Kendall Square Nexus: What’s on the Drawing Board Now?
-
-
slice.mit.edu
- 4
Filed Under
Alumni out a few decades may remember Kendall Square as an undistinguished place. No longer. Kendall Square has become an international model for how to seed a neighborhood with great ideas, thanks to MIT’s management of its commercial real estate portfolio. Kendall Square today is a nexus for biotech and pharma companies plus hordes of startups. And, drawn to MIT, more are coming.
As part of MIT’s 2030 planning process, MIT is proposing to enliven the streetscape with restaurants and landscape improvements as well as building spaces for residences, research facilities, and starts ups.
In recent presentations to the Cambridge Planning Board, MIT has described plans to redevelop Institute property in the East Campus/Kendall Square area, which would include a more inviting eastern gateway to the campus. You can download the presentation and learn more in Cambridge Planning Board cites satisfaction with Kendall proposal.
The January-February MIT Faculty Newsletter is weighing in on the plans, particularly with concerns about faculty consultation and the balance of commercial development vs. space for research facilities and graduate student housing.
Meanwhile, things in the square are hopping. Just ask Michael Gilman ′76, a life sciences entrepreneur whose undergrad lab was within sight of Kendall Square. His start-up, Stromedix, had offices a 15-minute walk out of the square, until it was acquired by Biogen Idec in 2012. Now he works a block north of Kendall Square overseeing several drug development programs for Biogen. Sunday’s Boston Globe Innovation Economy blog post describes him and the 2.5 million square feet of new offices and lab space proposed for the area.
For more on campus development, check out the Slice of MIT post, "What’s Going Up at MIT?"
Comments
Barry Cunningham
Mon, 02/25/2013 10:00pm
I remember Kendall Square from the late 1960s. In 1967, I and some roommates were living in Eastgate waiting for Random Hall to be completed. One night we wandered across the street, through a hole in a fence, and climbed up a water tower.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cunningba/1440799428/" title="Eastgate, Kendall Square, and Boston Skyline. Late Fall, 1967. by cunningba, on Flickr" rel="nofollow"></a>
George Petievich
Mon, 02/25/2013 11:24am
With all due respect, I hope they are planning space for a new Fox & Tishman [diner]
Robert Krawitz
Mon, 02/25/2013 11:11am
Kendall Square was starting its transition in the early 1980's, while I was an undergrad (living in Senior House, so I used the Kendall T stop regularly). At that time, it was generally considered not to be a good idea to visit Kendall Square after dark. By the time I graduated in 1987, it had already improved somewhat, with the Marriott, the reconfiguration of Broadway and Main Street, and the T stop improvements.
I worked in the Kendall Square area for a number of years after graduation, until 1999. There was quite a construction boom in the entire area southeast of Binney Street during that period. When I visit now, it's all but unrecognizable even since then. It seems that constant change is a fact even more in Kendall Square than in life in general.
Hank Valcour
Mon, 02/25/2013 8:35am
I graduated in 1956. I remember what Kendall Square was like at that time. Winters were especially gloomy. But I also remember a small bar where you could get a glass of beer for $0.10. Yes ten cents.
There was also a diner on the other side of Kendall where more than once I would trek to at 2:00 AM for a coffee and fried potatoes.
Memories. Hank Valcour '56