MIT announces proposed zoning plans for Kendall Square to Cambridge Planning Board
In the heart of Cambridge, Massachusetts, MIT's One Broadway development is set for an exciting transformation. The updated plans reveal a 62-unit condominium project, featuring 50 market-rate units and 12 affordable units, adhering to a 20% affordable housing set-aside.
The development will also include new retail space, although specific details about the retail tenants or size are yet to be disclosed. The project, with a projected budget of $89 million, boasts a notable $17.3 million financing gap. However, it benefits from significant investment by the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority.
Mixed-Income Residency and Community Benefits
The affordable units in the One Broadway development are designed to meet inclusionary housing requirements, supporting mixed-income residency. These 12 affordable units align with current city policies to include affordable housing within larger residential developments.
The project is part of broader city plans to increase housing supply, including affordable units, while addressing financing challenges related to inclusionary housing policies. The development is designed to move forward efficiently without state funding, enabling a quicker construction start, with a tentative completion date in Fall 2026.
City-Wide Context
The One Broadway development is not the only initiative aimed at addressing housing needs in Cambridge. Just A Start’s affordable rental housing projects nearby, such as 240 Broadway - Broadway Park, are focused on affordable housing development to Passive House environmental standards. This city-wide emphasis on sustainable, affordable housing is evident in ongoing planning efforts.
Upzoning plans for higher density are also underway in nearby corridors and squares, allowing for taller buildings (up to 15-23 stories depending on zoning). While these plans aim to address housing needs, they have raised concerns about displacement and luxury market pressures.
Community Living Room and Participative Design
A notable addition to the One Broadway development is a "Community Living Room" for public cultural and educational programming. The design process for the development aims to enliven areas beyond Main Street, including the Broad Canal, Point Park with access to the Charles River, and MIT's Infinite Corridor.
MIT has also committed to a participative conceptual gateway design process for the One Broadway addition, integrating with planning for the rest of the East Campus area. The Institute will provide up to $10 million of community benefits through a concept proposed by the K2 Committee.
This news represents the most recent publicly available information on MIT’s One Broadway development and associated community impacts as of summer 2025. More details about the commercial aspect of the One Broadway addition are yet to be disclosed.
- The One Broadway development at MIT's One Broadway in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is set for an transformation, including a 62-unit condominium project with innovation in mixed-income residency, adhering to a 20% affordable housing set-aside.
- The project, with a projected budget of $89 million, includes new retail space, although specific details about the retail tenants or size are yet to be revealed, but benefits from significant investment by the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority for financing.
- The development is designed to address housing needs in Cambridge, not just through the One Broadway development, but also by initiatives like Just A Start’s affordable rental housing projects nearby, such as 240 Broadway - Broadway Park, focused on sustainable, affordable housing.
- A unique addition to the One Broadway development is a "Community Living Room" for public cultural and educational programming, designed to enliven areas beyond Main Street, including the Broad Canal, Point Park with access to the Charles River, and MIT's Infinite Corridor.
- MIT has also committed to a participative conceptual gateway design process for the One Broadway addition, integrating with planning for the rest of the East Campus area, promising faculty and students a voice in the process.
- The development's economic impact on the area is yet to be fully understood, as more details about the commercial aspect of the One Broadway addition are yet to be disclosed, and questions about luxury market pressures and displacement remain with the upzoning plans for higher density in nearby corridors and squares.
