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Berklee College of Music to Expand their Dorms, Performance Halls to be World Class

May 12, 2011

Berklee College of Music to Expand their Dorms, Performance Halls to be World Class Total square footage: 500,000 Housing: Project will house a total of 800 students 168Mass Ave Data (data for Berklee Crossroads & 161-171 Mass Ave is not currently available) Private investment / Total project cost: $100m Number of jobs:
  • construction jobs: 300
  • permanent jobs once built: 15
Berklee College of Music, known for their talented musicians across the world, will expand their Boston footprint. For the first time in history, the Berklee College of music will build significant expansions to the college. The BRA board approved three development projects as part of the Berklee Institutional Master plan including 168 Mass Ave, the Berklee Crossroads building and the expansion of 161-171 Mass Ave. The approval of these three projects will allow this world class institution to offer more living space for students, practice space for the next generation of musicians, a performance center and provide new retail in the neighborhood and performances spaces. Berklee will now offer on-campus housing to an additional 800 Berklee students bringing them ¾ of the way to their goal of housing 2000 students. On-campus student housing is a key priority of the City of Boston’s as well as the institutions, Berklee’s expansion will make continue this mission by putting a large number of students back on campus. Upon completion, 168 Massachusetts Avenue will house new dorm rooms with 370 beds as well as 4,500 square feet of retail. A two-story dining hall will have seating for 400 and provide a new venue for student performances in the evening. A 19,000 sq ft music technology center with recording studios will be developed below grade with an acoustically isolated environment for recording and post-production activities.  Practice and ensemble rooms, a fitness center, and student lounges will occupy the upper residence hall floors. Along the street will be new retail space and possibly a restaurant with live music. Floor-to-ceiling windows on the lower floors will bring light and life from within the building out into the neighborhood. This project is set to break ground in the fall. Berklee Crossroads, located on the corner of Mass Ave & Bolyston, will soon be home to a state of the art performance center that will also function as a concert hall. This building will house 450 students upon completion. Berklee’s third development project will be a 20,000 sq ft expansion of its current building located 161-171 Mass Ave. This expansion will house academic and administrative support.

Related Tags

Berklee College of Music Institutional Master Plan 

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