Boston’s Old Suffolk Downs Racetrack Begins Conversion to Massive Development

Suffolk Downs, the thoroughbred racetrack in East Boston that operated for more than 80 years before shutting in 2019, is slated to be converted into a massive mix of housing, commercial and lab space that’s being billed as the biggest single private development in city history.

The project, stretching across both East Boston and the seaside city of Revere, would ultimately include 10,000 condos and apartments as well as more than 5 million square feet of life science labs and office space and 450,000 square feet of civic and retail spaces. Developers HYM Investment Group, Cathexis and National Real Estate Advisors broke ground Tuesday on an initial 280,000-square-foot life science building and 475-unit apartment building, with occupancy expected for 2024.