Hudson Group earns approval for hotel at Kneeland St.

Boston, MA Hudson Group won approval from the Boston Planning & Development Agency to construct at 21-story boutique hotel at 150 Kneeland St. in the Leather District. As longtime neighborhood developers and residents, the team is qualified to deliver this small footprint project, bringing much-needed hotel rooms to service South Station and the surrounding area. 

RODE Architects was selected for the design.

Led by Ori and Noam Ron, Hudson Group has completed a thorough and considerate community process and secured the support of a majority of neighbors, adjacent businesses, and nearby Chinatown residents.

Noam Ron of Hudson Group, a Leather District resident, noted, “We have been dedicated to the neighborhood for close to 25 years. It’s an ideal location for a boutique hotel that will provide much needed guest rooms near South Station, add permanent and temporary jobs, and enliven an underutilized corner.” 

The development’s robust community benefits include improvements to pedestrian safety and security, significant infrastructure upgrades, funding for neighborhood cleaning, and park enhancements. In addition, Hudson has committed to a unique 10-year contribution of 300 free hotel nights annually to people in need of accommodation, an effort meant to address short-term housing emergencies that may occur from crises such as loss of property, medical issues, and immigration displacement.

The hotel will comprise 230 rooms in a sleek form designed by RODE. The development transforms a blighted site to bring new life and activity to the intersection of Kneeland and Utica streets, introducing a dramatic double-height ground floor with publicly accessible café and lounge. RODE chose to celebrate the Leather District’s unique historic qualities by drawing on its strong cast-iron language, with a facade that is both a solid metal frame and a transparent skin that engages with its street life. The design team and Hudson Group worked hand-in-hand with neighbors, abutting property owners, and other retail operators in the district to conceive of a bright new addition to the Kneeland corridor.

Kevin Deabler, of RODE Architects said, “This neighborhood is amazing in its awareness of the opportunity at hand. Right from the start, we really enjoyed a public process that had enormous positivity and encouragement for great design.”