Northeastern University | LightView

In 2015, Northeastern University awarded ACC development of a mixed-use student housing community in a bustling urban location pedestrian to the campus core. LightView is the first developer-led student housing project in the city of Boston and represents an important step in improving student housing throughout the city as part of its Housing A Changing City: Boston 2030 initiative.

A Fixture of the Community

The LightView project required in-depth market research to verify unit preferences and rents, an extensive entitlement process and a comprehensive outreach program to the neighboring community. LightView is a 20-story high-rise at its highest, with varying massing heights that respond to the surrounding neighborhood context, offering 825 apartment-style beds and a 9,500-square-foot community center. First-floor retail space is home to the Underground Cafe, which is owned by the co-founder of the Boston Black Hospitality Coalition, as well as a rotating exhibition space for Artists for Humanity, a non-profit serving under-resourced teens.

A Full-Service Endeavor

ACC served as developer and construction manager for the project. ACC owns the community through a long-term ground lease financed using the American Campus Equity (ACE) program and is 100 percent financially responsible. ACC manages all aspects of the facility including marketing, leasing, residence life and facility maintenance functions.