Hostelling International breaks ground on The Hub of Boston

Hostelling International's Eastern New England Council (HI-New England) has officially begun construction on its new Boston hostel during a groundbreaking celebration held recently with business leaders and community leaders. The new hostel - the Hub of Boston - is located in the historic Dill Building at 25 Stuart St. and is expected to be open for guests in the spring of 2012. When the new hostel opens, it will be the second largest in North America. The groundbreaking event, sponsored by local restaurants Vapiano Boston and Jacob Wirth, hosted tourism, business and community leaders who learned about the construction timeline and the future of the new Hub of Boston. The event included renderings of the new facility featuring a state of the art lobby dedicated to promoting intercultural exchange and community rooms and group kitchens that will serve as a platform for local educational and service programs such as Cultural Kitchen and Alternative Spring Break. The new Boston hostel - situated in the heart of downtown Boston - will welcome more than 46,000 annual visitors, 60% of which will visit from outside the U.S. The influx of hostellers is expected to generate more than $16 million, greatly enhancing the local economy. Suffolk Construction is the construction management firm that is overseeing the renovation and construction of the New Boston Hostel. The project involves the renovation of 55,500 s/f in the six-story Dill Building which is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The new hostel is being designed by Boston architectural firms Bergmeyer Associates and Stegman + Associates. In addition, the new facility coincides with Mayor Thomas Menino's revitalization plans for a more sustainable city. Components of the new hostel, including a green roof, green elevators, and solar hot water heating, will make the new Boston hostel the nation's first LEED certified hostel. The Hub of Boston will replace the current Boston hostel located at 12 Hemenway St. in the Fenway area.