Kendall/MIT MBTA Station Opens to the Public

February 2023

Five years ago, Northstar was engaged to oversee the redevelopment of the Kendall/MIT MBTA Headhouse Station. The station opened to the public this past weekend.

The public/private partnership between MIT and the MBTA included the construction of a new station that replaced an existing one constructed in the 1980s that had fallen into disrepair. Located next to the newly open MIT Admissions Office and connected to the balance of campus, the new station will act as the gateway to MIT from Kendall Square. 

The new station consists of three glass headhouses that connect to a new underground concourse. In addition, the plaza features a unique 160-foot carbon fiber canopy. The canopy is a boat-like structure suspended on 24 stainless steel columns that extend 26 feet in the air.

The project’s design was subjected to numerous review and comment periods by the MBTA to ensure the new station conformed to the MBTA-specific standards. The development team made multiple presentations to relevant MBTA departments at 30%, 60%, and 100% design stages and incorporated feedback from the MBTA into the design. Separately, the canopy structure was permitted under the jurisdiction of the City of Cambridge and was presented to the MBTA in a separate design review process. 

The project facilitated the continuous use of the MBTA stop by constructing an interim station. The interim station was built next to the existing station and was put into service for one year while the new permanent station was constructed.  

Thank you to all the team members who worked on getting the station open.

Owner: MITIMCo
Design Architect: NADAAA
Architect of Record: Perkins & Will  
Above Grade Structural Engineer: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger 
Below Grade Structural Engineer: McNamara Salvia  
Mechanical Engineer: AHA
Lighting Designer: SoSo Limited
General Contractor: Turner Construction