Happy Friday!

• A mid-size performing arts venue comes to Cambridge, and Logan Airport finds its voice.

🌧️ Today's weather: Rain, with a high of 69 and a low of 55.

Today’s newsletter is 1,068 words — a 4-minute read.

Cambridge's tech hub stands to get a culture boost as The Platform, a 45,000-square-foot performing arts venue and community space, opens Saturday.

Why it matters: Kendall Square has a front-row seat to a rare sight — a mid-size performing arts venue opening as smaller venues increasingly shut their doors.

Catch up quick: The opening is a dream decades in the making for Cambridge residents, since tech philanthropist Glenn KnicKrehm pledged to build a grand concert hall on the site in the 1990s, per Cambridge Day.

• He sold the property in 2018 to BioMed Realty.
• The real estate developer ultimately developed the 16-story lab-and-office building at 585 Kendall, creating a new headquarters for the pharmaceutical giant Takeda.

State of play: The Platform's crown jewel is the 400-seat Takeda Theater on the second floor.

• But the public's introduction to the space is a living room-style lobby lined with trees and shrubs that leads to the 125-seat Tempo Stage. There's also a bar and a café coming soon.
• Global Arts Live, an arts nonprofit, will oversee the space. (The organization has hosted performances since 1990 but has never had a venue of its own.)

What they're saying: "It's rare even to get this opportunity to open a brand new performing arts center, and yet also in Kendall Square," Connie Chin, CEO of Global Arts Live, told Axios.

• "Kendall Square is not known for its arts yet or its nightlife."
• The Platform sparks hope in business owners that the venue's events will draw more foot traffic for nearby restaurants and shops, Chin added.

The big picture: Mid-size arts and music venues are an endangered species in Greater Boston's real estate market.

• Large venues holding thousands of seats have become popular over the past decade, as smaller venues have died out.
• The pandemic only accelerated their decline.

BioMed Realty said in 2022 it was committing more than $45 million to build the performing arts center, but a spokesperson declined to say how much the company had spent.

• Global Arts Live is fundraising $15 million as part of a multiyear campaign to cover operating and programming costs, Chin said.

Zoom in: GAL plans to set aside one-third of nights for its own programming and book other artists and arts organizations the rest of the year.

• The Platform plans to offer 25 free nights of rehearsals or events for the community through an application process.

Keep reading: Opening day performances, Takeda's move in

The new voice of Logan Airport comes from a pipefitter born and raised in East Arlington.

The intrigue: Massport narrowed its "Voice of Logan" search for a home-grown voice welcoming travelers at Logan to Chris Donisi, a baritone who joined the competition at the behest of his mother.

By the numbers: More than 6,000 people auditioned for the inaugural "Voice of Logan" contest before Massport named eight finalists last month.

• Overall, 35,000 people voted, said Rich Dave, Massport's CEO.

State of play: Donisi, who lives in Burlington with his wife and two children, will start recording announcements next week.

• He practiced a little at Thursday's news conference: "This city runs on iced coffee, raw ambition and unbeatable team spirit."

What they're saying: "I'm one of you guys," Donisi told reporters Thursday morning at Logan.

• "You probably sat next to me at one of the bars in Boston. You've probably waved to me or given me the finger in traffic — one or the other. We're still all friends.
• "I was just so surprised, and I'm so grateful."

What we're watching: Donisi has spent more than two decades working as an HVAC pipefitter.

• He doesn't plan on giving up his day job (and Massport isn't paying him), but he said he might might consider other voice acting gigs in the future.

Tell a traveler

💸 Boston has listed barely more than 500 jobs for teens, months after Mayor Michelle Wu pledged to raise private funding to cover the cost of 2,000 youth jobs in the wake of her budget cuts. (Dorchester Reporter)

Trenton Touch, an 18-year-old Tewksbury man accused of threatening to kill President Trump and shoot up a school, is in custody, federal authorities say. (NBC Boston)

🏈 Bob Kraft will miss some Patriots games and Rob Gronkowski's induction into the team's Hall of Fame at Gillette Stadium this weekend as he recovers from multiple back surgeries. (CBS Boston)

A federal grand jury on Wednesday indicted former Healey aide LaMar Cooke on a second count of wire fraud. (WCVB)

🌎 Tripadvisor's CEO and CFO are leaving as the Needham-based travel metasearch company begins a restructuring plan. (BBJ)

Mailing holiday packages will cost more this year after the U.S. Postal Service introduced temporary price increases for several popular shipping services last month.

Catch up quick: The Postal Service announced seasonal surcharges for Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express and USPS Ground Advantage, are now in effect.

By the numbers: Shipping packages weighing up to 3 pounds costs an additional 50 cents to $1 for Priority Mail, depending on distance, or 50 to 75 cents more for Ground Advantage.

• Priority Mail Flat Rate shipping costs $1 more for most packages and $2.10 more for large flat-rate boxes.
• Heavier packages sent longer distances can cost considerably more, with some Priority Mail Express increases reaching $20.80.

The big picture: USPS says the temporary increases will help cover additional handling costs during the holiday rush and bring its pricing in line with competitors.

Yes, but: The increases don't affect First-Class Mail stamps or other services outside the specified package categories.

What's next: The temporary rates are scheduled to expire Jan. 17.

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Deehan is devastated the Allston Blanchard's is going to become an Asian cosmetics and toy store.

Steph regrets misspelling Revolve Group in yesterday's edition.

This newsletter was edited by Jeff Weiner.