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Alewife Commercial District

About Alewife

Served by regional roadways and public transit, this area is made up of a number of sub-districts with a mixture of old and new buildings serving a variety of light manufacturing businesses, modern offices, retail uses, and modern apartment complexes. This is the largest area of the city with significant development potential, nearly 3 million square feet, and is expected to develop more in the next 10-15 years.

There are shopping centers on both sides of Alewife Brook Parkway, running from Fresh Pond on the south to Alewife Station on the north— on the east is a center anchored by Whole Foods and Apple Cinemas, and on the west are a series of smaller centers that include Trader Joe’s and Circle Furniture, among others. Also in the area are a hotel, other free-standing retail and office uses, and auto-related businesses.

The district is also home to Fresh Pond Reservation, the location of the City’s water treatment facility. The Reservation features a heavily used perimeter path around the pond, and is much loved by birdwatchers and dog walkers alike. Alewife Brook gives its name to Alewife Brook Parkway, Alewife Reservation, and Alewife Station, the terminus of the Red Line subway with its bus line connections.

Alewife Resources

Alewife District Map

Fresh Pond/Alewife Projects & Documents

• Envision - Alewife Plan (2019)
• Alewife Transportation Update to City Council Sub-Committee on Transportation and Utilities (2014)
• Concord-Alewife Planning Study (2006)

Infrastructure Updates

• Belmont, Cambridge and Somerville Path Projects (active)
• Fresh Pond Northeast Sector Project (completed)
• Fresh Pond Parkway Project (completed)

For More Information:

For more information on economic development activity in Fresh Pond/Alewife, please contact Pardis Saffari at 617/349-4654 or via email at psaffari@cambridgema.gov.