Lesley University opens two new residence halls
August 31, 2009
Deborah Raizes, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Eileen Hommel, President of the Student Government Association
Lesley University today opened two new residence halls at 1663 Massachusetts Ave., capping collaboration with neighbors to build housing that complements and enhances the community.
“These buildings are an act in optimism — an investment in our shared belief in investment in human capital,” Lesley President Joseph Moore said.
A group of seven neighbors worked with Lesley administrators and the Cambridge architectural firm of Brunner/Cott on a design that met the University’s goals for new student housing and the neighborhood goals of maintaining a residential character for Wendell Street while improving retail offerings along Massachusetts Avenue.
“I think this formed a very good, trusting relationship between the university and ourselves in the community,” said Ron Axelrod, a neighborhood resident who assisted in the building plans. “This is a project that I think has been great for the community.”
Deborah S. Raizes, Chair of the Lesley University Board of Trustees, thanked Axelrod and other neighbors for their collaboration and willingness to build student housing in a manner that befits the neighborhood.
“We want to thank you for allowing us to have the kind of buildings that are good fro the students and good for the community,” Raizes said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony. “This will become one of the places where [student] dreams of the future are made into plans.”
The two residence halls are at 1663 Massachusetts Ave. and 3 Wendell St., two adjacent parcels formerly used by Alamo Car Rental. Facing Massachusetts Avenue, two new retail spaces and a Bank of America ATM will span the front of the first floor of the five-story building. The second building, facing Wendell Street, is a wood frame, three-story building designed to blend with the Victorian residences of the street. Together, the two residence halls will house 98 students, who begin moving in Sept. 6. The building contractor was William A. Berry & Sons, Inc.
The design builds on Lesley’s commitment to ‘green’ building standards. Using the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System as a guide, the design meets certification standards through the utilization of sustainable building materials, energy efficient HVAC and water systems, and other systems.
The debut of the residence halls coincides with the beginning of Lesley’s Centennial Year celebration. A celebratory convocation ceremony - featuring Children’s Defense League founder Marian Wright Edelman - will be held Sept. 17.