Big plans are afoot for Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) as the Healey-Driscoll administration pushes forward with a public-private partnership aimed at overhauling its Charlestown campus. The project, aimed to thoroughly transform the urban campus, will include not just educational facilities but also housing and commercial spaces. The Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM), alongside BHCC, released an Offering Memo laying out the state's vision for this extensive redevelopment. Prospective partners are now being sought to bring this master plan to life, with a firm directive to both revitalize the campus and to create new opportunities for student workforce engagement.
In a move to drastically upgrade and expand its footprint, BHCC is setting in motion a plan to reinvent the Charlestown campus into a bustling educational and community hub. Governor Maura Healey described this effort as "an opportunity to revitalize the Bunker Hill campus while also bringing new housing and businesses to the neighborhood," according to the official press release. The redevelopment envisions high-quality academic buildings, aligned with the administration's housing development goals. Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll emphasized that the project will enhance BHCC’s influence on both local economies and statewide workforce development.
With a commitment to meeting the rising demands of students, especially those benefiting from the free community college education for over-25s offered by MassReconnect, BHCC President Pam Eddinger imagines “a community hub that supports students’ needs, celebrates their diversity, and positions them as leaders in the next-generation workforce.” DCAMM Commissioner Adam Baacke expressed gratitude for Eddinger’s vision, highlighting the potential of this site for what he called transformative redevelopment. The plan also aims to decarbonize the campus, thereby contributing to broader environmental benefits for the region.
This redevelopment plan capitalizes on BHCC’s ideal location, situated a stone's throw from downtown Boston and in close proximity to the tech and life science hub of Kendall Square—and with public transportation links to match. BHCC began laying the groundwork for this transformation in 2019 with the Vision Project, which incorporated input from a wide range of community stakeholders. This engagement has helped shape the forthcoming master redevelopment plan, which Bill Walczak, BHCC’s Board Chair, believes will provide “a new, state of the art Bunker Hill Community College within a campus that offers students opportunities for learning, internships, work, and recreation.”
Developers keen to partake in this opportunity are called to register their interest and can request a visit to the BHCC site via Newmark contacts Michael Byrne and Lauren Donahue. Details for the tour and the Selection Criteria for the redevelopment project can be accessed through the links provided in the official memo on DCAMM’s website. The announcement sets the stage for what could be a significant pivot point for both the college and the surrounding community, laying foundations for future generations in Boston's educational landscape.
