Kendall Square Initiative ready to take next steps
Nearly 200 people attended two community meetings yesterday on MIT’s Kendall Square Initiative. These meetings were a follow-up to an April update to the MIT community from Provost Martin Schmidt, Chancellor Cynthia Barnhart, and Executive Vice President and Treasurer Israel Ruiz regarding plans in the East Campus/Kendall Square area, and the launch of a study process for the West Campus area. The two identical meetings — one held at noon at the Stratton Student Center and another held at 6 p.m. at the Kendall Square Marriott — included a presentation of the proposed designs for six buildings to be developed on MIT-owned parking lots in the East Campus/Kendall Square area. Schmidt, Ruiz, Associate Provost Karen Gleason, Managing Director of Real Estate Steve Marsh, and several of the Initiative’s architects took turns presenting the overall development plan, including the building designs, open space framework, retail strategy, and sustainability approach. MIT officials summarized the overarching priorities...