MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing | Kendall Square | Cambridge

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MIT today announced a new $1 billion commitment to address the global opportunities and challenges presented by the prevalence of computing and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). The initiative marks the single largest investment in computing and AI by an American academic institution, and will help position the United States to lead the world in preparing for the rapid evolution of computing and AI.
At the heart of this endeavor will be the new MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing, made possible by a $350 million foundational gift from Mr. Schwarzman, the chairman, CEO and co-founder of Blackstone, a leading global asset manager.
Headquartered in a signature new building on MIT’s campus, the new MIT Schwarzman College of Computing will be an interdisciplinary hub for work in computer science, AI, data science, and related fields.
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http://news.mit.edu/2018/mit-reshap...ng-1015?utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=
 
That's incredible.

Ground shaking changes and advances seem to be happening at a quickening pace on both side of the Charles these past several months. I can't remember a brighter period in Boston/Cambridge's history.
 
It wasn't clear if the new building for this is one of the ones that's already under construction and/or planned?
 
sm89 said:
It wasn't clear if the new building for this is one of the ones that's already under construction and/or planned?
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Their language is confusing, but they do note it will be "a new building" set to open by 2022. To me, sounds like it's not under construction, but that's an aggressive time-line for building a research building on a campus like MIT's.

Exciting news, nonetheless
 
I'm assuming it's a new building but their planning is likely well underway and unlike other places in Cambridge buildings on MIT campus usually get approved pretty fast.
 
Here's a hot take: As a catalyst for further investment in the region, this is a windfall on the scale of scoring HQ2, and perhaps is an even bigger deal than that would be.

(I.e. I know Amazon is talking $5B for multiple buildings etc v2 1bn for the whole program here....I'm talking about its effect as an incentive for other companies to come here to tap into this resource...)
 
FAQ says location has yet to be finalized, but I have to think there are some ideas. 150,000 to 165,000 square foot building. They compare it to the 200,000 square foot nano building.

Based on the related departments and facilities probably will be a replacement for buildings between stata and nano or on the triangular parcel to the north identified on this plan as an academic development opportunity: http://web.mit.edu/mit2030/projects/
 
An endowment of $650 million would support about $30 million in annual spending on faculty and associated operations. This presumably would be above and beyond what MIT is already spending.

Increases the likelihood that Amazon will locate much / most of its AI effort in Boston.
 
stellarfun said:
An endowment of $650 million would support about $30 million in annual spending on faculty and associated operations. This presumably would be above and beyond what MIT is already spending.

Increases the likelihood that Amazon will locate much / most of its AI effort in Boston.
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To me, I love how this almost forces Amazon's hand.....at least for the AI, if not for the H2Q. It's like a shot across the bow. 'Shit, or get off the pot, the train is leaving'.
 
shmessy said:
To me, I love how this almost forces Amazon's hand.....at least for the AI, if not for the H2Q. It's like a shot across the bow. 'Shit, or get off the pot, the train is leaving'.
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You never know. Paul Allen's estate may have provisions that will generously fund the Seattle-based AI Center he founded, ai2
https://allenai.org/about.html
 
tangent said:
FAQ says location has yet to be finalized, but I have to think there are some ideas. 150,000 to 165,000 square foot building. They compare it to the 200,000 square foot nano building.

Based on the related departments and facilities probably will be a replacement for buildings between stata and nano or on the triangular parcel to the north identified on this plan as an academic development opportunity: http://web.mit.edu/mit2030/projects/
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Thanks for this info. I don't have any inside info, but I wouldn't think the buildings between Stata and Nano are going anywhere—they're marked as "Capital Renewal Strategies" on the 2013 map, not development opportunities, and indeed have been seeing some love the past few years (at least, 36 has).

I think N4 (Vassar Street) makes a lot of sense, as it's across the street from Stata/CSAIL, marked as an "Academic Development Opportunity", and about the right parcel for that size building.

The triangular plot bounded by Main/Albany/Portland could also work, but I've always thought that would be a fantastic mixed use commercial+academic+residential tower (we need more residents in this neighborhood!).
 
I would guess the Main/Albany/Portland lot is the front runner for the building.
 
34f34f said:
Thanks for this info. I don't have any inside info, but I wouldn't think the buildings between Stata and Nano are going anywhere—they're marked as "Capital Renewal Strategies" on the 2013 map, not development opportunities, and indeed have been seeing some love the past few years (at least, 36 has).

I think N4 (Vassar Street) makes a lot of sense, as it's across the street from Stata/CSAIL, marked as an "Academic Development Opportunity", and about the right parcel for that size building.

The triangular plot bounded by Main/Albany/Portland could also work, but I've always thought that would be a fantastic mixed use commercial+academic+residential tower (we need more residents in this neighborhood!).
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I agree, I think it will replace N4 and be on stilts like building 46.
 
tangent said:
FAQ says location has yet to be finalized, but I have to think there are some ideas. 150,000 to 165,000 square foot building. They compare it to the 200,000 square foot nano building.

Based on the related departments and facilities probably will be a replacement for buildings between stata and nano or on the triangular parcel to the north identified on this plan as an academic development opportunity: http://web.mit.edu/mit2030/projects/
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$2,000 a square foot for a building with classrooms / faculty offices is tres, tres cher.
 
stellarfun said:
$2,000 a square foot for a building with classrooms / faculty offices is tres, tres cher.
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I don't believe the full donation will be going toward the building. If that were the case, this would be more expensive per square foot than the Nano Building. The $350 million is a kickstart to the $1 billion endowment they're hoping for.
 
Gameguy326 said:
I agree, I think it will replace N4 and be on stilts like building 46.
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That would be neat, but there's not much to reach across the tracks to connect to – just the parking garage (which I'd happily redevelop, but seeing as it's right next to the expanded cogeneration plant, probably isn't at the top of the list of desirable sites).

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3614217,-71.0907612,185a,35y,288.57h,40.5t/data=!3m1!1e3

stefalarchitect said:
I don't believe the full donation will be going toward the building. If that were the case, this would be more expensive per square foot than the Nano Building. The $350 million is a kickstart to the $1 billion endowment they're hoping for.
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Yep—and in fact, they already have $650 million. From the MIT Q&A in tangent's first link:
Q: The College has been described as a $1 billion endeavor. Where will that $1 billion come from, and how will it be spent?

A: The estimated $1 billion cost to create the College will pay to construct a new building, expected to be complete around 2022; to create an endowment to support the 50 new faculty positions; and to fund computing resources to support teaching and research in the College and across MIT. The hiring of these new faculty, when complete in approximately five years, will represent a 5 percent growth in the Institute’s total faculty. Including the founding $350 million gift from Mr. Schwarzman, MIT has already secured 65 percent of the funds needed to support launch of the College.
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34f34f said:
That would be neat, but there's not much to reach across the tracks to connect to – just the parking garage (which I'd happily redevelop, but seeing as it's right next to the expanded cogeneration plant, probably isn't at the top of the list of desirable sites).
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Yeah, I know there's not much room - I think that will happen though just as a front-facing entrance to Vassar so people can quickly walk between it and Stata.
 
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