When most people think of technology hubs in the USA, their mind often goes to Silicon Valley in San Francisco. However, Kendall Square in Cambridge is often seen by many as the innovation capital of the country. Since 2010, this neighborhood of just over 11,000 residents has transformed into a tech powerhouse with numerous tech companies, office buildings, and laboratories in the neighborhood. If you are into the technology scene or want to become involved in it, this might just be the…
When most people think of technology hubs in the USA, their mind often goes to Silicon Valley in San Francisco. However, Kendall Square in Cambridge is often seen by many as the innovation capital of the country. Since 2010, this neighborhood of just over 11,000 residents has transformed into a tech powerhouse with numerous tech companies, office buildings, and laboratories in the neighborhood. If you are into the technology scene or want to become involved in it, this might just be the perfect place to rent. The neighborhood also has its fair shares of families living there as well.
As mentioned in the introduction, this neighborhood is often called the most innovative square mile in the world. While it may be a minuscule neighborhood, the things companies are doing there are massive. At every corner, there seems to be a tech company hoping to be the next big thing and the neighborhood is home to the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Numerous big companies such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, HubSpot, and Microsoft have offices in this neighborhood, which is a testament to its influence and importance in the tech industries. As you would expect with a large number of laboratories and tech start-ups and businesses in the area, it’s home to many intellectual individuals. However, there is more to the neighborhood than luxury apartments, tech companies, and MIT. In fact, the way the neighborhood is constructed is a nice mix of buildings, green space, and culture.
Many of the office buildings in the area are connected and linked together by open space which features plazas and a lot of green space. The plaza regularly features concerts and markets, while the green space is great for relaxing with friends and family or simply taking a nice walk. The complex also features a massive skating rink that is open 7 days a week. Kendall Square does a good job of adding culture and art into the predominantly technological focus of Kendall Square.
So while it is still very much a technological and business focused neighborhood, there is more to it than meets the eye. It’s a great place for young families or individuals alone, even if they aren’t interested in technology. In fact, the average household size of this neighborhood is 2.6 people, which means there are a fair amount of families residing here.
Before it ever became the technology powerhouse that it is today, Kendall Square used to be a salt marsh. After some bridges were built and a landfill was used to transform the topography of the neighborhood, it became a very important hub for transportation. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the neighborhood was a major industrial center. There were power plants and a number of different factories in the area. Included in this was the Kendall Boiler and Tank Company, which is what the neighborhood is named after.
However, in the mid to late 20th century, the neighborhood began to pivot away from its industrial heritage. Office buildings, labs, and residential buildings began to pop up and changed the identity of this neighborhood. This has continued in recent years as well over 100 tech companies call this neighborhood home.
With all of those companies setting up shop in this neighborhood, the people who work there need somewhere to live. As a result, numerous different high-rise residential buildings have been constructed. However, if you want to live amongst all the innovation of this neighborhood, it comes with a price. The rent in this neighborhood and others like it has been on the rise dramatically in the past few years. Just since last year, the rent in this neighborhood has risen over 16%, which is around four times the average in Boston.
The preferred way for most to get around in Kendall Square is likely taking the subway. Driving is an option but the one-way roads and other confusing roads of Kendall Square can get you lost with one wrong turn. Subways are a cheaper alternative and extremely easy to get access to as the Red Line makes a stop directly in the square throughout the day. While the neighborhood is beautiful to take walks in, walking isn’t exactly a practical way to always have to travel. However, if you only have a short commute and the weather is nice, walking along the rows of tech companies and high rise buildings isn’t so bad.
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Red
0.14 mi - Kendall/MIT Station (Main Street at Broadway at Third Street, Cambridge)
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Green
0.73 mi - Lechmere Station (1 First Street, Cambridge)
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Orange
1.05 mi - Community College Station (Austin Street west of Rutherford Avenue, Charlestown)
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Blue
1.13 mi - Bowdoin Station (Cambridge Street and New Chardon Street, Boston)
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Green Silver
1.17 mi - Boylston Street Station (Boylston Street at Tremont Street, Boston)
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