Harvard Allston Land Company Names 'Preferred Developer' for Enterprise Research Campus

Tishman Speyer will serve as the “preferred developer” for the initial phase of Harvard’s Enterprise Research Campus in Allston, according to a Thursday morning press release from the Harvard Allston Land Company.

The Enterprise Research Campus — a University project overseen by the HALC — is intended to serve as a venue for collaboration between Harvard-affiliated research projects and research companies. Spanning 36 acres, the ERC is located on Western Avenue next to the University’s Science and Engineering Complex and across the street from Harvard Business School.

The initial phase of the project involves the 14-acre portion of land that received initial regulatory approval from the Boston Planning and Development Agency in 2018 for 900,000 square feet. The first development stage includes plans for lab and office space, residential areas, and a hotel and conference center.

Tishman Speyer is a global real estate developer, operating more than three million square feet in Boston alone. In a press release Thursday, University President Lawrence S. Bacow referenced the firm’s portfolio when describing Harvard’s hopes for the future of the ERC.

“Tishman Speyer will bring to Allston a wealth of experience shaped by extraordinary work around the world, and we look forward to the further development of the Enterprise Research Campus,” he wrote.

Nitin Nohria, Chair of the Board of HALC and Dean of the Harvard Business School, said in the release that Tishman Speyer’s proposals aligned with Harvard’s goals in Allston.

“The ideas and concepts put forth by the Tishman Speyer team were very much in line with the local Allston community’s, the city’s, and the University’s goals for the neighborhood, as well as advanced and forward-thinking,” Nohria wrote.

The firm’s proposal describes plans to promote “inclusivity, shared experiences, collaboration and human happiness” through social infrastructure, per the release.

Tishman Speyer President and CEO Rob Speyer said in the release that his company was “proud” to serve as the project’s developer.

“This project will combine the best in real estate with the best in science to help entrepreneurs and researchers make life-changing discoveries,” Speyer wrote. “And it will do this while supporting the neighborhood’s residents, further strengthening existing businesses and diversifying the region’s economy.”

Jeanne Gang, the architect selected to lead the project, said in the release that the ERC will include “low-carbon buildings and resilient green spaces.”

The ERC plans to designate 20 percent of the land it develops as green space.

Thomas P. Glynn, CEO of the HALC, said in the release that the designation of Tishman Speyer as the preferred developer for this initial phase of construction is “an important next step in realizing Harvard’s vision for the ERC.”

“While a lot of necessary, expected work still remains to be done, we’re incredibly excited about this today’s announcement,” he said.

— Staff writer Taylor C. Peterman can be reached at taylor.peterman@thecrimson.com.