> The second project [the City Council authorized the Redevelopment Authority to pursue] was the so called Rogers Block, a 4.5 acre block occupied by a large wooden tenement building owned by the Rogers Family Trust, located on Main Street just west of the RR tracks, which was largely vacant. On November 22, 1957 the buildings were acquired and demolished and the Redevelopment Authority placed the property on the market. The site was adjacent to the large Lever Brothers soap plant which occupied about 11 acres of adjacent land that stretched from Main Street to Broadway and from the Grand Junction railroad track to Portland Street (now Cardinal Medeiros Blvd.). The only interest expressed in the Rogers Block site was from a mattress company. The Redevelopment Authority did not believe this was a use that had long term value and so the site remained vacant for close to two years. However, in 1959, the Lever Brothers Company, that had moved its national headquarters at 50 Memorial Drive to New York in 1951, announced that the soap plant would be closed and the property placed on the market. It was at that point that MIT in partnership with Cabot Cabot and Forbes stepped forward to propose the development of Technology Square which would include, if the city wished, the Rogers Block area. The City agreed to the sale of the Rogers Block land to the new Technology Square entity and the area was included in the overall Technology Square development. On January 11, 1960 demolition of the former Lever Brothers soap plant began and the site was cleared for development. The first building was completed and available for rent in 1962-3 and other buildings were added, largely for the Polaroid Company, in the following years. By 1975, half of the project’s full development potential was in place.
Lupyr says
Reminds me of the Flat Iron building.
FettyWhopper says
Technically Kendall Square, not Cambridgeport
Current(ish) View (zoom out and pan to the left)
sverdrupian says
Source.
Site now part of Technology Square.
more info
> The second project [the City Council authorized the Redevelopment Authority to pursue] was the so called Rogers Block, a 4.5 acre block occupied by a large wooden tenement building owned by the Rogers Family Trust, located on Main Street just west of the RR tracks, which was largely vacant. On November 22, 1957 the buildings were acquired and demolished and the Redevelopment Authority placed the property on the market. The site was adjacent to the large Lever Brothers soap plant which occupied about 11 acres of adjacent land that stretched from Main Street to Broadway and from the Grand Junction railroad track to Portland Street (now Cardinal Medeiros Blvd.). The only interest expressed in the Rogers Block site was from a mattress company. The Redevelopment Authority did not believe this was a use that had long term value and so the site remained vacant for close to two years. However, in 1959, the Lever Brothers Company, that had moved its national headquarters at 50 Memorial Drive to New York in 1951, announced that the soap plant would be closed and the property placed on the market. It was at that point that MIT in partnership with Cabot Cabot and Forbes stepped forward to propose the development of Technology Square which would include, if the city wished, the Rogers Block area. The City agreed to the sale of the Rogers Block land to the new Technology Square entity and the area was included in the overall Technology Square development. On January 11, 1960 demolition of the former Lever Brothers soap plant began and the site was cleared for development. The first building was completed and available for rent in 1962-3 and other buildings were added, largely for the Polaroid Company, in the following years. By 1975, half of the project’s full development potential was in place.