Suffolk Downs Basin Theater
Suffolk Downs is a well-known racetrack and landmark in Massachusetts that originally opened in 1935. After 50 years of successful operation, it entered a tumultuous period from the 1980s to the 2010s in which it changed hands multiple times, suffered several closures, and was the frequent subject of planning and design speculation. In 2017, it was purchased by HYM Investment Group, which is developing plans to reinvent the 161-acre site as a mixed-use urban district “directly connected to a rich history, and to the communities it adjoins.”
KMA was hired by Stoss Landscape Urbanism, one of several landscape architects invited by the development team to design over 40 acres of public outdoor spaces throughout the site. Stoss was charged with the design of an outdoor amphitheater and water retention basin located at what was originally one end of the horse racing track. The amphitheater and basin are the most public features of sitewide resiliency planning, including protected wetlands and salt marshes that were designed on Climate Ready Boston principles to protect this low-lying area from the negative impacts of climate change and sea-level rise.
As a universal design consultant, KMA worked alongside Stoss throughout their entire planning process from concept design through construction documents, helping ensure unique elements such as stage walkways, terrace seating, and lawn space were welcoming to all visitors. As a testament to the inclusive nature of the final project, the Suffolk Downs website now boasts that “for the first time in 80 years visitors can walk, run, and play through outdoor programming, clubs, and events like movie nights, resource fairs, youth programs, and family-friendly activities.”
Rendering courtesy of The HYM Investment Group
