The Cambridge City Council voted 7-1 Monday night to O.K. zoning changes that will allow M.I.T. to expand over 26 acres in and around Kendall Square.
The changes will be myriad.
· There will be a 300-foot residential building at One Broadway.
· Maximum heights around Main Street and the Kendal T stop can now go as high as 250 feet; by the Charles, heights can go to 150 or 200, depending on location.
· There will be at least 240,000 square feet of new residential space, including micro-apartments of fewer than 500 square feet.
· Ten percent of the approximately 980,000 square feet of new commercial space will be innovation space, with shorter-term leases for start-ups and such.
· The city expects around $20,000,000 in cash payouts from the zoning change; and $10,000,000 in annual tax revenue.
· The lot at 35 Cherry Street will be redeveloped into something for community use.
· There will be as much as 800,000 square feet of new academic space, especially along Main and Carleton streets.
Some of these changes are predicated on other changes happening first. For instance, the amount of commercial development can't crest 600K square feet until the residential development starts. But M.I.T. is now expected to move fast, with planning for One Broadway to get under way post-haste.
· Kendall Square Initiative [M.I.T.]
· Cambridge to Allow Larger Buildings in Part of Kendall Square [Boston.com]
· M.I.T. Will Not Be Denied in Kendall Square [Curbed Boston]
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