Our monthly Longwood Happenings newsletter is the perfect way to get important, streamlined information about the LMA sent straight to your inbox. From travel advisories to upcoming Outside// events and everything in between, our newsletter has you covered! We'll keep you up-to-date on all you need to know about the Longwood Medical and Academic area.

Click here to check out our January edition.

A Message from the President

Dear Longwood,

As stewards of the LMA, we recognize the importance of transportation access and work tirelessly to achieve our district’s shared transportation goals. Robust, reliable, and efficient multimodal transportation access is critical in making the LMA the premier medical, academic, and cultural district that it is.

Last year, we were pleased with the surge of action in the transportation realm as improvements were made and milestones achieved at both the municipal and state levels. Leaders responded to our calls to make multimodal transportation a priority, recognizing Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Week in the City of Boston and calling attention to the important work of TMAs like Longwood Collective in driving mode shift, and were diligent about addressing large-scale transportation needs, including the completion of the MBTA Track Improvement Program. While there is much more work to be done, these were among the many initiatives supported by Longwood Collective to improve transportation in the LMA and beyond.

Continuing this momentum, it was encouraging to hear Governor Healey focus on long-term, sustained investments in the MBTA during her State of the Commonwealth address last evening. This is welcome news to a district like Longwood whose employees rely heavily on the MBTA to get to and from work. We’re excited to see how this significant investment will put us on the right track for a safer, more reliable MBTA, while making equally important investments to revamp our roads, bridges, and rail.

We look forward to working alongside our partners at both City Hall and the State House over this coming year to make Longwood the most desirable place to work, learn, and heal. 

Regards,

David Sweeney

President and CEO

Honorable Mention 

Reflecting Upon Holli Roth's 30+ Years of Service to Longwood 

After 32 years of dedicated service, Holli Roth, our Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance and Administration, and President of Longwood Medical Area Child Care Center, will be retiring later this month. Holli’s work has made an incredible impact on Longwood Collective over the past three decades. While it is difficult to summarize her many contributions throughout her career, some of the hallmark projects she was instrumental in include the financing of 375 Longwood Avenue building and garage, the purchasing of the original shuttle bus fleet, and ongoing work to grow and diversify Longwood Collective’s investment portfolio.

Under Holli’s leadership, the Longwood Collective achieved greater financial stability than ever before, increasing total cash and investment portfolios of the organization, along with an increase in net assets. Holli has served as a leader, resource, advisor, and friend to many during her tenure and we are forever grateful for her years of dedication to Longwood Collective.

MCPHS University President Richard Lessard, Longwood Collective CFO and VP of Administration and Finance Holli Roth, and Longwood Collective President and CEO David Sweeney at the 2024 Annual Board Meeting

In the Neighborhood

Blackfan Site Transformation Complete

In 2023, Longwood Collective joined forces with Boston Children’s Hospital and CultureHouse to design and build a placemaking intervention at Blackfan Circle. The key objectives of the project were to design a welcoming and accessible space, enhance the experience of pedestrians, and encourage playful movement through the space.

Blackfan Circle is one of Longwood Collective’s Outside// Placemaking sites. Hosting food trucks, a book and game cart, seating, and special music events like “Bands on Blackfan” in the summer, this site is central to the Outside// program and brings energy and joy to the community. Through this project, we sought to enhance the site further.

Through several iterations of concept development, the team implemented a series of improvements, including…

• Additional lunch tables along the sidewalk bench, increasing seating for food truck patrons
• A colorful ground mural, adding visual intrigue and moments of play as people pass
• Shade sails over the bench seating to add additional coverage

Rendering of imagined site furniture

Rendering of potential creative site interventions

These interventions have successfully increased interaction with the site, increased program recognition, and brightened the urban environment. Patients and families are often seen playing on the ground mural, enhancing the vibrancy of visits to Boston Children’s Hospital and experience of other LMA students, workers, and visitors passing through. 

Blackfan site before intervention

Blackfan site after intervention

Food Trucks Return for Winter

Blackfan food trucks are back for the winter season in the LMA!

Beginning January 21st, we will be offering a variety of cuisines at 2 Blackfan Circle from 11am-2pm Tuesday through Thursday, including…

• Lordya Gourmet Haitian cuisine on Tuesdays
• Tandoor and Curry on Wheels Indian cuisine on Wednesdays
• Chicken & Rice Guys Halal cuisine on Thursdays

Stay tuned for updates on Longwood Collective social media, and enjoy! 

In Photos

Bike Longwood Winter Tune Ups Relocate 

Due to recent high winds and cold temperatures, the first Bike Tune Up of 2025 was moved from the 375 Longwood Avenue Plaza to level P1 of the adjacent garage. Now fixed with heaters in a location shielded from the elements, bikers in the LMA are invited to receive tune ups at this new location for the duration of the winter season. 

The next tune up will take place on Thursday, January 23rd in the 375 Longwood Avenue garage. Sign up now to reserve a time slot!

WeDriveU Operators Celebrate the New Year

Last month, members of our Operations team got together with LMA Shuttle operators at WeDriveU to celebrate the new year. Featuring festive decor, treats, and a gift from Longwood Collective, the celebration was a great chance to connect with the drivers who keep Longwood moving all year long.

Natasha Badohu (Morning Dispatcher), Kiehana (Morning Dispatcher), Devika (Longwood Collective Operations)

Barry (M2 Driver)

Vance (M2 Driver), Michael Higgons (in training), Susann Krzyminski (Safety Superisor)

Member Spotlight

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Joins City of Boston Family Days

This month, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum launched its participation in the City of Boston Family Days initiative, hosting Mayor Wu and her family at the museum on January 5th. This program provides free access to nine premier cultural institutions across the city to all Boston school-aged children on the first and second Sundays of each month. The Gardner is joined by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and the Museum of African American History as the newest additions to the Mayor's initiative.

Mayor Wu shares photo with her family at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum to Facebook

First piloted as "BPS Sundays" last year, this program has been a huge success and lowered barriers for Boston families of all backgrounds to enjoy the incredible cultural institutions our city has to offer.

Learn more about how to participate in the program at the Gardner Museum here.

Mark Your Calendar

Emmanuel College Hosts the 27th Annual Colleges of the Fenway Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast 

The Colleges of the Fenway (COF) annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast was first held in 1999, hosted by representatives from Wheelock College and Wentworth Institute of Technology. The original event was envisioned to develop a program that would bring together members of the two institutions to celebrate and honor Dr. King. The event, reaching its 27th anniversary in 2025, now includes all five colleges and institutions in the COF consortium. The breakfast this year will be held on Tuesday, January 28th, to draw members of the COF community together to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy and the role our communities play in creating a more just world. The event includes musical performances, introductions from COF community members, the awarding of an inclusive excellence award, as well as a keynote address.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Hosts Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service 

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is hosting a day of service on January 20th to celebrate the lessons, creativity, and imagination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King with storytelling, impactful conversation, soundscapes, and art-making. On this free general admission day, artists and thought leaders will share reflections on social justice, equity, and empowerment. Highlights include a sound installation designed by Dzidzor titled Riot: A Sermon of Anger, Dreams, and Love and a “Why We Still Dream” performance and conversation with Amanda Shea and musician Wylsner Bastien. 

Getting Around 

MBTA Improvements Reach Longwood 

Last month, the MBTA completed the Track Improvement Program, and the T is now slow zone free for the first time in 20 years. More than 250,000 feet of rail was replaced, and over 220 speed restrictions were removed. This marks a great improvement for the travel experience for all public transit riders, including those visiting the Longwood Medical Area, with students and employees in the area relying heavily on the T with close access to D and E branches of the Green Line.

To fill the gap of last-mile connections for other MBTA riders, our LMA Shuttle serve the Commuter Rail, Orange Line, and Red Line with stops at the JFK/UMass station, Ruggles station, and Andrew station. View our LMA Shuttle Interactive Map for more information. 

MBTA Updates Near the District 

Red Line

• Shuttle buses will replace service between JFK/UMass and Braintree the weekend of January 25-26 for signal upgrades. Commuter Rail service between Braintree and South Station will be fare-free during this work.

Orange Line

• Shuttle buses will replace service between Oak Grove and North Station beginning at 8:30PM on Friday, January 17th, through January 20th.
• Shuttle buses will also replace service between Oak Grove and North Station beginning at 8:30PM on Friday, January 31st, through January 20th for MassDOT bridge work.

Longwood in the News 

Emmanuel College Student, a Former Boston Children's Hospital Patient, Completes Nursing Fellowship at BCH

MassLive

Five years into remission, former leukemia patient Hanna Johnson was selected for the Flynn Foundation’s Oncology Nursing Fellowship over the summer. In an eight-week fellowship program, Johnson — now a senior at Emmanuel College — worked on different floors of the hospital focused on oncology, working alongside some of the very nurses who took care of her.

Boston Family Days Program Kicks Off at Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Boston Globe

Boston Family Days, a program offering students in grades K-12 free admission to some of the city’s top cultural and historic institutions twice a month, kicked off Sunday at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. On Boston Family Days, students in grades K-12 who live in the city, plus two guests, will be able to visit nine institutions free of charge on the first two Sundays of each month.

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Introduces Global Health Initiative in India

The Daily Guardian

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) has launched an ambitious global health initiative in India. This initiative aims to address critical healthcare challenges by introducing Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) training to medical professionals in Pune, India. This step marks the beginning of a transformative partnership between BIDMC and India, with the ultimate goal of enhancing healthcare delivery, especially in resource-constrained and rural settings.

Breast Cancer Survivor Provides Textured Wig Options to Women of Color

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute News

Austin and her sister, Pamela Shaddock, started Coils to Locs, which since 2019 has offered high-quality synthetic wigs to women experiencing the loss of their textured hair due to medical treatment. Customers can buy wigs directly from the company’s online store, or find them at 26 cancer hospitals and medical hair loss boutiques nationwide. At Dana-Farber, they are available at Friends’ Place, just off the lobby of the Yawkey Center for Cancer Care. 

Harvard and MIT Research Links Ultra-Processed Meat with Dementia

Boston Globe

A new study by Boston researchers finds that long-term consumption of processed red meat, such as hot dogs, sausage, and bacon, is linked to an elevated risk of dementia. The findings come on the heels of sobering research published on Monday from a separate team of scientists that estimates the number of Americans who develop dementia each year will double by 2060, to roughly 1 million new cases a year, largely because of the aging population.

New Asthma Research Efforts at Brigham and Women's Hospital Aim for Treatments and Better Understanding

The Bay State Banner

Asthma is often referred to as one disease, but for researchers and physicians in the field, it isn’t one thing but a landscape of types and variations, with a mix of causes and factors. New grant funding awarded to a research collaboration from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Boston-based Wyss Institute will push forward research to determine how best to identify what those subtypes are with the goal of better treating the condition.