On October 17, 2024, we heard from Healthpeak Properties, Inc. regarding their proposed redevelopment to turn Cambridge’s Alewife district, an industrial pocket, into a connected, livable neighborhood. The location is the Alewife district of Cambridge, MA, which is located near the MBTA Alewife red line station, with access to Fresh Pond Mall, Alewife Brook Parkway, and the Route 2 Interstate. After two years of intensive dialogue through the Alewife Working Group, Healthpeak believes that investment in relationship-building has paid off in unexpected ways.
The transformation plan addresses six priorities: walkability, connectivity, open space, bridge access, a vibrant “main street”, and diverse housing options. Alewife should be a sustainable, resilient, mixed-used district with convenient and safe connections within the neighborhood and to the rest of the city along with amenities that support interaction and social ties among its residents. What stands out in Healthpeak’s approach is their attention to existing context. The plan thoughtfully connects major open spaces – from Fresh Pond to Danehy Park to Alewife Brook Reservation – while creating new green spaces to enhance neighborhood’s resilience. The signature pedestrian and bike bridge, inspired by Boston’s Frances Appleton Bridge and Cambridge’s North Bank Bridge, will connect the isolated quadrangle area to the Alewife T station. But it’s more than just a crossing – it’s a distinctive new landmark which aims to solve the decades-old connectivity challenge. The Main Street is inspired from Cambridge’s historic retail corridors, elevated above flood levels. The Alewife Working Group members were a critical part in this entire process. We can’t wait to watch this project unfold, as Alewife evolves into a vibrant, connected neighborhood Cambridge has been waiting for.
