Boston PIC Approves Longwood Cancer Hospital Easements, Accepts Two Brighton Streets

BOSTON — October 9, 2025 — Boston's Public Improvement Commission unanimously approved three public-way actions enabling a planned 300-bed, 14-story cancer hospital at 1 Jocelyn Place in the Longwood Medical Area and formally accepted two newly constructed streets in Allston's Austin Yards development at its October 9 meeting. Howard Mosher of VHB, presenting for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Joslin Diabetes Center, won approval of a pedestrian easement on Pilgrim Road, specific street repairs to reposition a structural bridge behind the curb line, and vertical discontinuances clearing as much as 29 feet above Brookline Avenue for proposed pedestrian connectors between campus buildings. Kevin Wright of VHB secured acceptance of Arthur Street, roughly 300 feet, and Guest Street, roughly 900 feet, as Boston public ways after construction completed in the winter of 2025 and agency sign-offs were submitted September 12. Two separate projects — 4200 Washington LLC's West Roxbury development and Labavitch of Cambridge Inc.'s Tremont Street project — were continued after PIC staff declined to endorse variances for sidewalk widths falling two to three inches short of the city's five-foot standard, telling applicants the commission "strongly encourages the group to explore ways to provide the five-foot traffic travel."