Roxbury, MA Detailed design plans have been released for the Nubian Square Ascends Project. Global design firm Stantec is leading master planning and supporting the design of the project, which will transform a vacant parking lot between Washington St. and Harrison Ave. into a 365,000 s/f mixed-use destination anchored by a culinary marketplace that provides a venue for local artisan and culinary talent.

Stantec is leading the design for the site’s signature building, which includes the 48,000 s/f culinary marketplace and 135,000 s/f of office/lab space for life sciences research, training, and medical offices. Stantec is also designing the 300-space parking garage, which will be enveloped with art and murals and include stalls for local artisans. The project will target LEED Gold certification, with Stantec leading sustainable design initiatives.

“Nubian Square Ascends is a transformational project that will bring more exposure to Roxbury’s local artists, community-based entrepreneurs, and culinary and entertainment professionals,” said Tamara Roy, project design principal at Stantec. “We are thrilled to partner with a diverse group of talent for this project, which will take cues from Nubian culture and honor the historic and social context of the neighborhood.”

The site will also include a multipurpose cultural hall and theater, affordable artist housing, and a digital artist lab, designed by DREAM Collaborative, a minority business enterprise (MBE). Ground Inc, a woman-owned business enterprise (WBE), is providing landscape architecture design for Nubian Square and Artist Way, which will connect Ruggles St. to Harrison Ave. Bryant Associates, a minority/women-owned business enterprise (MWBE), will be the project’s civil and transportation engineer.

Nubian Ascend Partners LLC is the ownership team leading the project. The formal public engagement and agency review process began in July and the project could break ground in spring of 2022.

Stantec brings extensive mixed-use experience in Greater Boston and beyond. Recent projects include The BEAT, the proposed On the Dot mixed-use project in South Boston’s Andrew Sq., and the Bunker Hill Housing Redevelopment, among others.