Inquiries regarding MIT's latest graduate housing: What amenities and facilities will be offered to postgraduate residents?
In 2017, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) pledged to construct 950 on-campus beds for graduate students as part of the Volpe zoning agreement with the City of Cambridge. Fast forward to 2020, the institution formed a partnership with American Campus Communities (ACC) to establish a new graduate housing complex on Vassar Street, adjacent to Simmons Hall. Named "Graduate Junction," this 10-story residential community fulfills the Volpe commitment and provides additional residential options for graduate students.
Scheduled to open in August 2024, the Graduate Junction has already made progress with structures rising on Vassar Street. The project represents years of collaboration between students, campus stakeholders, and ACC – a student housing company responsible for over 100,000 beds on more than 90 campuses across the U.S.
Graduate Junction will offer 676 new beds and various housing configurations, including efficiencies, one-, two-, and four-bedroom units. The architectural design features two buildings framing a gateway to Fort Washington Park and the Cambridgeport neighborhood, with a central plaza and green space.
The Institute has now surpassed the original promise with a total of 1,075 new graduate beds, thanks to reconfigured rooms in other buildings and the addition of Graduate Junction. As they prepare for the opening, David Friedrich, senior associate dean for housing and residential services, shared key insights on the project.
Q: How is the Graduate Junction project progressing, and when will it open?
A: Construction is progressing according to the timeline, with an anticipated opening in August 2024. The project caters to students' housing demands and has been carefully designed with substantial input from the 2018 Graduate Housing Working Group.
Q: How will living in Graduate Junction differ from living in MIT-operated residences?
A: Compared to MIT-operated residences, Graduate Junction provides apartment-style living with proximity to the main campus, creating an off-campus experience with on-campus convenience. Maintained by ACC, the housing license, maintenance, building access, and IT infrastructure will be managed by the company. ACC will directly address students' needs and questions.
Residents will appreciate the same flexibility and pricing as on-campus housing without the upfront costs typically associated with off-campus properties, such as first, last months' rent, security deposit, and broker fee. A utility-inclusive rental rate for furnished apartments set by MIT will apply.
Q: What would you say to incoming graduate students considering Graduate Junction or other on-campus residences?
A: MIT's housing system offers diverse residential options tailored to meet graduate students' needs. Prices of on-campus units are kept below market rates, and the on-campus experience comes with access to student support resources and opportunities for on-campus social events.
Graduate Junction caters to residents' preferences, such as location, unit configuration, all-inclusive payments, and flexibility in securing or leaving housing arrangements. Centrally located in Cambridgeport, the residence offers proximity to local amenities like public schools, grocery stores, and neighborhood parks.
In conclusion, MIT's new Graduate Junction residence aims to provide students with a unique living experience while helping to alleviate the demand for graduate housing. The Institute invites incoming graduate students to consider living on campus, as on-campus residences remain a valuable and cost-effective option.
- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has constructed additional on-campus beds for graduate students, exceeding the original Volpe commitment with a total of 1,075 new beds.
- The Graduate Junction, a new graduate housing complex on Vassar Street, forms a partnership with American Campus Communities (ACC), a student housing company responsible for over 100,000 beds on more than 90 campuses.
- In the Graduate Junction, students will have a variety of housing options, including efficiencies, one-, two-, and four-bedroom units, designed with substantial input from the 2018 Graduate Housing Working Group.
- Living in Graduate Junction offers apartment-style living with on-campus conveniences, managed by ACC, providing a unique living experience for graduate students.
- MIT encourages incoming graduate students to consider living on campus, such as Graduate Junction, as it offers a cost-effective option with access to student support resources and diverse residential options.
