Grove Hall Community Breaks Ground on Long-Awaited Full-Service Center
Written by b87fm on 10/17/2025
Grove Hall’s vision for a permanent, full-service community center is finally becoming a reality. After decades of neighborhood advocacy, shovels are in the ground for a brand-new 41,000-square-foot facility designed by and for the people of Grove Hall.
The long-awaited project — funded through the city’s five-year Capital Plan with a $65 million investment — will transform a vacant city-owned lot into a modern hub for connection, learning, and wellness.
The design was shaped through an extensive community engagement process where residents, youth, and elders voiced their priorities, from flexible programming to inclusive, accessible spaces.
The new center will feature a zero-entry pool, gym, cardio and weight room, fitness studio, teen center, senior center, art room, teaching kitchen, multipurpose classrooms, tech lab, and makerspace. Outside, a public plaza will offer seating, open space for performances, and gathering areas that invite community interaction.
Sustainability was also a key priority: the building will feature all-electric systems, stormwater infiltration, native plantings, and low-VOC materials for better indoor air quality.
“This groundbreaking is a celebration of community power,” said State Senator Liz Miranda. “For years, Grove Hall residents dreamed of a space that reflects their brilliance and collective strength. This center is the result of their persistence.”
State Representative Chris Worrell added, “This is a place where neighbors will move, learn, create, and connect. It’s what happens when a community refuses to give up on its vision.”
For years, Grove Hall has operated without a stand-alone BCYF facility, relying on school-based centers that limit public access during the day. With this new center, programming will expand — from farmers markets and continuing education to intergenerational activities and cultural events.
“This is a historic day,” said Marta E. Rivera, Commissioner of Boston Centers for Youth & Families. “BCYF centers have always been the heart of their neighborhoods. This one was built with the heart of the neighborhood.”
Community members played a decisive role from day one, voting Grove Hall as the top location during the planning phase. Over 40 sites were reviewed before landing on this spot — the same lot that once hosted “The Bubble,” a temporary community structure that served families in the early 2000s.
Now, Grove Hall is set to receive a state-of-the-art community center built to last for generations.
ABOUT BCYF
Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) is the City of Boston’s largest youth and human service agency. BCYF operates 36 community centers in Boston that offer a variety of engaging and enriching programs for people of all ages created through community input and need. BCYF also oversees many citywide programs.
