325 Main Street

Boston Properties & Google Officially Break Ground on 325 Main Street

Although construction is underway, Boston Properties & Google hosted an official ground-breaking ceremony last week for 325 Main Street in Kendall Square. The tech giant will lease 362,000 square feet within the 400,000 square foot project. This new space will expands Google's leased space with Boston Properties in Cambridge to over 800,000 square feet. Public realm improvements as part of the project will include better access to the Kendall Roof Garden and an improved pedestrian experience for Kendall Plaza.

Photo: Boston Properties 

Foundation Work Underway for Google's Upcoming Kendall Square HQ

Foundation work is ongoing at 325 Main Street in the heart of Kendall Square for the upcoming 16-story office/retail tower that will be home to Google's new Cambridge HQ.  The project will feature 375,000 square feet of new office space and 42,000 square feet of retail at the lower levels. Google has signed a 15-year lease for 362,000 square feet in the building which is expected to be complete in 2022. 

Pickard Chilton Tapped by Boston Properties to Design 325 Main, Google’s New Cambridge HQ

Pickard Chilton, an award-winning architecture studio best known for its innovative and cutting-edge design of corporate headquarters and campuses, has been selected by developer Boston Properties (NYSE: BXP) to design a 16-story, 417,000 square foot office tower at 325 Main Street in Cambridge, Mass.  

Pickard Chilton’s latest project will serve as Google’s new Cambridge headquarters in the heart of Kendall Square. The technology giant has been retained as a major tenant at the property, signing a 15-year lease for 362,000 square feet as additional office space for its growing Cambridge office.  

Boston Properties’ new development at 325 Main is replacing an existing four-story commercial office and retail building at the site, formerly known as 3 Cambridge Center. The new building comprises approximately 375,000 square feet of new office space and 42,000 square feet of retail at the lower levels. Construction of 325 Main is expected to begin later this year with completion expected in 2022.

“We are thrilled to continue our collaboration with Boston Properties with this exciting new project in Cambridge, and design a dynamic, next-generation work environment where future tenants, such as Google, can grow their businesses,” said Pickard Chilton Principal Anthony Markese FAIA. “With its activated ground and second floor retail along Main Street and Kendall Plaza, 325 Main will greatly enhance the public realm in Kendall Square. The addition of several new pedestrian connections and a multi-level public terrace will further open the space between adjacent buildings and public areas.”

With many high-performance design elements, 325 Main is targeting LEED-NC Gold certification. The building’s shape is conceived as a parallelogram, opening the space between the adjacent buildings and public areas. Articulating its massing, a series of inset “apertures” provide interest and balance, while creating outdoor terraces. Connecting 325 Main and the 355 Main Street building where Google currently has office space, a sloped “gasket” element creates a visual distinction between them while preserving the latter’s architectural integrity. Upper floors along Main Street have been pulled away from 355 Main Street to distinguish the visual separation. A glass façade, comprising spandrel, frit and vision glass and metal panels, will articulate the building.

325 Main is Pickard Chilton’s second project with Boston Properties in the Kendall Square neighborhood; the New Haven, Conn.-based architecture firm designed 145 Broadway, a 19-story, 454,000-square-foot office building for Akamai opening in late 2019.

Boston Properties Gets Approval for Kendall Square Tower

Boston Properties has gotten approval to build an 18-story, 387,187 square-foot tower to replace the building at 325 Main Street in Kendall Square. The property currently houses the MIT Coop. office space and a hair salon. The building abuts the Kendall Roof Garden, Kendall Plaza, and the Kendall Red Line T-Station. 

The building will serve as a new office for the tech giant, Google.

18 Story Tower Proposed in Kendall Square

Boston Properties has proposed an 18-story, 387,187 square-foot tower to replace the building at 325 Main Street in Kendall Square. The property currently houses the MIT Coop. office space and a hair salon. The building abuts the Kendall Roof Garden, Kendall Plaza, and the Kendall Red Line T-Station. Should the amendment be approved, 325 Main Street will likely be demolished and completely reconstructed.

As part of the Phase II Amendment Proposal, the South Residential Building previously approved in the IDCP will not change. The residential building will still be built on the South side of the existing Blue Garage and will provide approximately 350 new market rate and affordable housing units.

The project would require changes to zoning and city officials encouraged Boston Properties to improve the design of the buildings and return with an updated proposal at a future meeting.

Below is a rendering of the proposed tower