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Longwood cancer hospital project enters construction as Boston health systems compete
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Beth Israel Lahey Health are starting work on a $1.68 billion hospital devoted exclusively to cancer care. The project deepens a split with Brigham and Women’s Hospital as its parent, Mass General Brigham, develops competing cancer facilities.
Construction is scheduled to begin Monday on a $1.68 billion cancer hospital in Boston’s Longwood medical area, a joint project of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Beth Israel Lahey Health.
The Lavine Bekenstein Cancer Hospital is planned as New England’s first hospital dedicated exclusively to cancer patients. It is slated to open in 2031, according to project information released by Dana-Farber.
For Dana-Farber, the groundbreaking marks a major step toward ending its longstanding hospital partnership with Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Brigham’s parent organization, Mass General Brigham, has launched its own cancer institute and is building new facilities and renovating existing space to expand cancer care.
Dana-Farber chief executive Dr. Benjamin Ebert said the start of construction is energizing after years of planning. He said a cancer-focused hospital could help the institute pursue its goals for care and treatment.
The competing investments are reshaping Boston’s cancer-care landscape, with two major health systems positioning themselves to attract patients and clinicians. The new hospital’s scale and cost also make it a significant addition to the Longwood medical district, where hospital construction and operations affect patients, workers and nearby communities.