Under Boston · STOP 10 · Leather District / Chinatown
The state and the plant's own owner have both drawn up plans to tear this steam plant down. It's still here.
A brick plant on Kneeland Street has been making steam for the pipes under downtown since 1929. In 2016 the state offered the site with a plan to tear the plant down and rebuild it. Nobody bid. In 2021 its own owner proposed replacing it with apartments and labs. It's still there.
This is stop 10 of Under Boston. Walk it - any two stops are free.
The plate
Nobody Bid
Collected on site
165 Kneeland St, Boston, MA 02111
Directions
Argue about it
Can downtown Boston ever get rid of this steam plant?
Both sides, with their sources, are on the story card in the app.
In these collections: Under Your Feet
Near Chinatown · Near South Station · Near Tufts Medical Center
Sources (6)
- Kneeland Street Steam Heating Plant is builtWhen and Where in Boston (citing MACRIS) · n.d.
- Power play: steam plant owner aims to decarbonize downtown with huge building projectBoston Globe · 2021-06-15
- Leather District development could grow to nearly 9 acresSteve Adams, Banker & Tradesman · 2016-07-08
- Labs, apartments could be coming to southern edge of downtownBoston Globe · 2022-03-16
- Vicinity Energy sold (steam)Boston Globe · 2026-09-30
- Public Meeting Notice: Boston Leather District/Chinatown Vent BuildingsMassDOT (mass.gov) · 2023-08-24