Demolition of the Park Science Building wrapped this fall, and construction of the living and learning center is scheduled to wrap up in fall 2026. The building will include 1,100 student beds -- more dorm space than Simmons's current residential campus -- a three-level athletic and recreation facility, a two-level dining facility, and a green roof deck with planting and seating.
Skanska is now turning its eye to the residential side of Simmons, and on Jan. 21 filed a letter with the Boston Planning Department outlining the first phase of what it calls Longwood Place: two commercial buildings with lab and office and a residential building, spanning a combined 1 million square feet, all above underground parking.
"The proposed project reimagines the site as a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood, that will invigorate the (Longwood Medical Area) by introducing diverse, pedestrian-friendly open spaces, along with programs and infrastructure that enhance safety, access, and mobility in and through the site," wrote C. Russell DeMartino, executive vice president of Skanska USA Commercial Development Inc. in Boston, in the Jan. 21 letter.
Skanska has permission to develop two additional properties -- one lab, one residential -- as part of its broader Longwood Place planned development area. At full buildout, the project will span 1.7 million square feet.
"We are eager to begin the next phase of Longwood Place and continue a thoughtful and collaborative approach to deliver a dynamic development organized around public space, connectivity, and housing, in an area of the city that continues to grow," Skanska said in a statement.
Beyond the three buildings planned in Longwood Place's first phase, Skanska has proposed three areas of public open space spanning a combined 2.6 acres. The firm also plans transit improvements including a two-way street connecting Pilgrim Road and Brookline Avenue and a pedestrian and bicycle path along Short Street.
Laura Brink Pisinski, the vice president of university real estate development and facilities management at Simmons, in 2023 told the Boston Zoning Commission that the school had been planning to consolidate its two campuses for close to a decade. The project is vital to the university's future, she said. Skanska in 2023 signed a 99-year ground lease for Simmons's residential campus.
"Significant deferred maintenance and the challenges that we face with a bifurcated campus inspired us to consolidate all of our residences, dining facilities, and athletics on the academic campus," she said then. "If it isn't possible, then Simmons won't be possible."
The project has faced pushback from community members concerned that shadows cast from the future buildings will harm the nearby Emerald Necklace. Carolyn Desmond, vice president of development at Skanska USA, said at the 2023 Boston Zoning Commission meeting the builder had consistently worked to reduce shadows as it hones the project's footprint.
"We believe the benefits and value creation of this project far outweigh the negative impacts," Desmond said then.