The MBTA has cancelled a procurement process to redevelop 30 acres of land it owns around the Alewife Red Line station, including the massive on-site parking garage that is nearing the end of its life.
On Monday, an MBTA spokesperson wrote in an email to StreetsblogMASS that "current market conditions are not favorable to maximizing the property's value for transportation priorities" and that the agency would be cancelling its search for a joint development partner for the land it owns around Alewife station.
"A major market shift occurred during the procurement, which would have impacted pre-development labor costs including labor and material," the spokesperson wrote. "The property value at Alewife remains strong and the MBTA is committed to working with the City of Cambridge and other stakeholders to improve the station in a way that benefits the community."
Uncertain future for an obsolete garage
In August 2024, the MBTA and City of Cambridge hosted informal presentations with real estate developers to envision possibilities for new development on the 30-acre Alewife site, which includes a hulking 2,700-space concrete parking garage with major maintenance needs.
At the time, Scott Bosworth, the MBTA's Chief of Transit-Oriented Development, said that the T was no longer interested in paying the considerable costs of owning and maintaining so much parking on the site.
The garage's repair needs have become a considerable expense for the MBTA. A maintenance project that began in 2018 expanded considerably when workers discovered structural problems and deterioration of the 40-year-old concrete.
That project has now lasted over 7 years, with a total budget that's expanded to $76 million in the MBTA's latest capital budget.
MBTA surveys indicate that more riders arrive at Alewife station on foot than in a car, even though the station is surrounded by massive parking lots and highways.
Planners from the City of Cambridge, which had recently re-zoned the area for taller buildings, had hoped that new development on the Alewife site could help finance public improvements like new street connections and a new Fitchburg Line station nearby.
In a 2024 "Notice of Intent," the T announced plans "to create a world class public transportation hub through a future-forward development project, to enhance the public realm in the station area, and to contribute to economic development and sustainable growth in the Alewife community."
The same notice indicated that the T would issue a competitive "request for proposals" to work with a joint development partner and come up with a "realistic and viable" plan for the area before the end of 2024.
StreetsblogMASS reached out to the MBTA for an update on that timeline in November, and the MBTA's spokesperson responded on Monday.
StreetsblogMASS also reached out to City of Cambridge officials for their reaction to the news.
On Tuesday, Jeremy Warnick, Director of Media Relations for the City of Cambridge, told StreetsblogMASS via email that while the T's decision "changes the immediate development landscape, it does not change the City's commitment and priorities for the area."
"Alewife remains a critical gateway to Cambridge, and the community has been clear that the existing garage requires significant attention and the area needs thoughtful, long‑term investment," wrote Warnick.
"We will continue advocating for improvements to the Alewife garage, advancing planning efforts for the surrounding neighborhood, and pursuing opportunities that support housing, transportation, climate resilience, and economic vitality," he added.
This story was updated at 3:40 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 13 to add statements from the City of Cambridge in the final three paragraphs.
