The Enterprise Research Campus, Part Two

Tishman Speyer signals readiness to pursue approval for second phase of commercial development.  

ERC construction site in March 2024

ERC phase A construction in March 2024. The regulatory approval process for phase B will begin soon.  | PHOTOGRAPH BY JIM HARRISON

Tishman Speyer, the development partner that is building an Enterprise Research Campus (ERC) in Allston on property leased from Harvard, took the first step toward construction of the second phase (phase B) of that project on April 16. With the submission of a letter of intent to the Boston Planning and Development Agency, the firm signaled that it would soon initiate the regulatory approval process for an additional 720,000 square feet of laboratory/research and development and office space, and approximately 320,000 square feet of residential housing (including affordable units) with a mixture of ground floor retail and community uses. The second phase is proposed on 4.8 acres of University-owned land at 100 Western Avenue, across from Harvard Business School. Tishman Speyer first previewed its plans for this second phase of development in 2021.

 

ERC phase B
The ERC as envisioned when fully built. | PREPARED BY HENNING LARSEN, STUDIO GANG, UTILE AND SCRAPE

A groundbreaking to celebrate the first phase (phase A, now well underway), which includes 900,000 square feet of commercial development, including lab space for life sciences companies, 343 rental apartments (a quarter of them affordable), a 246-room hotel, street-level shops and restaurants, and more than 2 acres of public outdoor space took place on November 1, 2023.

Read more articles by Jonathan Shaw

You might also like

Harvard College Dean Deming Launches Podcast

In interviews with accomplished people, he traces their circuitous routes to success.

Graduate Student Workers End Strike

Union members return to work without a contract, but with plans to continue bargaining.

Ruth J. Simmons Receives the 2026 Radcliffe Medal

Michelle Obama, Drew Gilpin Faust, and others paid tribute to the pioneering educator during Harvard’s Radcliffe Day festivities. 

Most popular

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

Two undergraduates and a Ph.D. candidate will address the graduating class on May 28.

Ronny Chieng Tells Harvard to ‘Destroy AI’ as Graduates Cheer

The comedian and The Daily Show host gave the keynote address for Class Day 2026.

Harvard Weathers a Year of Turmoil

The federal government has launched unprecedented actions against the University. Here’s a guide.

Explore More From Current Issue

A woman in glasses gestures while speaking to two attentive listeners at a table.

How to Cook with Wild Plants

From wild greens spanakopita to rose petal panna cotta, forager and chef Ellen Zachos makes one-of-a-kind meals.

Colorful illustrated map of Colonial Cambridge and the Harvard College campus featuring buildings of the campus, houses, Cambridge Common, and the Charles River

250 Years Ago, Harvard Was Home to a Revolution

A look at the sights, sounds, and characters that put the University on the frontlines of history