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ioMed Realty is seeking a zoning amendment to redevelop the 320 Charles Street site in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The proposed project would replace a vacant 105,000-square-foot building with a modern life sciences facility of up to 295,000 square feet and 65 feet high.
The Broad Institute previously occupied the space but left due to its obsolescence. BioMed is now committing to community contributions, including a $21.2 million donation to East End House, $500,000 for Ahern Field and Kennedy-Longfellow School playground enhancements, and smaller donations for neighborhood planning studies and the East Cambridge Scholarship Fund.
The new overlay district would facilitate the conversion of older industrial properties into more sustainable structures, aligning with current city standards. The site at 320 Charles Street has historical significance, having been a beer distribution center, home to the first Human Genome Project, and a national Covid-19 diagnostic testing center.
According to Salvatore Zinno, senior vice president of development at BioMed, the redevelopment aims to deliver community benefits while providing flexibility for state-of-the-art facilities. The proposal is set to be reviewed by Cambridge's Ordinance Committee on May 20.
