Current Development Projects

105 Broadway (IDCP Amendment III)

Renderings by BXP

The CRA Board approved Infill Development Concept Plan (IDCP) Amendment 2 in 2021, which permitted the installation of an Eversource electrical substation underground within the MXD District along with 800,00 SF of new commercial development. Following this approval, BXP commenced construction on the Eversource substation vault, 290 Binney, and 121 Broadway, however, due to delays relating to a sub-tenant lease, reconstruction of 250 Binney is unlikely to start until 2029 at the earliest. To address the uncertainty surrounding 250 Binney’s redevelopment schedule, BXP has submitted Amendment 3 to the MXD District IDCP, proposing to reallocate a portion of the permissible GFA from 250 Binney to 105 Broadway. To inform the amendment process, BXP and the CRA have initiated a public engagement process for the IDCP Amendment 3, which included an open house to discuss the proposed Gross Floor Area (GFA) reallocation. In conjunction with the open house, CRA staff conducted meetings with several community groups and associations to elicit feedback, including the Linden Park Neighborhood Association, the Kendall Square Residence Alliance, the Kendall Square Association, and the East Cambridge Planning Team. In November, the CRA received an official IDCP amendment submission and is currently in the process of providing comments. To learn more about the project, visit mxdsub.site.

  • Project Partners: BXP

  • Architect: Pickard Chilton and Stantec

  • Landscape Architect: Lemon Brooke

  • Approval Process Started: 2024

 

Review and Approval Documents:

Infill Development Concept Plan Amendment III (Under Review)

MXD SUBSTATION

Photo by BXP

The CRA has collaborated with BXP and Eversource on the approval, design, and implementation of the MXD Substation Development project over the past five years. The project includes locating a new electrical substation within Kendall Square’s MXD Parcel 2, supported by new commercial development to be located at 250 and 290 Binney Street. In 2024, significant advancements were achieved with the substation’s planning and construction. This substation will function as an underground electrical facility operated by Eversource, with a public Center Plaza constructed above it, and complemented by two upcoming buildings at 121 Broadway (residential) and 290 Binney Street (commercial). As part of Eversource’s Greater Cambridge Energy Program (GCEP), the CRA highlighted the program’s role in improving electrical reliability, meeting growing energy demands, and expanding access to clean energy in Cambridge. In 2024, the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) tentatively approved the GCEP. In addition, BXP submitted all required documentation to align with the stipulations outlined in the CRA’s project approval and City’s special permit and received the building permit for the substation vault in early 2024. Following this approval, the slurry wall foundation was successfully completed along with the excavation and placement of the first below-grade level structure.

  • Project Partners: BXP

  • Architect: Stantec & NBBJ

  • General Contractor: Turner Construction

  • Year Started: 2019

Review and Approval Documents:

121 Broadway (Formerly 135 Broadway)

Rendering by BXP

121 Broadway is a high-rise residential project currently under construction and slated for completion in 2026. The development is allelectric, and will feature 439 apartments, with 20% designated as affordable housing and an additional 5% allocated for middle-income housing. In 2024, 121 Broadway made significant progress to finalize the building’s design details and materiality. Members of the CRA Board approved the building’s visualization mock-up (VMU) and associated material selections. BXP successfully obtained a building permit for the project in early 2024. To facilitate transmission line connections to the substation, Turner Construction first constructed vaults under the future building and existing utilities within Broadway. This work also includes delivering a new stormwater drain to improve the area’s flood resiliency.

  • Project Partners: BXP

  • Architect: Stantec

  • Landscape Architect: Lemon Brooke

  • General Contractor: Turner Construction

  • Year Started: 2019

Review and Approval Documents:

290 BINNEY STREET - AstraZeneca

Rendering by BXP

Photo by BXP

290 Binney Street is a new commercial development consisting of 425,333 SF of a lab and office. Once complete, the building will be occupied by AstraZeneca. The 290 Binney Street building is notable for its innovative construction methodology, employing an up-down construction technique that allows for simultaneous construction of both abovegrade levels and the below-grade garage within the same footprint. This approach has facilitated an expedited construction schedule. In early 2024, BXP secured a building permit for 290 Binney Street after fulfilling all requirements outlined in the CRA’s approval and City special permit. Construction of the building’s slurry wall system was completed and tower cranes were installed. In March 2024, the post-tensioned slab was completed. It’s the uppermost post-tensioned slab of several forming the parking levels of 290 Binney. The steel construction phase reached a significant milestone in August, marked by a topping-off ceremony attended by CRA staff and Board members. The event featured remarks from leadership at AstraZeneca and BXP and included the installation and signing of the final beam. Furthermore, the installation of the curtain wall commenced in August, with installation of the elevator banks beginning in November. Construction is expected to be completed in 2025. In addition to construction activities, BXP submitted signage concepts for 290 Binney for CRA approval. The proposed design includes an AstraZeneca logo on the western façade, framed by decorative filigree. The building’s signage was approved by the CRA Board in July.

  • Project Partners: BXP

  • Design Architect: Pickard Chilton

  • Landscape Architect: Lemon Brooke

  • General Contractor: Turner Construction

  • Year Started: 2019

Review and Approval Documents:

KENDALL HEADHOUSE

Rendering by BXP

As part of BXP’s 325 Main Street reconstruction project, BXP agreed to reconstruct the outbound Kendall MBTA headhouse. The renovation will provide significant enhancements to the existing headhouse structure, as well as the addition of a new publicly accessible landscaped patio. A second elevator will be installed to improve access between the station’s platform level, street level, and patio level. The rooftop patio will feature direct connections to 325 Main Street’s second level porch and the stairwell leading to the Urban Park roof garden. Additional improvements to the headhouse will include the installation of street-level glass curtain walls and enhanced lighting measures to promote public safety. In 2024, BXP completed a temporary access tunnel through the basement of 325 Main Street to allow for undisrupted Red Line access while the headhouse construction is underway. The headhouse’s steel structure and elevator has been completed, with façade construction, including terra cotta paneling and fenestration, currently in progress. The headhouse is set to be complete by June 2025.

  • Project Partners: BXP

  • Design Architect: Pickard Chilton

  • Architect of Record: Stantec

  • General Contractor: Turner Construction

  • Year Started: 2020

Review and Approval Documents:TBD

300 BINNEY STREET - The Broad Institute

Rendering by BXP

The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard is expanding its presence in Kendall Square by leasing 225,000 square feet of office and laboratory space at 300 Binney Street. Orginally 300 Binney street was built as an office but desinged so it could be converted into lab space. BXP and the Broad Institute transformed the existing facility into a state-of-the-art biomedical research center that meets LEED Gold standards. The majority of the building’s work completed by the end of 2024. A building Certificate of Occupancy has been issued, and a CRA certificate of completion is anticipated to be awarded in early 2025.

  • Project Partners: BXP

  • Architect of Record: Stantec

  • Landscape Architect: Sasaki Associates

  • General Contractor: Turner Construction

  • Year Started: 2023

Review and Approval Documents:TBD

Past Development Projects

325 Main Street - Google

Rendering by BXP

After nearly three years of construction, BXP completed the commercial building at 325 Main Street in June. Google has leased all office floors and expects to complete internal tenant fit-out work in early 2023. The completion of 325 Main Street represents a successful transit-oriented development with expanded retail and publicly accessible spaces. Along with completion of the building’s structure, 325 Main Street includes a beautifully renovated Public Lobby providing through-block connections from Main Street to Pioneer Way, the Green Garage, and the future Kendall Public Market. Pioneer Way also reopened, providing bathrooms and a wellness room for public use. An accessible second-level terrace connects Main Street to the Urban Park Roof Garden, providing better visibility and access to the newly renovated open space. The building also includes three floors of retail space, which remain under construction and will open in early 2024. The MIT-Coop will also move back into the 325 Main Street building, taking space on the ground and basement levels. BXP is currently seeking a tenant for the second-floor retail space and is working with the MBTA to construct a new inbound Kendall Square headhouse.

  • Project Partners: BXP, and Google,

  • Architect: Pickard Chilton, and Stantec

  • Landscape Architect: Lemon Brooke

  • General Contractor: Turner Construction

  • Year Completed: 2023

Review and Approval Documents:TBD

145 Broadway - AKAMAI

Photo Credit - Anton Grassl

Photo by Anton Grassl

BXP completed the construction of 145 Broadway, the new headquarters of Akamai Technologies in November of 2019. Located at the corner of Broadway and Galileo Galilei Way the building is 19-stories and 250 feet tall, with 444,000 sf. of gross floor area office space. The ground level has 10,000 sf. of ground floor retail, to be partially occupied by CorePower Yoga and Sweetgreens who plan to open in 2021. The building achieved a LEED V4 Core and Shell Gold Rating, has solar panels on the buildings roof, and accommodates vehicular and long-term bike parking in a 5-story below grade garage.

The reconstruction of 145 Broadway is the first phase in a larger three phase Infill Development Concept Plan (IDCP), which was approved by the CRA and the City of Cambridge in January of 2017. As part of the IDCP, Boston Properties made enhancements to redevelop the CRA owned 6th Street Connector, a linear open space connecting Broadway and Binney Street. The improvements included improved lighting, path resurfacing, seating and a new cycle path separated from the pedestrian walkway.

Project Partners: BXP, and Akamai

  • Architect: Pickard Chilton, and Stantec

  • Landscape Architect: Sasaki Associates

  • General Contractor: Turner Construction

  • Year Completed: 2019

Review and Approval Documents:

Photo by BXP

88 Ames Street - Proto

BXP constructed a 212,477 square-foot residential building called Proto, with 4,878 square feet of ground floor retail, including Blue Bottle Coffee, Cava Restaurant and the Kendall Flower Shop. On the second floor, Bank of America has 10,492 square feet of office space. The project has 280 units of housing, of which 36 units are rented at below-market rates per the city’s Inclusionary Housing Policy, delivering much needed housing for Cambridge. Proto began leasing units in the summer of 2018.

This project, which included the redesign of Ames Street, has transformed the block between Broadway and Main Street from a service street into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly area, with active ground floor uses and public plaza space. Pioneer Way also provides mid-block pedestrian access, connecting Ames Street to Kendall Plaza, and direct access to the Green Garage and MBTA Kendall T-Station.

The construction of 88 Ames - Proto required BXP to purchase a 20-foot-wide portion of the Ames Street right-of-way, see the Ames Street Land Disposition process and a map of the acquired land.

  • Project Partners: BXP

  • Architect: FXFOWLE

  • Landscape Architect: CBA Landscape Architects

  • General Contractor: Turner Construction

  • Year Completed: 2018

Review and Approval Documents:

Article 19 Submission

Photo by Maryellen Jones - MJ Design Studio

75 Ames Street - The Broad Institute

In 2014, The Broad Institute expanded their research facility with a 280-foot tall, 263,800 square-foot, mixed laboratory and office building. This is a vertically integrated bio-technology building with a significant portion of the structure over the Cambridge Center West Parking Garage.

  • Project Partners: The Broad Institute

  • Architect: Elkus Manfredi Architects

  • General Contractor: Suffolk Construction

  • Year Completed: 2014

Review and Approval Documents:

2020 CRA M1 Mechanical to Office Expansion Approval

2011 CDD Special Permit Approval