Boston's $33m Latino Cultural Centre La Casa Opens

On 15 May, Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA) opens La Casa, a $33m, 26,000-sq.-ft Latino cultural centre in Boston's South End—the largest of its kind in New England. The nonprofit community development corporation, founded in 1968 by Puerto Rican activists who successfully resisted displacement and advocated for housing justice, now holds over $250m in assets and 667 affordable housing units. La Casa, designed by local firms Studio Enée and Annum Architects, features terracotta-coloured vertical bands referencing Boston's brick architecture and Caribbean brise-soleil. The energy-efficient, accessible building includes flexible meeting spaces, a playground, and an exterior amphitheatre. Inside, a mural by artist Alvin “Acóma” Colon honours Boston's Puerto Rican residents. Salvaged stained-glass windows and tiles from the original Lutheran church—demolished years ago—are incorporated into the new structure. IBA CEO Vanessa Calderón-Rosado calls La Casa a legacy project building on the 1968 movement, emphasizing the arts as a tool for community-building. Initial programming includes artist residencies, workshops, exhibitions, and technology classes.