Boston Landing station
| Company type | MBTA Commuter Rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation |
| Founded | May 22, 2017 in Brighton, Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Headquarters | Brighton, Boston , United States |
Area served | Allston-Brighton neighborhood, Boston Landing area |
| Owner | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) |
| Website | www |
Boston Landing station functions as a stop on the MBTA Commuter Rail network within Brighton, Boston, Massachusetts, specifically on the Framingham/Worcester Line. Positioned just west of the Everett Street bridge adjacent to the Massachusetts Turnpike, it caters to the Allston-Brighton neighborhood and the Boston Landing area, which includes the Warrior Ice Arena. The station comprises a single, fully accessible high-level island platform equipped with elevators and stairways that link to Arthur Street and the Everett Street bridge.
The station was announced on June 7, 2012, following discussions that began in 1998. This $20 million infill station was anticipated to accommodate up to 2,400 passengers daily by 2030. Funded through a public-private partnership led by New Balance, it was initially slated for a 2014 opening under the name New Brighton Landing but experienced delays until fall 2016. Construction commenced on May 12, 2015, and the station officially began service on May 22, 2017.
Early stations
The Boston and Worcester Railroad (B&W) extended its line to West Newton in April 1834. Its earliest intermediate stop was Brighton, originally named Winship Gardens after nearby horticultural grounds. This modest depot sat on the track’s north side near Market Street. The arrival of the first train was celebrated with a cannon salute. Serving both tourists and livestock traders, Brighton rapidly became one of the busiest stations along the railroad. By 1850, weekly revenue reached as high as $5,000, with round-trip fares to Boston costing 12.5 cents.
Railroads frequently established stations in rural zones to encourage transit-oriented development and boost commuter numbers. A flag stop with limited service was later introduced at Cambridge Crossing, located where Cambridge Street intersected the tracks at grade level. Because of confusion about its name and location, "East Brighton" was suggested by 1850. In 1867, following a merger between B&W and the Western Railroad forming the Boston and Albany Railroad (B&A), a wood-frame depot was constructed near Harvard Street. To distinguish itself from Cambridge further, the village renamed itself Allston in 1868 in honor of painter Washington Allston, with the station officially adopting the name Allston on June 1, 1868. Ridership had doubled by 1870 compared to figures from 1867.
Initially placed on Brighton’s northern border to appease residents concerned about noise and hazards near the village core, attitudes shifted as rail travel expanded in popularity. In 1871, locals proposed raising private funds for a branch line diverging from Allston toward Brighton Center, with potential extensions north or west through Oak Square to Newton Corner. Two surveys were completed—including one proposing a route through Newton Lower Falls to Grantville—but this branch line was never realized.
1880s stations
After postponing investments due to the Panic of 1873, B&A initiated a significant upgrade of its suburban stations around 1879. This move likely aimed to reinvest profits—limited by state law to a maximum of 10%—into capital improvements supporting future expansion. Esteemed architect H.H. Richardson designed nine stations before his death in 1886; his firm successors Shepley, Rutan, and Coolidge completed an additional 23 by 1894. The new Brighton station was constructed by Norcross Brothers and opened on July 6, 1885.
The Allston station agent position was eliminated in May 1949, although the building continued serving as a shelter for passengers. In April 1959, Allston and Brighton stations closed alongside University, Faneuil, and Newton stops due to track reductions connected with Massachusetts Turnpike construction along the mainline. Consequently, northern Brighton lost rail service; while Brighton station was demolished during highway development, Allston’s structure remained intact.
The Allston Depot building found new life through commercial ventures: it opened as a steakhouse in 1972, became Sports Depot in 1988, and housed Regina Pizzeria starting in 2010. It received designation as a Boston Landmark in 1997. Regina Pizzeria ceased operations in July 2020; later that year Great Scott music venue negotiated a lease but those plans collapsed by 2022.
Development of a new station
During the 1998 planning phase of the Urban Ring, a proposal emerged for a new station in the Allston-Brighton area. By 2007, Boston allocated $500,000 to conduct the Allston Multimodal Station Study, which evaluated potential commuter rail and DMU services with stops considered at Faneuil, Market Street, Everett Street, Cambridge Street, West (Ashford Street), and Commonwealth Avenue. Among these, Allston was identified as the preferred site for an initial commuter rail stop, likely positioned near Everett or Cambridge Street. The local community favored Cambridge Street due to its superior bus connections and proximity to Union Square. Projections from 2009 estimated the station would accommodate approximately 2,000 daily passengers by 2030, involve a $10 million investment, and require a decade to complete.
Between 2009 and 2010, a significant agreement with CSX Transportation facilitated the purchase of rail lines spanning Framingham to Worcester and involved relocating CSX’s intermodal freight operations from Beacon Park Yard in Allston to Worcester. This arrangement allowed the MBTA to increase service frequency on the Framingham/Worcester Line and eliminated a single-track constraint, thereby enabling the construction of an Allston station with passing tracks. Despite these advancements, construction did not move forward due to a lack of secured funding.
In March 2012, New Balance announced plans for a $500 million mixed-use project in Brighton near the proposed station location. The company pledged to handle the design, permitting, and construction of a commuter rail station if MassDOT designated the site and also expressed readiness to financially support its development.
Boston Landing
On June 7, 2012, officials from Allston-Brighton revealed that New Balance and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation had executed a letter of intent to develop a station at Everett Street, initially named New Brighton Landing. This public-private collaboration marked an MBTA first, with New Balance agreeing to cover all expenses related to permitting, design, construction, and ongoing maintenance for the $16 million facility. The Boston Redevelopment Authority approved the related development on September 13, 2012, with construction slated to commence later that year.
No definitive construction schedule was established at first. By November 2012, New Balance targeted a 2014 opening date after completing design and permitting during 2013. The project was rebranded as Boston Landing in March 2013. The station received financial approval from MassDOT’s board on May 14 and was endorsed by its Board of Directors on May 22, 2013. By late 2013, completion was postponed to mid-2015; subsequently in May 2014, New Balance adjusted the opening timeline to late 2016 citing planning and construction challenges.
A groundbreaking event for the $20 million station took place on May 12, 2015. Construction activities began in October 2015 with track removals at the site. Temporary track configurations were implemented to maintain service during building work. By April 2017, double tracking through Allston was restored for the first time since the 1950s.
Some state legislators voiced concerns that Boston Landing along with the proposed West Station might slow suburban commutes along the Worcester Line. Initially, service included only two inbound morning trains and two outbound afternoon trains stopping at Boston Landing; however, additional stops were incorporated into schedules over time.
In April 2017, MBTA assigned Boston Landing to Zone 1 fare category, which would have increased fares for downtown trips; following public criticism, it was reclassified as Zone 1A. The station officially opened on May 22, 2017.