Construction underway in Kendall Square, new site provides forecasts

September 20, 2016

MIT’s Kendall Square construction activities are underway this month. Ultimately, this visionary project will deliver a dynamic blend of uses in the area, including graduate student, market rate, and affordable housing; lab and research space; innovation space; retail and open space; and a new facility for the MIT Museum. Following the approval by the City of Cambridge Planning Board in May, utilities and infrastructure work is now underway to prepare the area south of Main Street, between Carleton Street and Wadsworth Street, where new buildings will be sited. Going forward, we will send regular email updates and forecasts of activities. We’re also planning a community meeting soon to share an overview of the construction project.

To review details about the planned activities and to subscribe to construction updates, visit the project profile on the courbanize website. Subscribe to notifications by clicking the “Login” button at the foot of the “Comment here” box to sign up for an account, and then “follow” the project.

The anticipated initial phases of work include:

  • Phase 1 (fall 2016- fall 2017): Upgrade of existing and addition of new utilities along Amherst, Carleton, Hayward, and Wadsworth Streets
  • Phase 2 (2017): Excavation for below-grade parking garage, to extend from Dock Street to Carleton Street
  • Phase 3 (2017): Full interior renovation of Buildings E38 and E39 (292 and 290 Main St); demolition of Buildings E33 and E34 on Carleton Street
  • Phase 4 (2018-2020): Ongoing garage and building construction for new graduate residence (Site 4)

Phase 1 construction activities

This month, the utilities phase of construction mobilized in Kendall Square. Activities in the months ahead will include fencing in construction zones, excavating areas that will eventually become open space and underground parking, and moving underground utilities to accommodate these plans. Some temporary street closures and one-way traffic patterns will be necessary as the project progresses. Notifications will be sent as these activities are scheduled.

Construction hours are scheduled for 7 AM – 6 PM weekdays with some Saturday work from 9 AM – 6 PM as needed.

Specific construction activities planned for the month of September include:

  • The Hayward Parking lot is scheduled to close by the end of September (a section of the lot is already closed). Parking will remain available for patients visiting MIT Medical at E23 (details below).
  • Fencing will be installed around the work zones on Carleton, Amherst, and Hayward Streets (around the Hayward Lot) to contain the construction area where crews will store materials and equipment.
  • The sidewalks along the side of the street adjacent to the Hayward lot perimeter on Carleton, Amherst, and Hayward Streets will be unavailable for pedestrian access during installation of street utilities.
  • A span of Amherst Street at the intersection of Amherst and Carleton will temporarily be reduced to a single lane while crews install sanitary piping and manholes in this area. One-way traffic between Hayward and Carleton Streets will be maintained, and police will assist in directing vehicles. This work is scheduled to start September 26 and is projected to take approximately 3 weeks.
  • Minor modifications will be made to the loading docks behind E38 (292 Main Street), E39 (290 Main Street), and E48 (238 Main Street) to accommodate construction vehicle circulation. Property managers will be notified in advance of any alterations to existing loading docks.
  • Temporary curb cuts and sidewalk modifications will be made at the corner of Carleton Street and Deacon Street (Charlotte's Way), and behind E39 (290 Main Street) and E40 (1 Amherst Street).

Navigating the area

To improve safety during construction, a one-way traffic pattern will be arranged on some streets, and some pedestrian pathways will be re-routed away from heavy construction areas. We’ll send out notifications of these changes as they are scheduled.

  • Fall 2016: Carleton, Amherst, and Hayward Streets will be reduced to single lanes of traffic flowing in a one-way pattern from Hayward toward Carleton. The first piece of this change is scheduled to start on September 26 with one-way traffic on Amherst between Wadsworth and Carleton. One-way traffic on Carleton from Amherst toward Main Street is scheduled to start in October.
  • Fall 2016: On-street parking on Amherst Street will be temporarily unavailable during utility work in the area.
  • Starting in 2017: Hayward Street will be closed to vehicles with limited pedestrian access for the duration of utility and garage construction.
  • At least one sidewalk on Carleton, Amherst, Hayward, and Wadsworth Streets will remain open to pedestrians through 2016. A protected pedestrian walkway will connect Building E23 to the Kendall Square T station.

Map of construction area Sep 2016

Parking lot closures

  • The Hayward Lot will be converted into a new parking garage and open space. To prepare for this, the lot is scheduled to close in September. The Parking and Transportation Office has worked with permit holders in the Hayward area to reassign individuals to new parking areas.
  • The Hayward Annex lot is scheduled to close in October.

MIT Medical patient parking remains available

During construction in the Hayward Lot, patient parking for MIT Medical will remain available. Reserved MIT Medical patient spaces currently in the Hayward lot will soon be relocated to a new lot being constructed next to Building E33.

  • MIT Medical will validate parking for patients. (Cars exiting the lot without validation may incur a $40 fine.)
  • Cars that are in the lot for more than two hours are subject to towing. If patients have appointments that exceed two hours, MIT Medical will contact the Parking Office on their behalf.
  • The location of the patient parking area may change as construction proceeds. We will inform the community before any changes occur.

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