The takedown of Matthews Arena officially begins

The careful disassembly of the building is scheduled for completion by the end of April, clearing the way for the new complex.

Crews began taking apart Matthews Arena on Feb. 25, 2026. Video by Cameron Sleeper/Northeastern University

The parking area along Gainsborough Street where graduates once assembled for college commencement ceremonies transformed into a construction site as crews began the physical takedown of Matthews Arena on Feb. 25.

High-reach excavators and grapples reached into a hole extending from floor to roof in the southwest corner of the building. Machines grabbed steel beams, sections of brick wall and rebar-studded concrete, occasionally using the beams to push the bricks and other construction debris littering the ground into piles. A jet of water streamed into the hole to tamp down dust. Its droplets created a rainbow when the sun shined.

Days before, a foot of snow covered the area, thanks to the blizzard that recently hit Boston. But Suffolk Construction, the firm behind the project, told Northeastern Global News (NGN) the weather caused minimal delays. Within days the site was cleared of snow and within two months, the historic structure will be disassembled to clear the way for the 310,000-square foot athletics and recreation building that will replace Matthews. 

“It slowed us down a little bit, but not by much,”  Carla Morelli, a director of capital projects in Northeastern’s Planning, Real Estate and Facilities department said of the snow. “It’s a real pain. You always put in allowances for weather conditions with heavy construction equipment.”

For 115 years, Matthews hosted professional and college sports games, concerts and university events. December marked its final match. The first stage of the deconstruction involved salvaging materials and memorabilia, Morelli told NGN in an interview. 

Some items, like the portable basketball hoops, were donated while others, like the banners, were saved for fans or placed in historic archives, Morelli said. Some objects, such as the lights and parts of the scoreboard, were saved for reuse in the new building. 

Northeastern is selling Matthews memorabilia through the opening of the new building in the fall of 2028. Jack McCorkle, executive director for advancement operations, said they’ve already sold hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stadium seats, signage and other mementos. New graduation-themed items go up for sale in the coming months. Stadium signage, a Hockey East standings board, press box and folding chairs and tote bags made of Matthews banners are currently available.

Once these remnants were cleared, Morelli said crews conducted hazardous materials abatement and cut off the structure’s utilities.

The takedown began with the annex on the western side of the site. This section was built in the 1950s and home to coaches’ offices, restrooms, the reception area and the varsity club, Morelli said.

On a recent morning with a hint of spring in the air, construction crews dug into the concrete walls while nearby, a team of workers dismantled the arena’s ornate entrance archway, loading debris into a box that a massive crane lifted over the site and out of the way. Some of these bricks will be numbered and reinstalled in the new complex, Morelli said.

Northeastern blocked the sidewalks around the site and added overhead protections to the ramp and stairs to the nearby subway station for pedestrian safety, according to Morelli. 

While some pedestrians stopped to take note of the work, others barely looked up. A few snapped photos. One passerby who was watching the deconstruction had a simple message: “it’s impressive!”

“It’s nice to have that shared bond and root for the same team together,” said Jeffrey McCrone, a third-year student who said he would miss meeting new friends at hockey games. “But I’m excited for the new rink. It’s cool to have had the oldest rink in the area but I’m excited to see what they can do with a new facility.”

Third year student Cole Abraham recalled attending concerts in Matthews. But he was glad that a new facility would be built on the site of the old arena.

“It’s better for the school to have more facilities, and it’s best if it’s on campus,” Abraham said. 

The deconstruction work is being meticulously executed in order to ensure 70 percent of materials are recycled, Morelli said. This will help the new complex achieve Living Building Challenge Core certification, one of the most advanced sustainable building standards in the country.

“The process…is not willy nilly,” Morelli added. “It’s a deliberate disassembly. Sometimes you see buildings implode and collapse onto themselves. This can’t be done that way.”

Starting the first week of March, Morelli said crews will “carefully and painstakingly” disassemble the arena which is made up of steel posts and beams. Workers will go piece-by-piece removing the roof, metal trusses and walls. The materials are then placed into front-end loaders and removed from the site.

Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA), which operates the nearby subway line, will send inspectors to ensure the work does not interfere with train operations as it gets closer to the Massachusetts Avenue Station, Morelli added.

“We have to work very cooperatively with the MBTA to protect their property from vibration and any other possible hazard,” Morelli said. “We also have to make sure it doesn’t pose a visual hazard to train operators as they’re going through the station.”

To do this, Morelli said some work might be undertaken overnight to avoid disruption to subway operations.

Suffolk said the deconstruction should be finished by the end of April. Crews will then clear the site and begin laying the building’s foundation in May, Morelli said. Work on the building’s structure and facade is scheduled to begin by June.