Kendall Square: MXD Substation Development Plan

What’s in the Works

In response to a call from the City Manager and in consultation with the City of Cambridge and the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority (CRA), Boston Properties (BXP) proposed an alternative site for the Eversource substation, on the site of the Blue Garage in Parcel Two of the Kendall Square Urban Redevelopment Plan (KSURP), located between Binney Street, Galileo Galilei Way, and Broadway.

The project includes:

• Providing a site for the substation and needed distribution infrastructure
• Burying the substation underground
• Demolishing and reconstructing the Blue Garage below grade
• Completing 420,000 SF of housing on Parcel Two, with 25% below-market-rate housing
• Constructing two new ~400,000 SF commercial buildings
• Creating 30,000 SF of open space and circulation connections

On February 3rd, 2021, the Cambridge City Council voted unanimously to approve the MXD Substation Project's Article 14 Zoning and KSURP Amendment 11. After the zoning approval, an amendment to the MXD's Infill Development Concept Plan (master plan) was approved in December of 2021. Design review of the residential and commercial buildings was completed through a joint process with the Planning Board and CRA in April 2022, and review of the proposed Center Plaza open space will take place in summer 2023.

What Was There

The Blue Garage at 290 Binney was approximately 300,000 SF and provided 1,136 parking spaces for Kendall Square visitors and employees. Demolition of the Garage began in January 2023, and was completed at the end of March.

What is Coming Next

Slurry wall and foundation activities will begin in April and continue through the end of 2023. Utility and enabling work will continue in Binney and Broadway through 2023 as well.