Boston Volvo Village Showroom

Boston Volvo Village in Allston, MA is an adaptive reuse of a 72,000 square foot historic 1924 building, the original home of International Harvester Farm Equipment. Arrowstreet’s design brought this mixed-use project back to its original industrial-style luster. As part of the first phase of a 5.3 acre site redevelopment, the building is located just steps from Boston Landing and a new commuter rail station. Spanning five floors, the building’s program includes a lower-level auto shop, and a two-story showroom featuring a lounge area, café, and public and private office spaces. The showroom is a vibrant space, where prospective buyers and current Volvo owners can relax as they wait for their cars. A monumental stair, original to the building, has been restored and acts as the anchor to the space. Levels three and four have been set up to house future tech office tenants. The location, high ceilings, freight elevators, and layout of the space appeal to a unique type of tenant in line with Volvo’s innovative brand position.

The space was designed to be a model for the future of urban car dealerships with limited land. Vehicle storage moved from the parking lot to the second floor showroom with fewer vehicles in physical inventory due to the emergence of online car shopping. Preliminary plans for Phase 2 call for the present car dealership on 75 North Beacon Street to be developed into three new buildings which could include some multi-family housing.