The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) voted unanimously Thursday evening, April 16, to approve the initial three buildings of Skanska’s plans for Longwood Place – a project that is poised to thoroughly transform the Longwood Medical Area (LMA) with housing, innovative workspaces, active retail, community amenities and publicly accessible open space.
The BPDA approval is for the development of two commercial buildings and one residential building, along with below-grade parking and public realm improvements on the former Simmons University residential campus along Brookline Avenue.
“The BPDA’s unanimous approval is a meaningful step forward for Longwood Place and reflects years of collaboration with the community, City, and our partners,” Russ DeMartino, Executive Vice President, Skanska USA Commercial Development Boston, said in a press release. “This approval represents an important milestone of a thoughtfully designed project that will deliver new housing, commercial space, and amenities in a way that is responsive to its surroundings and deeply connected to the Longwood Medical Area.”
Longwood Place is a phased, mixed-use redevelopment of a nearly six-acre site on Simmons University’s current property. As currently envisioned and subject to future approvals, the full project is planned to deliver approximately 1.7 million square feet of residential, laboratory, office, clinical, retail and community uses, including 2.8 acres of new, publicly accessible open space and 15,000 square feet of community space in the LMA.
The planned overall development will consist of three commercial and two residential buildings under the Planned Development Area (PDA) Development Plan approved by the BPDA in March 2023. This initial approval is the next step in Skanska’s partnership with Simmons University to support its reimagined campus environment and introduce new housing, services, and open space for those who live and work in the LMA. Future Article 80B approval will be sought for an additional residential and commercial building and additional open space.
“Longwood Place is designed to add lasting value for nearby institutions, neighborhood residents, visitors, and the city as a whole,” added DeMartino. “By creating new open space, enhancing the public realm, and prioritizing sustainability, this project supports Boston’s housing and resilience goals while strengthening one of the region’s most important academic and research hubs.”
As part of the partnership, last summer, Simmons and Skanska marked the topping-off ceremony for Simmons’ new Living and Learning Center – the centerpiece of its landmark One Simmons project, a 19-story, state-of-the-art 385,000-square-foot building that will serve as a hub for health, wellness, and community engagement. The building is expected to open to students in January 2027.
For more information about Longwood Place, visit longwoodplaceboston.com.