124-Year-Old Newell Boathouse Undergoes Significant Renovations

Walking along the banks of the Charles River, no observant onlooker can miss one of the oldest and distinctive buildings: the Newell Boathouse, home to the men’s varsity lightweight and heavyweight rowing teams. The boathouse, built in 1900 and named after former Crimson rower Marshall Newell ’94, stands on land under a lease agreement between Harvard and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The land that the boathouse utilizes belongs to the Commonwealth, and under the 1000 year lease agreement with the university, Harvard pays just one dollar a year for the right to keep a boathouse on site in exchange for the university conferring land further downriver. The agreement, known as a peppercorn lease, stems from a vestige of British common law, in which renters would pay a single peppercorn in rent.

Earlier this year, however, a new stipulation was added to the agreement. Harvard agreed to build a public dock in Brighton in order to renovate both the Newell and Weld boathouses, and keep them reserved for the private use of the varsity teams.

Starting in April 2023, the renovations, undertaken by architecture firm Brunner Cott and general contractor Consigli Construction, saw a massive upheaval in both the interior and exterior of the space.

Brahm Erdmann, captain of the men’s lightweight team and a Crimson Sports Editor, traced the changes to the team’s athletic homebase. “Our boathouse has been around for over 100 years with pretty minimal renovations. It’s a very beautiful and historic building,” the senior said. “A lot of things were broken. It’s all made of wood and it’s a pretty old building.”

The renovations to the boathouse, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, aimed to provide a modern training space for the university’s rowers while respecting the historical significance of the building.

On the exterior, the firms restored the slate shingles, windows, and doors, and also replaced the slate roof. Meanwhile, the interior renovations, which include new team locker rooms, coaches offices, and erg and training spaces, have had a more direct impact on the team’s experience.

“Coming back was awesome. On the first day, everyone was stoked,” Erdmann explained, referring to the first day after the boathouse reopened earlier in February. “It looked just like the old one, but all the characteristic flaws were gone. There was new wood, new furnishing, and it was beautiful to see it. They kept the structure and facade looking really similar to what it used to be.”

Furthermore, the renovations included an upheaval to the electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems of the building along with a modernized boat shop, boat bays, and two new boat storage sheds to support Harvard recreation. While the overall square footage remains the same, the space has been more efficiently allocated to maximize usage.

During the 10-month renovation period, the men’s and women’s teams shared the Weld Boathouse across the river. Despite the potential awkwardness of having four teams sharing one space, Erdmann believes everyone handled the situation well. “We cooperated well with the women’s teams and had a really successful year,” he reflected.

The transition didn’t come without challenges, however, as Erdmann added, “It was tough to be out of the boathouse while it was renovated. We didn’t have the locker room or anything and we were confined to this tiny space for both of the men’s teams.”

As the project enters its final stages, with new docks expected to replace the existing structure, Erdmann and the team are particularly appreciative of the effort to retain the team’s storied history.

“I appreciate how much time and effort they put into respecting the history of the boathouse,” he explained. “We’re awaiting the final interior renovation. It’s finished, but there’s a lot of old memorabilia including photos of the last century, trophies, trinkets, and banners that were put away in storage. We’re waiting for those to come back.”

During the Head of the Charles this weekend, the new boathouse will be exposed to thousands of spectators, not just the Crimson rowers who frequent it, which Erdmann is eagerly looking forward to. The event is particularly special to the team, because the Crimson’s boats pass by the boathouse while gliding across the Charles.

Erdmann described the special feeling on the day, saying, “We’ve won the Head of the Charles the last two years. Winning that race is really unique because it happens right on our river. The race course passes right by our boathouse. Our alumni, parents, and classmates can watch us race right on our river.”

Erdmann expects the team to go out and make a statement, not only in the varsity eight, but also in the varsity four event. “Winning it is a very special feeling,” he said, with hunger in his eyes.

This weekend, the Crimson will go for the three-peat in front of its nearly-finished boathouse at the Head of the Charles Regatta, starting on Friday, Oct. 18.

—Staff writer Praveen Kumar can be reached at praveen.kumar@thecrimson.com.