Near-daily activities taking place near site of upcoming arts and culture project in new Canal District Kendall
BioMed Realty, a leading provider of real estate solutions to the life science industry, celebrated today the launch of a series of summer cultural programming aimed at introducing vibrancy and the arts to Kendall Square. Featuring local arts organizations CultureHouse, The Dance Complex, and Community Art Center, the series is designed to energize the Cambridge community around the artistic and cultural possibilities surrounding “Parcel C,” a land parcel at 585 Third Street that BioMed Realty plans to develop to include a performing and cultural arts component.
“The response to the work we have commissioned from CultureHouse, The Dance Complex, and Community Art Center has exceeded our expectations,” said Sal Zinno, Vice President of Development at BioMed Realty. “Residents in East Cambridge really want Kendall Square to feel like a neighborhood, complete with entertainment, social gatherings, and creative outlets and activities, which is why we are so excited about the artistic possibilities for developing Parcel C. We hope the community uses this programming to inspire ideas for our team.”
CultureHouse is a Cambridge based “pop-up community space” that launched in 2018 with a successful test concept in Harvard Square. Comprised of artists, designers, thinkers, and builders, the nonprofit organization transforms unused retail spaces into vibrant places to work, play, and foster connections. As part of its summer programming, BioMed Realty has organized block parties, film screenings, game nights, karaoke, and more in the “K2 Café” space near Parcel C. For a list of upcoming events, visit https://www.canaldistrictkendall.com/ ortheir Twitter page.
The Dance Complex, headquartered in the heart of Cambridge’s Central Square, is home to dancers and teachers at the professional, pre-professional, and recreational level. In addition to hosting more than 100 performances each year, The Dance Complex provides affordable studio space and access to classes and programs for members of the New England dance community. Through BioMed Realty’s support, The Dance Complex hosts free weekly pop-up performances and all-level classes in the Canal District in styles ranging from Salsa to Swing. To learn more, visit http://www.dancecomplex.org/ or their Facebook page.
“It’s been a true pleasure collaborating with the BioMed Realty team on a dance program in Kendall Square,” said Peter DiMuro, Executive Director of The Dance Complex and a member of the Mayor’s Arts Task Force. “Many visitors were unaccustomed to seeing our performers in this part of the city, but the response has shown that there is no part of Cambridge where residents aren’t hungry for creative and unique cultural programming.”
Community Art Center, another not-for-profit organization, has been a pillar of the arts community in Cambridge since its founding in 1937. It provides artistic opportunities and programming to youth and teens throughout the city, including field trips, classes, public art projects, and more. This summer, teens from the Community Art Center created a new pop-up cultural space adjoining CultureHouse called Soul Fam. Throughout the summer and fall, Soul Fam will be offering events and arts classes open to the public and led by Cambridge teens and young adults. To learn more, visit https://www.communityartcenter.org/ or their Facebook page.
“The Community Art Center is always on the lookout for partners like BioMed Realty to bring our work into new spaces in Cambridge,” said Eryn Johnson, Executive Director of the Community Art Center and a member of the Mayor’s Arts Task Force. “They are setting an example of how we can build cross-sector collaborations that support the growth of youth and arts in our shared city.”
Collectively, each organization’s cultural programming is meant to enrich BioMed Realty’s 10-acre area alongside Kendall Square’s Broad Canal, which was recently rebranded as Canal District Kendall. The Canal District aims to make Kendall Square more exciting, welcoming, and human-scale to create a vibrant neighborhood and enhance the area’s booming technology industry. This effort also coincides with the release of the final report of the Mayor’s Arts Task Force, which cautions against “an intense focus on growing an innovation economy without the same focus on protecting and fostering our creative economy.”
“Our vision is making Parcel C and the Canal District Kendall a place for fun, creativity, and culture,” said Zinno. “CultureHouse, The Dance Complex and Community Art Center are collectively helping to achieve that vision, and their contributions are helping to make Parcel C the best it can be.”
About BioMed Realty
Founded in 2004 and a Blackstone portfolio company since 2016, BioMed Realty owns and operates high quality life science real estate comprising in excess of 11 million square feet in the leading innovation markets in the United States and United Kingdom, led by Boston-Cambridge, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, New York and Cambridge U.K. BioMed Realty maintains a premier development platform in excess of two million square feet of Class A properties in active construction to meet the growing demand of the life science industry. With over 200 tenant partners, BioMed Realty provides real estate solutions for global enterprises, leading universities and premier research institutions. Additional information is available at http://www.biomedrealty.com. Follow us on Twitter @biomedrealty.
