Cambridge offers more than intellectual vitality and technological innovation

Cambridge City Seal

Cambridge, MA On December 28th, 1630 the town of Newtowne was founded. The site was officially selected to be the administrative capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was one of the earliest ordered urban plans in New England. The chosen site for the settlement was a small hill close to the famed Charles River, next to the present, world renowned institute of higher learning, Harvard University. This site served as the seat of the General Court of the Mass Bay Colony until 1636. In May of 1638 the town officially changed its name to Cambridge. By 1644 Cambridge extended some 36 miles, from Billerica to Newton, in the form of an irregular Y. As more settlers came to the region, their numbers would grow until they could support their own town assembly. They would then break away from Cambridge to form their own town. Over time, Cambridge's land size decreased to its size today, 6.5 miles. Although small in size, current day Cambridge has a strong mix of cultural, demographic, and social diversity, intellectual vitality and technological innovation all of which comprise an extraordinarily unified entity. While having a very rich history, Cambridge has an even brighter future.

Cambridge has become one of the premier destinations in the world for progressive businesses and industries, because of the strong leadership from city officials, local business associations, and the residential community. Leaders such as city manger, Robert Healy and his deputy Richard Rossi, who have been working together for 25 years together leading this vibrant city into the future, Jeanette Clough, of Mount Auburn Hospital, who is celebrating 10 years as CEO with an $80 million hospital extension project, and Joseph Roller II, CEO of Cambridge Trust, one of New England's leading trust and investment management operations with nearly $1.5 billion in assets under his supervision. What do these organizations and leaders have in common? They all share a common goal and vision for Cambridge. It's one of innovation, sustainable growth, and most important quality of life for its businesses and residents. For these reasons, some of the world giants in pharmaceuticals, bio-technology, nano-technology, and computer technology such as Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Draper Labs, and Microsoft have decided to locate themselves here. They also found that the proximity to world renowned centers of research, development, and education such as Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) make Cambridge the ideal location for their offices. These businesses are both pioneers and innovators in the fields of medicine, bio-technology, and computer science. They are training some of the brightest minds from around the world, working with Harvard and MIT, the very people who are the leaders of tomorrow. These companies, along with the ever expanding institutions, Harvard and MIT, have fueled a steadily growing tax base which in 2008 reached an astounding $23.9 billion. New developments, most notably the North Point project, a 60 acre former railroad parcel located in East Cambridge, will continue that growth for the next 15-20 years. Northpoint will essentially be its own neighborhood, adding 2.2 million s/f of commercial and research and development space, and up to 2,700 units of housing.

Cambridge has been no stranger to big business. Before its current status as one of the premier biotechnology areas in the world, it was home to some of the largest manufacturing companies of the 19th century. The National Biscuit Company, or NABISCO was founded in Cambridgeport in 1839. The Simplex Wire & Cable Company, a major producer and innovator of modern cable systems and wire products, especially in wartime, started in Cambridge in 1841. Simplex played a vital role in World War II, as it manufactured special deep-sea telegraph cables, which connected Europe to the U.S.

Cambridge has had the uncanny ability after WWII to merge old and new concepts of for sustainable growth and development of the city. For example, Kendall Sq. in East Cambridge was once a Brownfield site, decimated from years of neglect and inactivity. With the help of private development and a visionary city government, Kendall Sq. is now known worldwide as a world class community comprised of scientific research and development facilities. Cambridge has transformed itself from a predominantly working class of manufacturers to a working class of research and development professionals of life science and bio-tech. Senator Anthony Galluccio, a lifetime Cambridge resident, said it best in an interview, "The local government has done a great job of changing and rolling with the times. They have maintained the diversity and values from the old school, bringing it new school. They have recognized biotech as Cambridge's primary commercial entity. The zoning changes, such as in the Kendall Sq. redevelopment, reflect those sentiments."

Cambridge has many accomplishments to be proud of. Through its unique form of Plan E government, which allows the city manager Healy to operate much like the CEO of a company, he and is staff have maintained the city's prestigious AAA bond rating from the nation's 3 major credit rating agencies, one of six cities in the U.S. with such status. In March 2007, the city of Cambridge was chosen by the Henry P. Kendall Foundation to be the model city in the U.S. for their new initiatives in energy efficiency and water conservation, named the Cambridge Energy Alliance. Popular Science Magazine ranked Cambridge the sixth greenest city in the U.S, while Prevention Magazine named Cambridge the Best Walking City in America. For the third year in a row the Alliance for Youth has named Cambridge as one of the "100 Best Communities for Young People." In the following pages, you will meet and hear from the people and organizations that make Cambridge tick.