Cambridge Planning Board Opens Hearing on Healthpeak's 42-Acre Alewife Quadrangle Redevelopment

CAMBRIDGE — April 28, 2026 — Cambridge Planning Board hears first public hearing on Healthpeak's 42-acre Alewife Quadrangle master plan. The board, chaired by Mary Flynn, reviewed a planned unit development special permit application from Healthpeak OP LLC proposing more than 400 residences in a first building, approximately 4,578 total parking spaces, 14.6 acres of publicly beneficial open space, and a pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the MBTA tracks that would cut the walk to Alewife station roughly in half. Attorney Anthony Galluccio and co-counsel James Rafferty represented Healthpeak; project manager Rylan Squirrel acknowledged that "increased interest rates, inflated construction costs, and reduced lab rental rates" pose serious near-term challenges. The bridge timing drew the sharpest scrutiny: board member H. Theodore Cohen noted that CDD staff were calling the bridge "imminent" nearly 20 years ago, and member Ashley Tan said she was not yet comfortable making all six required PUD findings, citing the volume of proposed parking and underdeveloped plans for the northwest quadrant. No preliminary determination vote was taken; the hearing remained open, with the board directing the applicant to respond to detailed staff memos from CDD, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Public Works.