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 for our September edition which highlights a delegation recently received by Longwood Collective, upcoming raffle opportunities through the Longwood Collective TMA, and more.

A Message from the President 

Dear Longwood,

Last month, the Longwood Collective had the pleasure of hosting a delegation from Aurora, Colorado, who came to us looking to learn about the LMA and our shared success as a world-renowned academic medical center. Aurora, which is one of the largest cities in Colorado, is home to the Fitzsimons Innovation Community which includes esteemed institutions like the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and a range of cutting-edge biotechnology researchers.

The delegation included elected officials from Aurora leading the charge on growing its life sciences sector, including Mayor Mike Coffman and City Councilors Dustin Zvonek and Curtis Gardner. We were also joined by representatives from the Fitzsimons Innovation Community and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. We were eager to host these leaders who reflected the many sectors involved in cultivating and sustaining a thriving medical and academic community like the one we have in our corner of Boston. 

My team and I were pleased to be joined by Boston City Councilor Sharon Durkan to talk through how Longwood has grown into an anchor district known for its educational opportunities, care and treatment, and medical breakthroughs. We discussed the work we do here in Longwood, including planning and advancing area improvements, providing multi-modal transportation services, operating a robust districtwide placemaking program, and fostering collaboration among the leading institutions in the LMA.

To close out our conversation, we brought the delegation on a brief walking tour through Longwood to showcase our member institutions that drive the work we do here at Longwood Collective. It was great to learn about the challenges and successes they have had in their own Fitzsimons Innovation Community and share our experience as a world-renowned hub of healthcare, education, and research. We look forward to similar conversations in the future with other medical and academic districts, offering best-practices and lessons learned over our decades of leadership as a Longwood community.

Regards, 

David Sweeney

President and CEO

Longwood Collective Celebrates TDM Week

This year, we joined in on the celebration of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Week from September 16th to September 20th by spreading awareness about the various TDM strategies we implement in the LMA and how they benefit our community.

What's more, we were able to join forces with the City of Boston to recognize TDM Week with a formal proclamation from Mayor Michelle Wu.

Longwood is just one corner of Boston that prioritizes efficient and creative multi-modal transportation solutions for commuters, and we hope to serve as inspiration for others that want to improve accessibility, efficiency, and sustainability of transportation in their own communities.

Recognizing September as Emergency Preparedness Month 

Every National Preparedness Month, we are reminded of the importance of being prepared for any emergency. Longwood Collective Emergency Preparedness and Security strongly encourages everyone to take proactive steps to ensure personal safety and resilience. Whether it is creating an emergency plan, building a kit with essential supplies, or engaging with your personal or professional community, every action counts.

Join us in observing National Preparedness Month and take control of your personal safety in three simple steps:

1. Make a Plan: Discuss with your family, friends, and colleagues how to respond to emergencies that are most likely to happen where you live, work, and play.
2. Build a Kit: After an emergency, you may need to survive on your own for several days. Being prepared means having your own food, water and other supplies to last for several days. A disaster supplies kit is a collection of basic items your household may need in the event of an emergency.
3. Stay Informed: Sign up for emergency alerts in your area and stay informed about what to do before, during, and after an emergency. Sign up for local alerts like AlertBoston or AlertBrookline and check with your organization’s emergency manager or security team to see if you can enroll in any specific organizational alerts.

Let’s work together to prepare and protect our communities. For more resources and information, visit https://www.ready.gov/.

Fall Plantings Arrive in the District 

After a lovely spring and summer planting season in the LMA featuring lilacs, golden pothoses, and daffodils to name a few, our fall plantings have arrived. Be on the lookout for freshly planted mums, cabbage, pansies, and more as the cooler temperatures begin to settle in.

While the warm weather is on the way out, our vibrant planters that accommodate weather changes are here to stay for the fall season thanks to our Area Planning and Development department!

New Soofa Sign on Brookline Avenue

Our newest addition to our Smart City initiative has arrived in the LMA! This innovative Soofa smart sign includes an easy-to-read map of the district on one side and a live, rotating digital display on the other, and is entirely solar powered. With information ranging from MBTA updates to upcoming events in the district, it has everything you need to know about what's going on in Longwood. See for yourself at the corner of Longwood Avenue and Brookline Avenue – there's always something new and exciting on our Neighborhood Newsfeed!

Take the Car Free Day Pledge and Opt Out of Driving to Work

Join us in celebrating World Car Free Day this upcoming Monday, September 23rd, by pledging to choose an eco-friendly commute mode such as biking, walking, public transportation, ferry, telework, carpool, or shuttle to get to work. By taking the pledge and participating in Car Free Day, you will be making a positive impact on the environment, reducing traffic congestion, and contributing to a greener Massachusetts.

Everyone who takes the Car Free Day Pledge will be entered to win the following prizes:

• Yeti Water Bottles
• Digital Gift Cards
• Grand Prize: An Electric Scooter ($500 value)

We are eager to come together as a Longwood community to celebrate the benefits of a car-free commute.

Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure (BERDO) Upcoming Deadlines & Resources for Building Owners

The Environment Department is issuing new guidance to extend the application deadline for Building Portfolios and Individual Compliance Schedules for the 2025 emissions compliance year only. The deadline for short-term Hardship Compliance Plans will remain October 1, 2024, for use in 2025.

October 1st

Short-term hardship compliance plans due

November 15th

Reporting with approved extension due

January 6th, 2025

Building portfolios and individual compliance schedule applications due

For more information and resources, visit www.boston.gov/departments/environment/berdo.

MBTA Updates Near the District 

Red Line

• Shuttle buses are replacing service between JFK/UMass and Braintree from September 6-29 for track work.

Green Line

• The D branch will be having weekend closures in the coming weeks, including Newton Highlands to Kenmore from October 5-6, Riveride to Brookline Hills from October 19-20, and Riverside to Kenmore from November 9-10. Shuttle buses will be replacing service during these closures.

Orange Line

• Shuttle Buses will replace service between Forest Hills and Back Bay from October 8-11 and October 15-20. From October 12-14, shuttles will replace service between Forest Hills and Back Bay, as well as Copley on the Green Line while MBTA service is closed between Forest Hills and North Station. This is to allow for track work and station upgrades.
• Orange Line service will be suspended between Oak Grove and Ruggles during the weekend of October 26-27. Shuttles will make stops between Oak Grove and North Station.

Longwood Community Enjoys Free September Music Event 

On September 10th, the Longwood Community came together to enjoy our second Outside// Bands on Blackfan event of the 2024 season.

With live music from The Robbie Pate Quintet and food served fresh from Lordya Gourmet and Frosty Ice Cream, people in the LMA came together to take a break from their busy days to soak up the ambiance. Longwood Collective provided picnic blankets, and saw medical workers, families, students, and more stop by to partake in the event. 

We are always glad to have a reason to come together as an LMA community and look forward to the rest of the season’s Outside// activations. Stay tuned for information about September and October programming.

Positions Available at Longwood Collective 

Help make Longwood the most desirable place to work, learn, and heal by joining the Longwood Collective team!

We are thrilled to offer a range of exciting career opportunities in area planning, transportation management, and finance, with positions tailored to various levels of experience. We pride ourselves on fostering a vibrant and engaging work environment in the heart of Longwood that is deeply committed to making the LMA the best place to learn, work, and heal.

Vice President of Finance and Administration/CFO

Reporting to and serving as a thought partner to the President and CEO, this key role provides financial oversight and management of $40 million in annual revenues and $90+ million in assets and ensures the financial wellbeing of the organization and its subsidiaries and affiliates.

Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program Manager

The position develops, manages, and markets transportation demand management (TDM) programs to increase walking, biking, carpooling, transit usage, and other environmentally sustainable modes. The role serves as Longwood Collective’s TDM lead through participation in conferences, events, professional organizations, and research.

Senior Energy Environment Open Space (EEOS) Planner

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced planner to lead the district’s energy, environment, and open space initiatives. The candidate would join a department of eight planners responsible for planning in Longwood’s Medical and Academic Area and serve as a subject matter expert, company representative in policy conversations, and supervisor of the Urban Planner/Designer.

Longwood in the News

Dana-Farber CEO Laurie Glimcher to Step Down Next Month

Boston Globe

Dr. Laurie H. Glimcher, chief executive of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, said she would step down next month. Starting October 1st, the gamed cancer institute will be led by Benjamin Ebert, chair of its medical oncology department. 

Beth Israel Plans $50M Upgrade to Plymouth Emergency Department

BBJ

Beth Israel Deaconess – Plymouth wants to renovate its emergency department to reduce wait times as its annual patient numbers increase. The hospital says its emergency department was built over three decades ago and now sees nearly 75% more patients than the space was originally designed to accommodate. 

Gardner Museum to Renovate Dutch Room Linked to Historic Art Heist

WBZ News

The restoration project, which is expected to take more than two years, will include the restoration of paintings, frames, sculptures and furniture in the Dutch Room, as well as the ceiling, tiles and lighting. The frames left behind after the theft will also be restored.

FDA Approves Merck's Keytruda for First-Line Treatment of Pleural Mesothelioma

BioSpace

The FDA has approved a new indication for Merck’s cancer therapy Keytruda (pembrolizumab), adding pleural mesothelioma to the already-extensive list of malignancies that the PD-1 inhibitor can be used for.