Harvard Enterprise Research Campus | 100 Western Avenue | Allston

[Equilibria]

Harvard picks New York developer to build innovation campus in Allston - The Boston Globe

Harvard’s ambitious goal: nothing short of building another Kendall Square, a high-tech hub bolstered by a mix of innovative businesses and academics that would be the envy of any city.

www.bostonglobe.com

Tishman Speyer + Studio Gang.

Also notable: Seaport/Kendall scale ambition, zero fixed-guideway transit access. Nice going, Harvard!

 

[George_Apley]

The should at least make sure that there are ROW opportunities to get from Grand Junction to the Stadium area. If transit solutions aren't even on Harvard's radar... we're doomed from an Allston transit and radial transit perspective.

 

[Equilibria]

The should at least make sure that there are ROW opportunities to get from Grand Junction to the Stadium area. If transit solutions aren't even on Harvard's radar... we're doomed from an Allston transit and radial transit perspective.

Clearly they think West Station is good enough. It isn't.

 

[George_Apley]

Clearly they think West Station is good enough. It isn't.

No, indeed. I know TransitMatters is hyper-focused on Regional Rail and Red-Blue and that they have limited resources, but transit advocates need to start talking about the next round of improvements. Just to get things on the radar of the people who need to be thinking about it. Especially in the private and educational sectors.

 

[#bancars]

Ugh, why are some higher-eds located in dense urban areas so committed to this suburban-style college layout? This is a fantastic opportunity to add density and vitality to Lower Allston, which won't happen if buildings are separated by huge swathes of parking.

 

[JumboBuc]

Ugh, why are some higher-eds located in dense urban areas so committed to this suburban-style college layout? This is a fantastic opportunity to add density and vitality to Lower Allston, which won't happen if buildings are separated by huge swathes of parking.

View attachment 1936

Your quote is pretty clear that the "huge swathes of parking" are only "for now" and will "eventually be developed as well." I'm not too worried about it.

 

[Equilibria]

Ugh, why are some higher-eds located in dense urban areas so committed to this suburban-style college layout? This is a fantastic opportunity to add density and vitality to Lower Allston, which won't happen if buildings are separated by huge swathes of parking.

View attachment 1936

I've seen layouts for this. The surface parking isn't between the buildings, it's around the buildings on the parts of the larger property they won't be developing at first. Harvard's vision is for no parking lots.

 

[JeffDowntown]

I've seen layouts for this. The surface parking isn't between the buildings, it's around the buildings on the parts of the larger property they won't be developing at first. Harvard's vision is for no parking lots.

I would also assume that the vision / planning reflects the reality that this is a poor transit location today. But it is hopefully going to get much better transit access.

 

[stellarfun]

I would also assume that the vision / planning reflects the reality that this is a poor transit location today. But it is hopefully going to get much better transit access.

Precisely.

Although Harvard is planning on running frequent shuttles from this part of Western ave. to Harvard Square.

 

[stefal]

Interesting that they picked a NYC developer when there were so many qualified local firms bidding on this. I guess Harvard's so big they don't care.

They were discrete in the numbers each developer was offering, but Harvard says Trishman was the developer most willing to create a neighborhood over a gated-off barrack-like tech complex. Whether that holds true or not, none of us without insider knowledge will ever know, but picking Jeanne Gang is telling that they care a little more on the architecture and urban design side of things.

Trishman also already oversees a few million square feet of space in Boston. They know what they're doing just as well as any local firm at this point.

No, indeed. I know TransitMatters is hyper-focused on Regional Rail and Red-Blue and that they have limited resources, but transit advocates need to start talking about the next round of improvements. Just to get things on the radar of the people who need to be thinking about it. Especially in the private and educational sectors.

It seems like this whole area needs a comprehensive and in-depth investigation into what is going in and where. With this development, the discussions in the I-90 interchange thread lasting for a few days, and inevitable 100+ acres being developed in the coming decade or so, I'm unsure if any single plan made over the past ten years would have taken all of these into account. Even future-proofing something for transit later on, now, will have long-lasting positive effects for the entire city, not just this small part of Allston.

 

[George_Apley]

Future-proofing is the key. Harvard will be shooting itself it the foot if it blocks potential routes for a transit backdoor to Harvard Square through Allston.

 

[JumboBuc]

Future-proofing is the key. Harvard will be shooting itself it the foot if it blocks potential routes for a transit backdoor to Harvard Square through Allston.

When it comes to future-proofing and transit planning from Kenmore to Allston to Harvard Square, I trust Harvard WAY more than I trust MassDOT. For instance: Harvard wants West Station and they want four tracks; the Commonwealth wants a train storage yard.

If this area remains a rapid transit desert (as it appears that we all, unfortunately but justifiably, suspect it will) it is more likely to be in spite of Harvard's efforts than because of them.

 

[George_Apley]

When it comes to future-proofing and transit planning from Kenmore to Allston to Harvard Square, I trust Harvard WAY more than I trust MassDOT. For instance: Harvard wants West Station and they want four tracks; the Commonwealth wants a train storage yard.

If this area remains a rapid transit desert (as it appears that we all, unfortunately but justifiably, suspect it will) it is more likely to be in spite of Harvard's efforts than because of them.

I agree. My point is that if Harvard doesn’t even have it on its radar then there’s no hope at all. DOT won’t just come up with good solutions on its own.

 

[Equilibria]

When it comes to future-proofing and transit planning from Kenmore to Allston to Harvard Square, I trust Harvard WAY more than I trust MassDOT. For instance: Harvard wants West Station and they want four tracks; the Commonwealth wants a train storage yard.

If this area remains a rapid transit desert (as it appears that we all, unfortunately but justifiably, suspect it will) it is more likely to be in spite of Harvard's efforts than because of them.

But it's not MassDOT proposing a huge multi-use district in a transit desert. Harvard is doing that. It's therefore Harvard's job to worry about pushing transit, not MassDOT's.

 

[Gameguy326]

This is really exciting to me. More than the Seaport or any other neighborhood, I think this has the potential to be the "Next Kendall Square."

We definitely need some sort of transit to here from, say, Harvard Square, preferably somehow in the form of a light rail, but more likely bus. If we had a grand-junction line from Kendall to, say, Harvard Avenue in Allston, that would at least get people close, as that's a half mile walk.

I REALLY wish we had more renders.

 

[odurandina]

Landscrapers when Harrison-Albany block class ballast is badly needed.
A huge, missed opportunity.

 

[FK4]

I would also assume that the vision / planning reflects the reality that this is a poor transit location today. But it is hopefully going to get much better transit access.

F Line keeps saying that Harvard likely plans to keep a transit reservation for an eventual bus rapid transit, or possibly light rail, cutting through their whole campus here.

If they do not do this, it would be an utter disaster. This region desperately needs some sort of cross city transit. We’ve discussed all the GL stuff elsewhere, but this is the one area of undeveloped land where it would actually be possible to make a north-south connection between the red line at Harvard Square and the green line. I don’t see anything about a transit reservation in these plans. What a fucking disaster.

 

[odurandina]

Is it possible to plan a few buildings to have transit running directly through them like
Market East Station/Suburban Station, Philly.
Sort of a combo between air rights and a subway in advance without actually installing the railway itself.

 

[George_Apley]

What’s more likely, that they have an innovative solution that they’re not talking about it at all, or that they totally left out future-proofing?

 

[Equilibria]

What’s more likely, that they have an innovative solution that they’re not talking about it at all, or that they totally left out future-proofing?

They haven't done a whole campus plan in many years, so we don't really know.

Tishman is just doing the first little corner. There will be clues there, but not answers.