Hood Park Master Plan in Boston, MA

Hood Park Master Plan

Located in one of Boston’s oldest neighborhoods, Charlestown’s Hood Park, site of a 19th century mill pond that was later converted into a Hoods Milk factory, is on the cusp of a 21st century evolution—from an industrial landmark to a mixed-use urban destination.

SMMA won a design competition to provide master planning services for the 20-acre site. The ambition was to transform the former Hood Business Park into an attractive corner of Charlestown. The developing site now welcomes the adjacent neighborhood, offering all the perks of a lively city district including nearby public transit, parks and greenery, bike paths, retail, and about 1.8 million square feet of office, lab, and residential space.

The master plan reinvents the neighborhood’s street grid.

By reconfiguring the surrounding streets, Hood Park has become an integral part of the Rutherford Avenue corridor and nearby Sullivan Square. These new streets improve vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian connections to and from the rest of Charlestown.

The plan creates a predictable and complete grid that connects the redevelopment of adjacent properties to the north, south, and west. This greatly enhances the connection with the nearby mass transit, including the Sullivan Square station.

Existing arteries remain, with some new patterns added. The primary streets are Supertest Street, Stack Street, and Hood Park Drive. Secondary streets intersect with Hood Park Drive as extensions.

SMMA secured permits to dramatically increase Hood Park’s acreage and maximum height.

Permitting efforts increased the overall development area allowed by over half-a-million square feet. The team also ensured an increase in maximum height allowed from 115 ft to 262 ft.

Permitting efforts increased the overall development area allowed by over half-a-million square feet. The team also ensured an increase in maximum height allowed from 115 ft to 262 ft. The new Hood Park features architectural diversity among buildings, weaving in active retail spaces while maintaining a clear view of corridors, new streetscapes, and open spaces.

SMMA attained permits to dramatically increase Hood Park’s acreage and maximum height.

SMMA Hood Park Projects

10 Stack Street at Hood Park

Hood Park Plaza

100 Hood Park Drive

100 Hood Park Drive Tower

The Harvey Green Roof at Hood Park

The Hood Park Master Plan boasts distinct, versatile open spaces.

These include rooftop terraces and a series of episodic landscape moments, often in the form of small parks and gathering spaces. A large pond and recreation area are inspired by the site’s industrial heritage and the adjacent and iconic Hoods Milk smokestack. The plaza serves as a place of playful respite for the neighborhood, especially in summer months.

Hood Park Plaza

View Project

The Garden Passage, The Lawns, and The Market are three spots that will serve as small-scale parks along Stack Street. The space’s openness will allow retail to spill outdoors to take advantage of outdoor café or lunch spots.

The Stack Street Park, east of 10 Stack Street, is a smaller-scale, intimate outdoor area that sits on a slope. It could host small concerts or gatherings in summer and serve as a small sledding hill in the winter.

Hood Green, the “Central Park” of the development, is conceived as a one-acre space that could serve as a venue for concerts, neighborhood festivals, farmers' markets, and more.

Hood Park’s owners sought a resilient, sustainable site design.

The site is located in a flood zone near the Mystic River. To address this, the master plan weaves innovative and sustainable design solutions into the site. Its design seeks to reduce the impacts of climate change, such as stormwater, by raising grades and minimizing impervious areas.

All buildings at Hood Park will be designed to meet or exceed the Massachusetts Stretch Energy Code. All feature high-efficiency HVAC systems, LED site lighting, sub-metering of tenant space, and rooftop solar PV systems for onsite renewable energy.