The Harvard Allston Land Co. (HALC) today issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the initial phase of the Enterprise Research Campus (ERC) in Allston. The RFP will focus on the 14-acre portion of the ERC on Western Avenue, adjacent to the new Science and Engineering Complex slated to open in the fall of 2020, and across the street from Harvard Business School.
Harvard envisions an ERC that will complement the cutting-edge institutional research taking place on its campus and throughout the region, that will seamlessly integrate into the emerging corridor of creativity along Western Avenue, and that will contribute to a thriving community in a neighborhood that combines academia and education, engaging public and community spaces, and the arts and sciences, in ways that drive economic growth and innovation. The RFP is an important next step in realizing this transformational vision.
“Allston will enable Harvard to lead in the knowledge and innovation economy,” said President Larry Bacow. “The work that will be done in the ERC will have long-lasting effects on the development of Harvard’s campus and the broader community, sparking and shaping enterprises that will drive progress in many fields to the great benefit of humanity.”
Envisioned as a mixed-use development — including office, lab, research, residential, retail, enhanced public realm, and publicly accessible open spaces as well as public art projects — the ERC will be a cornerstone of Harvard’s commitment to enhance the area in support of its teaching and research mission. It will increase the interconnectivity between the Harvard campus, the neighborhood, and the Greater Boston region.
“The ERC’s location creates opportunities to further strengthen the region in exciting and unexpected ways,” said Nitin Nohria, chair of HALC’s governing board and dean of Harvard Business School. “We hope and expect the ERC will foster new collaborations between Harvard, other universities, research institutions, businesses, entrepreneurs, investors, and the region’s robust life sciences community, as well as with global entities.”
The RFP will allow HALC and the University to evaluate market interest and new ideas that can contribute to this transformational vision. It is a logical next step anticipated when HALC was first announced late last year.
