Corner or Harvard Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue and the 57, 66, 70, 71, and 86 bus connections on North Harvard Street and Western Avenue. In the early 21st century, Harvard University announced dramatic expansion plans that called for major building projects, including the demolition of existing businesses, to prepare for the construction of new biology and science buildings in the northern sections of Lower Allston. While the existing building stock was demolished and businesses were evicted, the financial crisis of 2008 and the resultant decrease in Harvard's endowment caused the university to suspend the expansion projects. In 2016, Harvard began building again, has completed two new buildings and is starting on the new, state-of-the-art Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences on Western Avenue west of Allston Square by the Charles River. Later, it will begin construction of the "Gateway" building on the northeast corner of Allston Square. History Allston was an eastern section of the former town of Brighton. In 1867, a new railroad depot for the Boston and Albany Railroad opened. In 1868 the station and post office in Brighton's eastern portion were given the name "Allston" after Washington Allston, the noted painter who had lived and worked