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The city of Boston has selected a developer and consultant to manage the long-awaited replacement of the Sound Museum, a popular musicians’ rehearsal space in Brighton demolished two years ago to be developed into biotech labs.
The lab developer, a California-based real estate company called IQHQ, donated 290 North Beacon St. to the city as compensation for the lost musician space at the time. The Friday announcement marks a moment of progress for the project, which will also build 60 to 150 units of affordable housing — a multi-use, city-owned facility unlike anything Boston has done before.
The project is still in its early stages and likely will not be finished until 2029 or 2030, according to Joseph Henry, director of cultural planning in the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture. The city of Boston owns the site, after finally acquiring the 40,000 square foot rehearsal space from IQHQ in March.
The site will be developed by The Community Builders, a non-profit apartment developer that the city has also contracted to build 445 units of affordable housing just next door at Faneuil Gardens’ public housing complex. That project also saw progress this week, after receiving a nearly $20 million state grant on Friday.
Though IQHQ committed to donating the space at 290 North Beacon St. to the city in early 2023, the city did not take over the property until earlier this year, after which it soon kicked off the development process.
The Sound Museum’s closure was strongly felt across Allston-Brighton’s large artist population when it forced out hundreds of local musicians dependent on the affordable space. Over 200 musicians signed a petition to keep the Sound Museum open when its closure was first announced.
The closure later stirred up controversy as its former owners, Bill and Katherine Desmond, accused the city and IQHQ of mistreating them when it handed operation of an interim space in West Roxbury for displaced musicians to The Record Company, instead of to themselves.
The interim Sound Museum in West Roxbury did not provide much relief to artists that had previously rehearsed in Allston, said Elizabeth M. Torres, co-founder of Boston Artist Impact.
“There has been such a shortage of affordable rehearsal space as is, before the closure of the Sound Museum,” Torres said.
“West Roxbury is impossible to get to without a car. West Roxbury is completely inaccessible from Allston in particular,” Torres added.
Torres added that many artists chose to rehearse in Allston proper even if they didn’t live there due to its proximity to other musical resources such as Mr. Music, a guitar store selling new and used instruments.
Ami Bennitt, who serves on the steering committee of advocacy group #ARTSTAYSHERE, has helped musicians displaced from the Sound Museum find interim rehearsal space in Dorchester, Malden and Allston.
In the replacement space at 290 North Beacon, she hopes to see a one-to-one replacement of the Sound Museum’s 40,000 square feet, affordable prices and high-quality music equipment.
“We hope that those who are displaced from the Sound Museum get first crack at spaces at 290 when it's time,” Bennitt said.
Bennitt also named parking, 24-hour access and the opportunity for year-long leases as priorities.
Christine A. Varriale, a bassist who once rehearsed at the former Sound Museum, agreed.
“One of the best parts about Sound Museum was that it was 24/7,” Varriale said.
Henry, the MOAC director, said that those “programmatic” decisions will come later and in consultation with the developer and local musicians, once the city has contracted an independent operator to manage the space.
“We would ideally love to see a 24 hour music rehearsal space come forward as part of this, but we also have to make sure that both the users on the site are good neighbors to each other,” Henry said.
While the construction of a replacement rehearsal space is moving forward, the Sound Museum’s former location remains itself undeveloped. Though approved two years ago, IQHQ has yet to begin construction since demolishing the former rehearsal space — and the area remains a vacant lot.
—Staff writer Angelina J. Parker can be reached at angelina.parker@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @angelinajparker.
—Staff writer Emily T. Schwartz can be reached at emily.schwartz@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @EmilySchwartz37.
