Kendall Square Construction Projects

Kendall Square Construction Update

The following is an outline of the active construction projects in Kendall Square, including private development projects and City of Cambridge infrastructure projects. To stay up-to-date on the projects listed below, please sign up for the newsletter. For questions, please contact us.

This webpage is updated regularly. The last update was on November 22, 2021.

Project List 
Click any of the below projects to learn more and view upcoming impacts:

Galileo Galilei Way & Broadway Streetscape Binney Park

A section of Binney Street (from 3rd Street to Fulkerson), Galileo Way and a portion of Broadway (from Ames to Galileo) are undergoing streetscape redesign. The plans will incorporate a continuous raised cycle track, new landscaping and protected bike intersections. The project will connect the cycling infrastructure on Vassar Street to the new cycle track on Binney Street between 1st and 3rd Streets. The contractor for this work is Bond Brothers.

Upcoming Impacts:

• Work on Galileo Galilei Way has been completed.
• Phase 2 of the Broadway drainage system improvements work will be implemented from Ames Street to Galileo Way. Vehicular lane shifts, bicycle lane alterations and pedestrian detours will be implemented as needed. Detours are in place. Please see this notice and map for more information. 
• Vehicular and bicycle lane shifts have been implemented on Broadway to facilitate the work.
• The southern portion of Loughrey Walkway will remain closed until Summer 2022.A pedestrian detour has been implemented at its intersection with Broadway.Loughrey Walkway will remain fully closed to bicycles throughout the closure period.

600 Main Street

The Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital operated in collaboration with MIT and Harvard will construct a new headquarters at 600 Main Street. The project requires the demolition of the existing building to make way for the construction of a new six-story building. The contractor for 600 Main Street is Consigli Construction Company. 

Upcoming Impacts 

• New building foundation construction is ongoing, resulting in increased excavation activities and trucking.
• Albany Street will remain closed to through traffic from the garage entrance to Portland Street through October 2023. The sidewalk adjacent to the building will remain closed and pedestrian detours have been implemented.
• Parking has been eliminated to facilitate the current traffic lane shift that will remain on Portland Street from Main Street to Albany Street through October 2023. The sidewalk adjacent to the building will remain closed and pedestrian detours have been implemented.
  

Binney Park

The Binney Park parcel is located at the intersection of Binney Street and Galileo Galilei Way and extends to the intersection of Galileo Galilei Way and Broadway. The City is designing the project to incorporate a section of the Grand Junction Multi-Use Path, new landscaping and other park facilities. This new park project is still in the design phase.

325 Binney Street
Alexandria Real Estate Equities is in the process of developing commercial lab space. The project will occupy sidewalks and parking lanes to accommodate building construction logistics on Binney and Fulkerson Streets. The proposed work effort also includes utility construction and exterior surface work. The contractor for this project is John Moriarty and Associates.

Upcoming Impacts 

• The contractor’s work on the site is ongoing.
• Utility connection work in Binney Street is anticipated to begin in mid-December 2021.
• The contractor has implemented a traffic shift on Fulkerson Street. The existing parking spaces on the eastern side of the road have been temporarily removed between Binney and Bent Streets.
• Structural steel for the new building is currently being erected. A second tower crane will be erected in the next month. The sidewalk adjacent to the building on Binney Street has been closed to facilitate this work and a pedestrian detour has been implemented.

Volpe Federal Building

Following the conclusion of a two-phase solicitation process, GSA entered into an Exchange Agreement with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The Exchange Agreement requires MIT to design and construct a state-of-the-art-facility for DOT (the New Facility) on a portion of the property to be retained by the federal government. In exchange, the portion of the property no longer needed by the federal government will be conveyed to MIT after construction of the new facility is complete. MITIMCO is the construction manager.

Upcoming Impacts 

• The New Facility is currently under construction.

The Foundry

Under direction from the City of Cambridge, The Foundry is an adaptive reuse project to build a self-sustaining center for creativity and collaboration for the Cambridge community. At the intersection of the Kendall Square Innovation District and the East Cambridge neighborhood, the Foundry building will provide space and programs for the visual and performing arts, entrepreneurship, technology, and workforce education within its historic, industrial setting. The Foundry will also help facilitate access for residents, especially underrepresented communities and adjacent neighborhoods, to the dynamic working and learning environment of Kendall Square. The contractor for this project is W.T. Rich.

Upcoming Impacts 

• The contractor is currently performing work onsite.

40 Thorndike Street

Leggat McCall Properties is converting the former Edward J. Sullivan Courthouse and jail in East Cambridge into a mixed-use office, residential, and retail development. The interior and exterior renovation will deliver a vibrant development that is integrated into the residential and commercial neighborhood. The contractor is Moriarty.

Upcoming Impacts 

• The adjacent parking lane and a portion of the travel lane on Thorndike Street have been closed to facilitate work on the building façade and a pedestrian detour has been implemented. This restriction is anticipated to remain in place for a couple of years until the completion of the project. 

Lechmere MBTA Station

Demolition of the existing Lechmere T Station and construction of North First Street. This work is part of the development at Cambridge Crossing and will provide a connection between First Street and the new development. Work includes pedestrian and bicycle connections to the new Lechmere T Station on the north side of O’Brien Highway.

Upcoming Impacts 

• At the new station location, the contractor is currently performing ballast and track work atop the viaduct and painting, and is implementing daily lane closures on East Street, Water Street, and the northbound side of Monsignor O'Brien Highway.
• Demolition of the existing station is anticipated to begin in late fall 2021. 

CambridgeSide

This project involves repurposing the existing site to develop a mixed-use location including retail, work and living spaces. This work includes occupying the sidewalk on First Street and a small portion Lechmere Canal Park. New England Development is the developer for this project.

• Renovation of the former Sears building is ongoing.
• The project work has begun, including the implementation of long-term temporary lane closures, bike lane closures, and sidewalk closures on First Street at Thorndike Street.
• Work at the former Macy’s building at the corner of Land Boulevard and CambridgeSide Place is ongoing. Traffic islands have been reconfigured and the right lane on Land Boulevard adjacent to the mall has been closed to facilitate the work. This lane closure is anticipated to remain in place through February 2023.

161 First Street

161 First Street is an existing, four-story, brick building constructed circa 1907 for factory and warehouse uses. The historic structure is currently undergoing a complete renovation to restore architectural features to their former glory; address deferred maintenance, code compliance, and energy efficiency issues; and create forward-thinking spaces appealing to modern behavior. The project will include new windows and masonry repointing respectful of the building’s historic character preservation and energy efficiency goals; code compliance improvements to entries, stairwells, elevators, and building systems; building common spaces including a patio at the building’s western edge; and a roof deck designed to support a collaborative, modern work environment.  The Project will also include approximately 8,000 square feet of Innovation Office Space.

Upcoming Impacts 

• The contractor's work on the site is ongoing.
• Rogers Street is closed to through traffic between First and Second Streets.
• A partial lane closure has been implemented on First Street between Rogers and Binney Streets.
  

Triangle Park

A new City park will be built at 200 First Street on the parcel bound by First Street, Binney Street, and Land Boulevard. The design of the park will be informed by the Eastern Cambridge/Kendall Open Space Study and Connect Kendall Square Open Space Competition, which resulted in a framework plan that will guide the development of three new parks in eastern Cambridge. A raised intersection will be included at First Street and Linskey Way. 

Upcoming Impacts 

• The contractor has begun work on onsite utilities and has implemented a traffic management plan for a work zone on First Street with pedestrian detours.

NoMa Site 1

The building at 165 Main Street will bring 300 residential units to the heart of Kendall Square, including 52 affordable and 10 middle-income units serving families of all sizes. More than 8,000 square feet of retail will wrap around all sides of the ground floor, extending the retail corridor at One Broadway. MTIMCO is the developer for this project.

Upcoming Impacts 

• The contractor’s work on the site is ongoing and is expected to be completed in 2022.

SoMa Site 3

Located at 238 Main Street, Site 3, a mixed use building, will incorporate the existing structure at 238 Main Street (known as the Kendall Building) with a 12-story addition providing new commercial laboratory and office spaces. This work includes demolition of the Site 2 building on Wadsworth Street and reconstruction of Wadsworth Street. The contractor for Site 2 is John Moriarty & Associates and for Sites 3 through 5 is Turner Construction.  

Upcoming Impacts 

• Reconstruction of Wadsworth Street is ongoing and is scheduled to be completed by late fall 2021.
• Abatement at the Site 2 building and associated site work are underway. Demolition is anticipated to begin next month.
• The sidewalks on Wadsworth Street between Main and Amherst Streets will remain closed to facilitate utility work, road reconstruction, and building demolition. A pedestrian detour has been implemented on Hayward Street.
• Wadsworth Street is expected to open to two-way vehicular traffic in December 2021. 
  
  

Headhouses of MBTA Kendall/MIT Stations

Both sides of the MBTA Kendall/MIT Headhouses are being reconstructed as part of development projects. The South Side is being reconstruction as part of the SoMa project and the North Side is being reconstructed as part of the project at 325 Main Street.

Upcoming Impacts 

• The contractor’s work on the site is ongoing within the construction fencing at the Inbound Station Headhouse.
• Construction at the Outbound Station Headhouse is anticipated to start in 2022.
• Transit customers should expect some weekend closures at these stations as part of the work. 

325 Main Street

The new building at 325 Main Street will be 385,000 square feet, consisting of commercial space and two floors of retail space. The project also reconstructs the Green Garage Roof Garden and improves access to the public space via a new public elevator and staircase accessible from Kendall Plaza. The contractor is Turner Construction.  

Upcoming Impacts 

• The contractor’s work on the site is ongoing.
• Surface restoration work along Main Street is anticipated to be complete in November. Temporary pedestrian and cyclist detours are being implemented on a daily basis as needed to facilitate the work.