Gainsborough Garage Redevelopment

Detailed Project Description

Gainsborough Garage Redevelopment

This IMP concept for the Gainsborough Garage is to replace the aging parking garage at 10 Gainsborough Street with a state-of-the-art student recreation and athletic facility directly across the street from the Mathews Arena and its proposed addition. The program approach would complement the athletic uses at Matthews and would also include space in a 6-9 story building for student life activities, meetings, venues and social space. As a replacement building for the existing Cabot Hall and Barletta Natatorium, the project will enable the future redevelopment of the prominent Huntington Avenue site currently occupied by Cabot. The Master Plan contemplates a potential bridge crossing connecting to Matthews to improve utilization, connectivity and efficiency for the Arena as well as improving the efficiency and challenges presented by the complexities of the Gainsborough garage site and programs.

Urban Design and Open Space Principles

The siting of this new facility could also incorporate replacement parking for approximately 300 vehicles in the existing garage. By placing the parking structure partially below grade and up against the MBTA and service corridor, the proposed new street frontage of the athletic facility would contribute to the transformation of the St. Botolph/Gainsborough Street corridors as an important piece of the neighborhood and campus public realm. The project proposes to coordinate with New England Conservatory’s plans for both streets and, together with the Matthews Addition, represents the completion of the transformation of an area that is today perceived as service oriented and void of active, street level uses. Other related urban design and open space initiatives include the potential for an improved MBTA crossing at the end of Gainsborough Street and a new entrance at the end of the Orange Line Massachusetts Avenue station, which currently serves as an exit only. Another potential improvement to the Massachusetts Avenue MBTA station egress at Gainsborough will include installation of card access entry to the station. Improving the crossing and MBTA entrance at this location will further advance the IMP goal of knitting together the campus and community on either side of the rail corridor.

Site Plan

Site Plan

Building Program

The IMP program for the Gainsborough Garage Redevelopment includes space in a 6 to 9 story building for athletics, recreation, student life activities, meetings, venues and social space, and including structured parking to replace existing parking spaces in the garage.