Danny Lewin Park Redesign

Ames Place Open Space Design Area and Danny Lewin Park

Danny Lewin Park is a privately owned open space in Kendall Square’s MXD district, owned by BXP and Residence Inn. The park is dedicated to Akamai’s co-founder, Daniel Lewin, who lost his life on Flight 11 that crashed into the World Trade Center on 9/11. Click here to learn more about Mr. Lewin.

In 2018, the CRA’s undertook a collaborative landscape redesign for the open space off Ames Place, including Danny Lewin Park and The Broad Pocket Park. See Ames Place Open Space project extent in the map to the right. During the Ames Place Open Space process, the CRA worked with Mikyoung Kim Associates and Nitsch Engineering, and met with individual stakeholders, the City, and held public CRA Design Review committee and community meetings to gather input and discuss designs. Final concept designs were completed in 2020, see Ames Place Open Space Concept Designs here.

In 2021, Residence Inn raised the idea of construction a patio space in their portion of Danny Lewin Park. That same year, as part of the MXD Substation Redevelopment Project, BXP agreed to provide funding for the design and reconstruction of their portion of Danny Lewin Park as part of their project’s public benefits.

In 2022, to facilitate a cohesive design of the park with BXP and Residence Inn, the CRA rehired Mikyoung Kim Associates, to assist in updated Danny Lewin Park concept designs. After a number of public design review conversations, and a community meeting, the CRA Board voted to approve the final Park Concept Designs in June of 2022. Construction is expected to start in spring of 2023.

Danny Lewin Park Design Goals

Danny Lewin Park Concept Design Layout with Precedent Images

Through the Ames Place Open Space design process, and CDD’s and CRA’s Privately Owned Open Space survey work which included Danny Lewin Park (see below for more information), the design team established the following goals:

  • Increase porosity of the park

  • Conserve and enhance greenery

  • Preserve Danny Lewin's memorial tree

  • Increase seating and lounging options

  • Activate and provide space for activities

  • Maintain the tranquil character of the park

Project Timeline & mEETING materials

June 8, 2022: CRA Board Approval

Rendering of Danny Lewin Park Design Concepts

May 25, 2022: Danny Lewin Park Community Meeting

May 4, 2022: Mikyoung Kim Schematic Design Presented to the CRA Design Review Committee

February 2, 2022: CRA enters into a Notice to Proceed with Mikyoung Kim Design to assist with Danny Lewin Park design concepts

December 15, 2021: CRA Board votes to approve the 2021 Amendment to Development Agreement with BXP, as part of the MXD Substation Redevelopment project. In this agreement, BXP agrees to pay for the design and reconstruction of their portion of Danny Lewin Park, not to exceed $1,200,000.

November 17, 2021: Residence Inn presents their Patio Design Proposal to CRA Board. CRA Board requests a more comprehensive Danny Lewin Park design be considered in collaboration with BXP.

October 13, 2021: Residence Inn presents their Patio Design Proposal to the CRA Design Review Committee

2021 CDD & CRA Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS) Survey

In February of 2021, the Cambridge Community Development Department (CDD) and the CRA conducted an open space survey, that sought to ask community members about privately-owned public spaces (POPS) in Cambridge, which included Danny Lewin Park. The results showed that 25% of respondents did not feel that Danny Lewin Park was intended for them to use it, and roughly another quarter responded that they neither agreed nor disagreed with that statement. Additionally, an open-ended response question provided the opportunity for respondents to comment on what aspects of the park they were more or less drawn to. A number of respondents noted that they appreciated the seating, trees, greenery, and shade the park provided. Others commented that the space looked and felt private, and was designed for the use of the adjacent buildings rather than as a public park. A handful of other respondents identified that the fence made the park less noticeable and that the narrow entry gates made the space feel private.

2018 - 2022 Ames Place Open Space Design Work

In 2018, the CRA worked closely with landscape architects Mikyoung Kim and Nitsch Engineering to undertake a collaborative landscape redesign for the open space off Ames Place, including Danny Lewin Park and the Broad Pocket Park. The goal of the redesign was to:

  • Create an area that has an interest, activity, and a sense of place

  • Improve the block’s resiliency by improving its capacity to manage stormwater runoff and mitigate the heat island effect

  • Improve connectivity within the parcel and to the surrounding development

During the APOS process, the CRA met with individual stakeholders, and the City, and held a design review and onsite community meeting to discuss design ideas. The feedback included maintaining greenery, creating more activation, and making Danny Lewin Park feel more publicly accessible.