• 200 Main Street (Site 2) – under construction
• 238 Main Street (Site 3) – completed 2021
• 290 Main Street (Site 4) – completed 2020
• 314 Main Street (Site 5) – completed 2020
• 165 Main Street (Site 1) – completed 2022
• One Broadway (Site 1) – completed 2020

If you are looking for regular construction updates and additional project information, please visit our courbanize project profile. 

Attend one of two identical sessions:

• 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
• 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Light refreshments will be provided.

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)

Planning Board presentation documents

NoMa Planned Unit Development Special Permit Application hearing, January 5, 2016

• NoMa pdf

SoMa Planned Unit Development Special Permit Application hearing, January 5, 2016

• SoMa Part 1 pdf
• SoMa Part 2 pdf

Cambridge Planning Board delves into the Kendall Square plan’s details and expresses enthusiasm; process will continue.

In response to a broad range of questions and suggestions raised at the Institute’s Sept. 8, 2015, City of Cambridge Planning Board hearing, MIT returned to the board on Jan. 5 to provide an updated presentation for its proposed Kendall Square Initiative.

In its presentation, MIT described changes in the development plan that addressed specific Planning Board concerns related to building designs, façade treatments, and the positioning of retail space, and also answered questions related to the integration of historical structures, the use of cantilevers, the public realm experience, housing, sustainability, pedestrian and bicycle amenities, parking, and vehicular access.

In the months following the September Planning Board meeting when the Institute received a unanimous preliminary development approval, MIT met frequently with city staff regarding every aspect of the proposed development. This dialogue led to MIT’s submission of a final development plan and special permit application to the city in November for two planned unit developments — “NoMa” (north of Main Street) and “SoMa” (south of Main Street). In addition, formal input from several city departments and committees related to the proposal was submitted to the Planning Board for its consideration.

The Kendall Square Initiative aims to create a vibrant mixed-use district featuring six new buildings on what are now MIT-owned parking lots in the East Campus/Kendall Square area, including three buildings for research and development, two for housing, and one for retail and office space. The plan will produce approximately 250 net new housing units for graduate students and approximately 290 new housing units for market use, more than 100,000 square feet of new and repositioned ground-floor retail, and nearly three acres of new and repurposed open spaces — in addition to providing research and development space in support of Kendall Square’s growing innovation district.

The Initiative was developed as a result of approximately seven years of internal and external dialogue. The Cambridge City Council approved new zoning for MIT’s properties in the East Campus/Kendall Square area in 2013, laying the foundation for the advancement of the mixed-use proposal.

The Jan. 5 presentation was led by Marty Schmidt, MIT’s provost; Hashim Sarkis, dean of the School of Architecture and Planning and professor of architecture; Karen Gleason, associate provost and the Alexander and I. Michael Kasser Professor of Chemical Engineering; and Steve Marsh, managing director of real estate in MIT’s Investment Management Company, in addition to the architects who are designing each of the buildings and the landscape architect who is designing the open space.

Provost Marty Schmidt opened the SoMa presentation by describing the comprehensive effort involved in examining MIT’s East Campus area: “This was an incredible process with many stakeholders. We were presented with a unique opportunity to expand our residential community, infuse new vibrancy into Kendall Square with retail and public gathering spaces, create space for innovative research and development activities, introduce a new gateway to MIT, and create a vibrant crossroads that will connect us more closely to the Cambridge community.” Schmidt thanked Sarkis and faculty from the School of Architecture and Planning for their steady leadership and guidance during the process.

Associate Provost Karen Gleason reflected on the introduction of new graduate student housing in the heart of Kendall Square: “Graduate students are the engine of MIT. It’s critical that they are an integral component of the Kendall Square ecosystem.”

In providing an overview to the design approaches for the six buildings, Sarkis described how the process is guided by “a collective vision that encourages individuality.” He cited five main strategies that were developed organically among the architects: to create buildings that have clearly defined bases, middles, and tops; to preserve and enhance the existing historical buildings; to differentiate the building masses further with horizontal and vertical breaks; to create a variety of façade types using different approaches to sustainability; and to design an array of outdoor spaces that will facilitate pedestrian flow and a strong public realm. Sarkis praised the architectural teams, noting their “robust professionalism and creativity.”

Steve Marsh closed MIT’s presentation by thanking city staff and Planning Board members for their dedicated work alongside MIT: “We are creating an exciting place where MIT, the residential community, and businesses can gather, socialize, and collaborate.” 

After the presentation, several members of the public offered comments and observations related to a variety of topics, including pedestrian and bicycle connections; the nature of retail; wayfinding; the interface with historical structures; graduate student housing; MBTA service; parking; open space; shadow and lighting impacts; and building design.

Planning Board members expressed appreciation for the hard work on the part of MIT and City of Cambridge staff, and shared thoughts regarding the complexity of city-making, the importance of civic “spaces for all,” the art of placemaking, the need for careful consideration in order to achieve authenticity in Kendall Square, the balancing of architectural diversity and coherence, and the creation of programmatic elements that are uniquely MIT.

Follow-up questions were raised by Planning Board members regarding open-space design and programming; wind and shadow impacts; vehicular access; the exploration of alternative and green facades; the nature of the extension of the Infinite Corridor; graduate student housing; the placement of the MBTA headhouse; bicycle facilities; loading operations; the accommodation of museum visitors; the flood plain district; parking; mechanical equipment; and construction phasing.

In considering MIT’s fulfillment of the planned unit development requirements, Planning Board member Hugh Russell quipped about the contemporary and varying styles of the proposed building designs: “MIT has done everything that we’ve asked them to do and they’ve surprised us. Well, we may just have to step up to the plate and be surprised.”

At the close of the nearly five-hour hearing, Planning Board Chair Ted Cohen observed: “It is a very exciting proposal and there is a tremendous amount that is excellent in it. We are getting close to what we need to approve the planned unit development.”

The Planning Board’s public hearing process will continue over the coming months. The next hearing will focus on details related to the public realm including retail, open space, and ground floor design. Once the next hearing date is established, it will be posted on the Kendall Square Initiative website. As always, questions, comments, and ideas about the development proposal can be sent to kendallsquare@mit.edu.

At a preliminary review hearing in September, the Planning Board voted unanimously to approve the issuance of a Preliminary Determination on the Development Proposal. In this next stage of the process, MIT has provided a refinement of the Kendall Square proposal that responds to comments and questions raised by Planning Board members during the preliminary review. The documents include a refreshed graphic package and are a supplement to the materials submitted in July.

The Planning Board will review these documents together with the July 2015 materials as a single, comprehensive application for a PUD Special Permit as well as a Project Review Special Permit.

MIT submitted applications in July for two separate Planned Unit Development permits, referred to as “NoMa” (north of Main Street) and “SoMa” (south of Main Street). In addition, the Institute filed two accompanying Project Review Special Permit applications that will address more detailed elements of the proposal including building design, traffic impact, open space, retail strategy, pedestrian experience, and other features of the mixed-use plan. The submittals were developed following seven years of extensive internal and external dialogue about MIT’s proposal. The Planning Board is reviewing all of the applications together.

The second public hearing before the Cambridge Planning Board is tentatively scheduled for January 5, 2016.

Share questions, comments, and ideas.

Update: The Planning Board of the City of Cambridge will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at 7:00 p.m., at the City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Second Floor Meeting Room, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Volume I: Final Development Plan and Responses

• NoMa Project Volume I: Final Development Plan and Responses to Request for Additional Information
• SoMa Project Volume I: Final Development Plan and Responses to Request for Additional Information

Volume II: Technical Studies and Information (NoMa and SoMa)

• SECTION A: MIT Kendall Square – Transportation Impact Study: Planning Board Criteria
• SECTION B: MIT Kendall Square Shadow Studies
  • NoMa Shadow Studies
  • NoMa Shadow Studies, continued
  • SoMa Shadow Studies
  • SoMA Shadow Studies, continued
• SECTION C: MIT Kendall Square Wind Study
• SECTION D-F includes the following:
  • SECTION D: Recommendation from Retail Consultant
  • SECTION E: MIT Kendall Square Project LEED Scorecards
  • SECTION F: MIT Kendall Square Acoustical Study

Volume III: Graphic Materials – NoMA

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4

Volume III: Graphic Materials – SoMA

• SECTION A: Existing Conditions and Project Overview, Figures A1 – A8
• SECTION B: Site Planning and Open Space
  • Figures B1 – B18
  • Figures B19 – B40
  • Figures B41 – B48
• SECTION C: Ground Floor Activation and Programming, Figures C1 – C17
• SECTION D: Building Concept Design
  • Figures D1 – D26
  • Figures D27 – D35
  • Figures D36 – D80
• SECTION E: Building Plans, Elevation and Sections
  • Figures E1 – E36
  • Figures E37 – E55
  • Figures E56 – E61
  • Figures E62 – E70
  • Figures E71 – E95
• SECTION F: Technical Graphics
  • Figures F1 – F8
  • Figures F9 – F19
• SECTION G: PUD-5 Conceptual Plan, Figures G1 – G3

At a four-hour hearing last night, MIT officials presented an overview of the proposal, which describes the overall development plan and demonstrates how it meets the city’s requirements and goals for Kendall Square. The Planning Board took two unanimous votes to approve the issuance of a Preliminary Determination on the Development Proposal that will allow MIT to proceed to the next stage of the process.

MIT submitted applications in July for two separate Planned Unit Development permits, referred to as “NoMa” (north of Main Street) and “SoMa” (south of Main Street). In addition, the Institute filed two accompanying Project Review Special Permit applications that will address more detailed elements of the proposal including building design, traffic impact, open space, retail strategy, pedestrian experience, and other features of the mixed-use plan.

The submittals were developed following seven years of extensive internal and external dialogue about MIT’s plan. The Planning Board is reviewing all of the applications together.

Last night’s Planning Board meeting was attended by Israel Ruiz, MIT’s executive vice president and treasurer; Hashim Sarkis, dean of the School of Architecture and Planning and professor of architecture; J. Meejin Yoon, professor and head of the Department of Architecture; Karen Gleason, associate provost and the Alexander and I. Michael Kasser Professor of Chemical Engineering; and Steve Marsh, managing director of the MIT Investment Management Company.

In opening the presentation, Ruiz characterized the Institute’s proposal as informed by “MIT’s history of partnership with industry in the advancement of the innovation economy, our East Campus area, and the integration of new commercial development with our existing and future academic uses, and MIT’s housing program — past, present, and future.” Ruiz added that the proposed mixed-use development should “blend seamlessly with neighboring communities.”

The Kendall Square Initiative development proposal aims to create a vibrant mixed-use district featuring six new buildings on what are now MIT-owned parking lots in the East Campus/Kendall Square area, including three buildings for research and development, two for housing, and one for retail and office space. The plan will produce approximately 270 net new housing units for graduate students and approximately 290 new housing units for market use, more than 100,000 square feet of new and repositioned ground-floor retail, and nearly three acres of new and repurposed open spaces — in addition to providing research and development space in support of Kendall Square’s growing innovation district.

“The project is a tremendous opportunity [with] very clear and shared goals,” Sarkis said in presenting the design concepts for the six individual buildings. “They are a harmonious family with a focus on integration with the historical character of Kendall Square, but also creating an exemplary and forward-looking urban environment: vibrant, diverse, and inclusive.”

The proposed three-acre open space framework has been well-received by both the MIT and Cambridge communities. The Institute plans to hire a director of open space programming to oversee the curation of a vibrant and active public area and work closely with an open space and retail advisory committee to be formed later in the development process. Sarkis described the proposed open space as an exciting and welcoming area where people can “meet, bump into each other, and connect.”

Several members of the public offered comments related to the applications. Observations and suggestions were made in a variety of areas, including transit analysis, wind and shadow impacts, open space features, building design, interface with historical structures, traffic impact, the street level experience, and retail strategy.

Planning Board members asked questions and shared thoughts regarding the site plan, open space programming, transit capacity, pedestrian and neighborhood connections, design concepts, building materials, housing, retail diversity, treatment of mechanical systems, skyline perspectives, loading and parking operations, and bicycle facilities.

At the close of the hearing, Planning Board Chairman Ted Cohen offered that the development plan “does a lot of tremendously good things.”

The Planning Board’s public hearing process will take several months to complete. The next hearing date, which will focus on more detailed elements of the proposal, is not yet scheduled. Once the date is established, it will be posted on the Kendall Square Initiative website. As always, questions, comments, and ideas about the development proposal can be sent to kendallsquare@mit.edu.

Presentations

Planning Board presentation, 9/8/15, NoMa

Planning Board presentation, 9/8/15, SoMa

The special permit process will examine all aspects of the proposal — including design, infrastructure, transportation, parking, and the public realm experience. The Institute’s proposal to create a vibrant mixed-use development features six new buildings on MIT-owned parking lots in the East Campus/Kendall Square area, including three for research and development, two for housing, and one for retail and office space. The Cambridge City Council approved MIT’s rezoning petition in April 2013, which defined the parameters of the proposed development.

“Today’s filing represents a key step forward in getting to an exciting future for Kendall Square,” Executive Vice President and Treasurer Israel Ruiz says. “It will likely take six to 10 years to complete this vision, but I am really thrilled about how Kendall Square and MIT’s East Campus will be positively transformed in the coming decade.”

The Initiative will produce 500 net new housing units for graduate students and for market use, more than 100,000 square feet of new and repositioned ground-floor retail, and nearly 3 acres of new and repurposed connected open spaces — in addition to providing research and development space. The anticipated investment in the development of these projects will be at least $1.2 billion.

“We’ve come a long way, and I’m pleased with this thoughtful and robust proposal,” Provost Martin Schmidt says. “The critical involvement of the leadership of the School of Architecture and Planning helped us to crystalize our vision for East Campus. I want to express the Institute’s appreciation to Dean Hashim Sarkis and J. Meejin Yoon, head of the Department of Architecture, along with many of their colleagues and Associate Provost Karen Gleason, for guiding us to the current proposal. It has been an impressive team effort with a sound result.”

“As a bold new gateway to MIT, Kendall Square opens a new frontier for us to reimagine the relationship between town and gown,” Sarkis says. “Public spaces open into the campus and allow students, professors, residents, and visitors to mix. I am very excited for that future to be set in motion and believe we have all the right ingredients in place for it to unfold.”

The MIT Investment Management Company (MITIMCo) is leading the public review effort on behalf of the Institute, under the direction of the provost and the executive vice president and treasurer. “The first Cambridge Planning Board hearing to review MIT’s proposal will likely take place in September,” MITIMCo Managing Director Steve Marsh says, noting that the process has been under way for six years. “The full review process will take several months.”

More information about the project can be found by exploring this website.

Questions, comments, and ideas can be sent to kendallsquare@mit.edu.

Permit documents

Permits are also posted on the City of Cambridge Zoning and Development website.

NoMa Project Planned Unit Development (PUD)

Application:

• PUD Narrative Special Permit Application (Development Proposal)
• Project Review Narrative  (Article 19 Project Review Special Permit Application)

Graphics:

• Part 1/2
• Part 2/2

SoMa Project Planned Unit Development (PUD)

Application:

• PUD Narrative Special Permit Application (Development Proposal)
• Project Review Narrative (Article 19 Project Review Special Permit Application)

Graphics:

• Section A Project Overview
• Section B(1) Open Space and Connections
• Section B(2) Open Space and Connections
• Sections C+D (C. Ground Floor Retail; D. Buildings)

Section D (by building):

• Building 2
• Building 3
• Building 4(1)
• Building 4(2)
• Building 4(3)
• Building 4(4)
• Building 4(5)
• Building 5(1)
• Building 5(2)
• Building 6

Remaining sections:

• Parking and Bike (Parcel B and C)
• Section E(1) Renderings
• Section E(2) Renderings
• Section F(1) Technical Graphics
• Section F(2) Technical Graphics
• Section G PUD 5 Conceptual Plan

Transportation Impact Study

• Transportation Impact Study
• Figures – Part 1
• Figures – Part 2
• Figures – Part 3
• Figures – Part 4
• Technical appendix – Part 1
• Technical appendix – Part 2
• Technical appendix – Part 3
• Technical appendix – Part 4
• Letter of Certification from City of Cambridge

The two identical meetings—one held at noon at the Stratton Student Center and another held at 6 p.m. at the Kendall Square Marriott—included a presentation of the proposed designs for six buildings to be developed on MIT-owned parking lots in the East Campus/Kendall Square area. Schmidt, Ruiz, Associate Provost Karen Gleason, Managing Director of Real Estate Steve Marsh, and several of the Initiative’s architects took turns presenting the overall development plan, including the building designs, open space framework, retail strategy, and sustainability approach.

MIT officials summarized the overarching priorities for the Kendall Square Initiative, including advancing Kendall Square as a destination with diverse retail and active open spaces, as a residential center with mixed-income market housing and graduate student housing, and as an innovation and academic district that will serve to accelerate the Institute’s mission.

They also described the next step for the development, which is the “Article 19” project review process with the City of Cambridge Planning Board. In introducing the presentation, Ruiz thanked those gathered for their role in shaping the Initiative. “It is truly a better project because of your participation and input,” he said.

The Kendall Square Initiative features:

• six buildings, including three for research and development, two for housing, and one for retail and office space;
• 500 net new housing units that will bring added vitality to Kendall Square;
• more than 100,000 square feet of new and repositioned ground-floor retail;
• nearly three acres of new and repurposed connected open spaces;
• the preservation and integration of three historically significant buildings; and
• the retention of 800,000 square feet of existing capacity for future academic use.

The primarily positive—and sometimes enthusiastic—comments and questions raised by the MIT and Cambridge attendees at the meetings covered a wide range of topics including transportation, housing, parking, open space, food trucks, building design, retail amenities such as a market and a drugstore, bicycle, and pedestrian access, connections to the Charles River, and the timing and proposed phasing of the development.

One of the most frequently raised topics throughout the public engagement process has related to the creation of housing. MIT has always planned to include housing at the One Broadway parcel, but as a result of feedback from both the MIT and Cambridge communities, the housing at that site has increased significantly—to about 290 units of mixed-income market housing, including 50 units designated as affordable housing.

Also in response to both MIT and Cambridge input, the Institute decided to add plans for a new residence hall for graduate students in the heart of Kendall Square. This facility will replace the 201 graduate housing units currently located in Eastgate, and will add approximately 270 more, for a total of approximately 470 units.

In describing the new graduate student housing, Schmidt cited the thorough work of the Graduate Student Housing Working Group, led by former Chancellor and Department of Urban Studies and Planning Professor Phillip Clay, the Class of 1922 Professor in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning. “The working group carried out a very careful review of issues related to housing our graduate student population, resulting in a recommendation for new accommodations for 500 to 600 graduate students to address current unmet need,” Schmidt said. “We’re pleased to be able to implement half of that number in this development, and will look to other sections of the campus to site the other half.”

Taken together, the new building at One Broadway and the new graduate residence hall will provide over 500 net new housing units in Kendall Square.

Building on the careful analyses and recommendations from several MIT studies related to Kendall Square, East Campus, and graduate housing, MIT moved ahead—with faculty leadership from the School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P)—to engage with five teams of architects to design the new buildings. As a result, the designs are quite varied, reflecting the diverse and exciting nature of the Kendall Square innovation district.

Marsh noted the vital role played by the former and current SA+P deans, Adele Naude Santos and Hashim Sarkis, and the former and current heads of the Department of Architecture, Nader Tehrani and J. Meejin Yoon. “Having all four of these faculty leaders involved in the initiative has ensured a seamless knitting together of the varying elements of the project,” Marsh said. 

Another topic that has been of great interest to the broader community has been the function and feel of the proposed open space. Extensive input has led to a plan that recaptures approximately 3 acres of existing parking lots south of Main Street to create a connected series of open spaces that will reflect the community’s desire for active programming and recreation.

“We want everyone to feel not only welcome, but warmly invited to participate in the offerings of this area,” Marsh said. The plan also enables increased activation of Main Street and Broad Canal Way through new and enhanced retail.

The City of Cambridge approved MIT’s zoning for the land it owns in Kendall Square in April 2013 after an extensive five-year engagement process. The approved zoning sets physical parameters for the buildings—including design requirements, heights, setbacks, and density—and establishes minimum thresholds for affordable housing, retail, open space, and innovation space.

The zoning process also resulted in MIT’s commitment to a range of community benefits, including contributions to Cambridge-based nonprofits; a feasibility study regarding the use of MIT’s property adjacent to the existing Grand Junction railroad tracks, parallel to Vassar Street, as a community path; the transfer of an MIT-owned parcel located in Area IV to the City of Cambridge; and the establishment of an open space and retail advisory committee, among several other programs.

Presentation materials and gallery

View the presentation materials from the May 6 community meetings. Renderings of the site designs are included in the presentation, and also available in this news office article.

Information and feedback

Peruse this site to review information about the project. Email any questions, comments, or ideas.

Based on this body of work, MIT issued Requests for Proposals and in September 2014 initiated work with several design teams to create building concepts for the east campus.

Learn about the architectural firm selections and view a map of the sites.

Final Report to the Provost of the Graduate Student Housing Working Group (May 2014)

To the members of the MIT community,

We write to tell you about exciting developments in MIT’s Kendall Square and east campus design process, the planning study for west campus, and key steps we are taking regarding housing for our graduate and undergraduate students.

In pursuing these opportunities, we have benefited tremendously from five years of substantive input and analysis from the Cambridge and MIT communities. This has included an extensive public process, the Task Force on Community Engagement in 2030 Planning report, the Graduate Student Housing Working Group report, the East Campus/Kendall Gateway Urban Design Study with guidance of the East Campus Steering Committee, and key leadership from the School of Architecture and Planning. We will continue this path of engagement, ensuring significant faculty and student involvement in the working groups discussed below. We are also creating opportunities for the community to offer input to the process in the coming months.

Next steps in the design process for Kendall/east campus

In our September 23 communication, we described the process for selecting the Kendall/east campus architectural firms and announced the teams designated to design the individual buildings in the development area. Recognizing the value provided in the past, we have re-launched the East Campus Steering Committee and are continuing to rely on the expertise of School of Architecture and Planning faculty, as well as the vital input of student representatives. The newly-formed faculty Committee on Campus Planning has been briefed on the overall vision for the MIT campus, as well as the plans for Kendall/east campus, and we are committed to collaborating closely with the Committee to ensure that our shared visions for the campus are being realized.

The planning team has been focused on increasing the vitality of the Kendall/east campus area, by incorporating the diverse uses that have been recommended by all sectors of the MIT and Cambridge communities — housing, connected open spaces, retail, innovation space, childcare, and commercial space. The plan also identifies a prominent location for the MIT Museum and assures the incorporation of elements that reflect the essence of MIT in the gateway area.

The site plan below shows the proposed uses for the various parcels. Details regarding precise configurations, square footage, height, and number of housing units are still being examined as the design process proceeds, and will be shared at a community meeting when available. The plan will reflect the approved zoning for the district, and we believe this plan will serve to propel the area towards the objective of creating a vibrant mixed-used center with a captivating gateway to the MIT campus while preserving capacity for future academic uses. 

Thanks to the engagement of the Cambridge and MIT communities and the recommendations from the Graduate Student Housing Working Group, we now have an enhanced understanding and a robust plan for housing. Graduate student housing is designated at site O, and we are committed to completing new housing prior to replacing Eastgate Apartments. Site O has the capacity to replace all of the housing in Eastgate (201 units), and provide approximately 270 additional units of graduate housing. Residential housing is planned for Site L on the north side of Main Street, with a mix of affordable, innovation and market rate units. We believe that the presence of new housing together with significantly expanded retail spaces and improved public space will play an integral role in enhancing the liveliness of the area, and opportunities for additional graduate student housing are also being explored in the west campus area.

We look forward to sharing proposed building designs for Kendall/east campus at initial community meetings on May 6th (details below). Once we have had the opportunity to collect broad feedback, we will submit design schemes to the Cambridge Planning Board for its public hearing and review process.

Unlocking the west campus potential

Over the past few months we have initiated a formal planning process for the west and northwest areas of campus. The intent of the current study is to create a long–range development framework to accommodate future academic and residential uses on the MIT campus west of Massachusetts Avenue to complement east campus design efforts and the ongoing renewal of the main campus. We have also formed the West Campus Steering Committee to provide input as the west campus study team works to identify sites to accommodate potential new building initiatives, including undergraduate and graduate housing. Student representation on the Steering Committee is key to the west campus study.

Similar to the east campus plan, there is great interest in enhancing the west campus area in order to bring more vibrancy to MIT’s main entrance. A temporary open space landscape will be created on the site of Bexley Hall, and a series of open spaces and walkways are being envisioned as part of the overall west campus design framework. We are working to understand development capacity and the urban design opportunities this capacity holds for the future of west campus.

A critical part of MIT’s campus renewal program is the renovation of some of our undergraduate residence halls. We are working on strategies to sequence the renewal of the residences, and are considering opportunities to add to our housing capacity to enable renovation of the residence halls. In the context of the west campus planning study, we are evaluating the possibility of developing the Metropolitan Storage Warehouse as an exciting site for a mixed-use development. It could possibly include undergraduate residences, maker space on the first floor, collaborative spaces on the top level, and retail along Massachusetts Avenue and Vassar Street. The Metropolitan Warehouse Advisory Group, being led by the Offices of the Associate Provost for Space Planning and Campus Planning, also includes students and a wide cross-section of the MIT community.

We are also studying additional sites to accommodate new housing for graduate students and opportunities to renovate the graduate residences in west campus. We have accepted the recommendation of the Graduate Student Housing Working Group, which identified the need to provide housing to accommodate an additional 500-600 graduate students beyond what is currently available, and will work toward achieving this target over time with developments in both the east and west campus areas.

Share your thoughts

These two processes in the Kendall/east campus area and now in the west campus area have been shaped in great measure by the steady commitment and energetic involvement of many members of the MIT and Cambridge communities. Over these past few years, we have learned a great deal about what is important to various sectors of our community, and believe that the Kendall/east campus plan now holistically reflects our shared values. This learning process has led us to approach the west campus planning effort in a very similar fashion. As is our practice, there will be many opportunities for information sharing and the solicitation of input as we proceed.

In the meantime, we encourage you to share your thoughts on either of these processes by sending email to mit2030info@mit.edu. Thank you for your past and future involvement as we work to shape our campus to reflect MIT’s spirit of innovation and collaboration.

 Sincerely,
 
Cynthia Barnhart, Chancellor
Martin A. Schmidt, Provost
Israel Ruiz, Executive Vice President and Treasurer

Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Noon – 2 p.m.
MIT Student Center, W20 Room 491

Wednesday, May 6, 2015
6 – 8 p.m.
Kendall Marriott at 50 Broadway

To the MIT Community:

I am pleased to share the good news that we have reached an important juncture in our planning process for the East Campus and Kendall Square area. Together with President Rafael Reif, Chancellor Cynthia Barnhart, and Executive Vice President and Treasurer Israel Ruiz, I am recommending that MIT advance a proposal that we believe will achieve the vibrancy and integration that is essential for that critical gateway area of the campus.

Convergence of Multiple Processes

Many efforts have brought us to this point. The intensive three-year Kendall Square rezoning process provided us with valuable input from MIT and Cambridge community members about how best to create an innovative and well-balanced mixed-used development on our properties. The Faculty Task Force on Community Engagement in 2030 Planning, led by Sloan School Professor Tom Kochan, analyzed the Kendall Square development proposal and recommended that MIT undertake an East Campus planning study and a review of graduate student housing needs.

In response to the Faculty Task Force recommendations, former Chancellor and Department of Urban Studies and Planning Professor Phillip Clay led the Graduate Student Housing Working Group through a careful review of housing related topics, resulting in a recommendation for new accommodations for 500-600 graduate students. The East Campus/Kendall Gateway urban design study, led by a multi-disciplinary steering committee of faculty, students, and staff, worked with consultants through an intensive exploration of various schemes for the East Campus area, and benefitted from input collected through a series of community forums. Finally, with the leadership of the School of Architecture and Planning, a working group composed of faculty and staff has worked to refine the concepts explored through the East Campus/Kendall Gateway urban design study.

Current Thinking

This illustrative drawing (link to PDF) conveys an exciting proposed parcel assembly and a potential approach for the creation of connected public open spaces within the development area. As recommended from every quarter, the parcel plan includes space for academic, commercial, and retail uses, as well as housing for graduate students — all contributing to the creation of a diverse and vibrant gateway area. It also envisions underground parking and ensures vehicular access to MIT Medical.

The gateway is framed by spaces for the MIT Museum, an Innovation Space, and a graduate student residence building. This scheme proposes to replace Eastgate with a lab building, but to add graduate housing in a new location at the gateway, along with a new child care facility. We anticipate that the new housing will not only replace the Eastgate housing but add more capacity. The exact amount would be determined in the design process. We would build the new housing first, before repurposing the Eastgate site. As previously communicated, we will also be looking at the West end of campus for additional housing opportunities.

Next Steps

MIT has issued Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for design teams to create building concepts that we will bring through the City’s review process. Our hope is to begin that process in the fall. There will be ample opportunity for continued information sharing and conversation through community meetings and public hearings.

I would be remiss if I didn’t remark on the impressive caliber and breadth of engagement on this topic. I am grateful to the many stakeholders who have brought leadership and vision to this important community dialogue. The upshot is that we have great confidence in our path ahead and know that the future of the Kendall Square/East Campus area is vibrant and brimming with possibility.

The full text of the new zoning language and MIT’s letter of commitment:

• New zoning language
• MIT Letter of Commitment to City of Cambridge (April 8, 2013)

About the Cambridge zoning process:

• City of Cambridge Zoning and Development Overview
• City of Cambridge Kendall Square/Central Square Urban Planning Process (final report December 2013)

• The report supported MIT’s plan to file rezoning petition and offered recommendations for moving forward (article)
• Report of the Task Force on Community Engagement in 2030 Planning on Development of MIT-Owned Property in Kendall Square (October 12, 2012) (PDF)