Bunker Hill Community College Redevelopment

BHCC land is only north of bridge. parking lots are owned by the BPDA. and yes, they will be looking to redevelop as well. its been mentioned during PLAN Charlestown.
 
real_EthanHunt said:
BHCC land is only north of bridge. parking lots are owned by the BPDA. and yes, they will be looking to redevelop as well. its been mentioned during PLAN Charlestown.
Click to expand...
Might BHCC have a long term transferable lease that allows development rights? There has been some construction activity off on the west side of the building in the past few months. I thought this was going to be about that (does anyone know what it is?)

Edit: I didn't scroll past an ad, thinking it was the end of the story and saw the photo of the student success center currently being built.
 
Anyone know what's happening at Bunker Hill? The side facing 93 has some construction going on. Not sure what it's related too.
 
Walked the BHCC campus for the first time today. How did this campus end up with so much land (next to downtown, and a T stop)?

Given the current state of its buildings, suburban scale, and its prime location, I have a hard time envisioning the campus remaining in its current configuration should a public/private plan be developed. (frankly surprised to see an addition being made with this development plan in motion)

This should be an interesting project to follow. The 'draft project proposal' lists: Solicitation: 2023-2024 ➢ Partner Selection: 2024-2025 ➢ Permitting and financing completed by Partner: 2028 ➢ Construction Commencement: 2029

Facing S from the athletics center (n side of campus)
35 by LexSEDotVille, on Flickr

Interior Courtyard
34 by LexSEDotVille, on Flickr

From homeplate of the ¡DISUSED! baseball diamond (n side of athletic fields)
40 by LexSEDotVille, on Flickr
 
Just did a quick look at historic images to better understand how this site was passed down.

It's pretty amazing just how empty the site/campus is given how many buildings and uses were present on the site historically. It'll be interesting to see just how dramatically the site changes with whatever may come from this public/private partnership (ideally mixed use.)

Best angle for context. N Station looking BIG! (photo credit: Leslie Jones, 1935)
Leslie Jones 1935-38.png


Railroad sidings where the athletic fields are currently located. (photo credit: Leslie Jones, 1935)
2 Leslie Jones 1935 .png


This part of Charlestown really got hollowed out. New Rutherford Ave appears to have cut through the site of the prison. (photo credit: Leslie Jones, 1935)
1 Leslie Jones 1935.png


Demolition of the prison in 1965. (Also, much of the surrounding neighborhood is hollowed out. (photo credit: The Boston Globe)
Charlestown Prison 1965.png


Charlestown urban renewal area, Massachusetts R-55. Plan developed in 1962. BHCC has a more sizable built footprint in this plan and explains the 'void' left around the campus for unrealized athletic fields.
image_access_800.jpg


Gilmore Bridge under construction with a BHCC present in 1973. (is that a spire on the N side of campus?)
Charlestown 1973.png
 
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LexSEDotVille said:
Just did a quick look at historic images to better understand how this site was passed down.

It's pretty amazing just how empty the site/campus is given how many buildings and uses were present on the site historically. It'll be interesting to see just how dramatically the site changes with whatever may come from this public/private partnership (ideally mixed use.)

Best angle for context. N Station looking BIG! (photo credit: Leslie Jones, 1935)
View attachment 34254

Railroad sidings where the athletic fields are currently located. (photo credit: Leslie Jones, 1935)
View attachment 34255

This part of Charlestown really got hollowed out. New Rutherford Ave appears to have cut through the site of the prison. (photo credit: Leslie Jones, 1935)
View attachment 34256

Demolition of the prison in 1965. (Also, much of the surrounding neighborhood is hollowed out. (photo credit: The Boston Globe)
View attachment 34257

Charlestown urban renewal area, Massachusetts R-55. Plan developed in 1962. BHCC has a more sizable built footprint in this plan and explains the 'void' left around the campus for unrealized athletic fields.
View attachment 34260

Gilmore Bridge under construction with a BHCC present in 1973. (is that a spire on the N side of campus?)
View attachment 34258
Click to expand...
Thanks, I love content like this.
 
Thank you for finding this photograph.
leslie-jones-1935-38-png.34254


I had thought that Boston Sand and Gravel had been there, like forever.
 
The thing that gets me about this photo is there is only one tree! Even on the Boston side of the river. Trees must have been considered troublesome back then.
 
LexSEDotVille said:
Just did a quick look at historic images to better understand how this site was passed down.

It's pretty amazing just how empty the site/campus is given how many buildings and uses were present on the site historically. It'll be interesting to see just how dramatically the site changes with whatever may come from this public/private partnership (ideally mixed use.)

Best angle for context. N Station looking BIG! (photo credit: Leslie Jones, 1935)
View attachment 34254

Railroad sidings where the athletic fields are currently located. (photo credit: Leslie Jones, 1935)
View attachment 34255

This part of Charlestown really got hollowed out. New Rutherford Ave appears to have cut through the site of the prison. (photo credit: Leslie Jones, 1935)
View attachment 34256

Demolition of the prison in 1965. (Also, much of the surrounding neighborhood is hollowed out. (photo credit: The Boston Globe)
View attachment 34257

Charlestown urban renewal area, Massachusetts R-55. Plan developed in 1962. BHCC has a more sizable built footprint in this plan and explains the 'void' left around the campus for unrealized athletic fields.
View attachment 34260

Gilmore Bridge under construction with a BHCC present in 1973. (is that a spire on the N side of campus?)
View attachment 34258
Click to expand...
Thanks so much for these photos! I live in Cambridge Crossing and would never have done so with a prison as a neighbor. By the way the building on the left (former meat processing facility) is still standing. It was refurbished as part of the Elevate apartment complex. Other than that most of what is in the old photo between 93 and the viaduct is gone.
 
I figure It should have about the same density as the Hult campus
 
dhawkins said:
The thing that gets me about this photo is there is only one tree! Even on the Boston side of the river. Trees must have been considered troublesome back then.
Click to expand...
That entire area including the area around Rutherford Ave and also O'Brien/McGrath Highways, has never had trees, and it still doesn't, except for the Cambridge Crossing development. I'm assuming that's because it was originally marshland, then was the filled in and populated by factories, rail terminals and rail yards. I guess factories and rail facilities did not consider trees to be worth the investment. Still a bit puzzling, though, why in the last few decades when we're in a supposedly more ecologically aware age, that trees haven't been planted more in the Rutherford Ave, McGrath Hwy, and O'Brien Hwy corridors. The same observation and history about lack of trees applies to the Inner Belt and Washington Street (east of McGrath Hwy) areas in Sommerville.
 
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