575 Commonwealth Avenue

575 Commonwealth Avenue is a Boston University residence hall located in Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts, beside the Rafik B. Hariri Building, which houses the Questrom School of Business. The building opened in November 1963 as the Fenway Commonwealth Motor Hotel, a 150-room property with a 135-car garage and the third location in the Commonwealth Motor Hotel chain. In 1975 it became a Howard Johnson's hotel, a former identity that continues to shape the building's student nickname, HoJo. During its hotel era, the building included a seventh-floor lounge and entertainment venue. It began as the Cartoon Room, later operated as the Up and Up Lounge, and became the Starlight Roof jazz club in 1983. The Starlight Roof hosted performers including Ruby Braff, Tanya Hart, Tal Farlow, Phil Wilson, Scott Hamilton, Guy Van Duser, Marian McPartland, and Chris Connor. The space later operated as the Lava Bar nightclub. The property experienced two significant fires while operating as a hotel. A four-alarm fire on March 6, 1981, led to the rescue of 20 guests from balconies and window ledges; six guests and two firefighters received treatment for smoke inhalation. A second fire on February 5, 1994, caused the evacuation of approximately 200 people, with five people treated for smoke inhalation. The hotel's swimming pool was also closed from August 19 to September 23, 1987, after sanitary violations. Boston University purchased the hotel in 1992 for $7.5 million. The university initially considered renovating it into a conference center, potentially linked to the planned School of Management building next door. After the acquisition, the university leased the property to Howard Johnson and used hotel rooms for students during periods of housing pressure. In August 2001, the Boston Redevelopment Authority approved Boston University's plan to convert the building into a residence hall. As a dormitory, 575 Commonwealth Avenue is coeducational and accommodates 456 residents across six residential floors. Most rooms are designed for three occupants, with a limited number of double and single rooms. Unlike many traditional residence halls, the building retains features associated with its hotel design, including air conditioning and private bathrooms in each room. It does not have its own dining facility, so residents use Boston University's nearby campus dining locations, with the closest identified as the facility at 100 Bay State Road. The building sits above a two-level parking garage. Under ordinary conditions, the parking areas are reserved for university staff with the appropriate permits, while Boston University also sells parking spaces during events at nearby Fenway Park. During the summer, the facility has been leased to Hostelling International and operated for visitors as the Fenway Summer Hostel. Although the university's formal name is 575 Commonwealth Avenue, students commonly shorten it to 575 and more often call it HoJo, reflecting its former Howard Johnson's use. The subject is therefore best understood as a named university building and accommodation property rather than a conventional commercial brand.

575 Commonwealth Avenue opened in November 1963 as the Fenway Commonwealth Motor Hotel in Boston's Kenmore Square. The 150-room building was constructed with a 135-car garage and represented the third property in the Commonwealth Motor Hotel chain. Its seventh floor included a cocktail lounge that went through several identities. Initially called the Cartoon Room, it later became the Up and Up Lounge, a Top 40 music venue. In 1983 the space was renamed the Starlight Roof and operated as a jazz club, presenting artists such as Ruby Braff, Tanya Hart, Tal Farlow, Phil Wilson, Scott Hamilton, Guy Van Duser, Marian McPartland, and Chris Connor. Its later nightclub incarnation was known as the Lava Bar. In 1975, the hotel became a Howard Johnson's property. The Howard Johnson identity remained influential even after the building changed use, because Boston University students came to call the residence hall HoJo. The property faced several operational incidents during its hotel period. On March 6, 1981, a four-alarm fire resulted in the rescue of 20 guests from balconies and window ledges. Six guests and two firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation. In 1987, the swimming pool was closed between August 19 and September 23 following sanitary violations. On February 5, 1994, another fire on the top floor led to the evacuation of roughly 200 people, and five people received treatment for smoke inhalation. Boston University purchased the hotel in 1992 for $7.5 million. The university initially indicated that the property might be renovated as a conference center, possibly in connection with the School of Management planned for the neighboring site. Following the purchase, Howard Johnson continued leasing the building, while Boston University used rooms to house students when campus accommodation was scarce. In August 2001, the Boston Redevelopment Authority approved a university proposal to convert the former hotel into a dormitory. The resulting residence hall is coeducational, with 456 residents housed across six residential floors. Most rooms have triple occupancy, with fewer double and single rooms. The conversion preserved several features associated with the building's hotel design, notably air conditioning and private bathrooms in every room. The hall does not contain a dining facility; students use Boston University's other dining locations, with the nearest cited location at 100 Bay State Road. The building remains situated over a two-level parking garage. The garage is ordinarily reserved for staff with appropriate university permits, although the university also makes spaces available during Boston Red Sox games at nearby Fenway Park. During summer months, Boston University has leased the residence hall to Hostelling International, which operates it as the Fenway Summer Hostel for visitors. The official university name is 575 Commonwealth Avenue, while students commonly use 575 or, more characteristically, HoJo. The building's history combines hotel, entertainment, university real-estate, student-housing, hostel, and parking functions.

• 2001

  Residence-hall conversion approved

  [1]575 Commonwealth Avenueen.wikipedia.org

  The Boston Redevelopment Authority approved Boston University's conversion plan for the former hotel.

• 1994

  Second major hotel fire

  [1]575 Commonwealth Avenueen.wikipedia.org

  A top-floor fire prompted the evacuation of approximately 200 people and resulted in five smoke-inhalation treatments.

• 1992

  Boston University acquisition

  [1]575 Commonwealth Avenueen.wikipedia.org

  Boston University purchased the hotel for $7.5 million and began considering future institutional uses.

• 1987

  Swimming pool closure

  [1]575 Commonwealth Avenueen.wikipedia.org

  The swimming pool was closed from August 19 through September 23 because of sanitary violations.

• 1983

  Starlight Roof jazz-club era begins

  [1]575 Commonwealth Avenueen.wikipedia.org

  The seventh-floor entertainment venue became the Starlight Roof jazz club.

• 1981

  Four-alarm hotel fire

  [1]575 Commonwealth Avenueen.wikipedia.org

  A major fire resulted in the rescue of 20 guests and smoke-inhalation treatment for six guests and two firefighters.

• 1975

  Conversion to Howard Johnson's

  [1]575 Commonwealth Avenueen.wikipedia.org

  The hotel began operating as a Howard Johnson's property.

• 1963

  Opening as Fenway Commonwealth Motor Hotel

  [1]575 Commonwealth Avenueen.wikipedia.org

  The 150-room Fenway Commonwealth Motor Hotel opened in November with a 135-car garage, becoming the third hotel in its chain.

A Boston University residence hall with a distinctive former-hotel identity, offering hotel-derived amenities such as air conditioning and private bathrooms while serving primarily as student housing.

• Student housing · 2001

  Boston University residence hall

  The building's principal current function is coeducational student housing for Boston University. It contains 456 residents on six residential floors, with mostly triple-occupancy rooms and a smaller number of double and single rooms. Hotel-era characteristics, including air conditioning and private bathrooms, remain notable features.

• Seasonal accommodation

  Fenway Summer Hostel

  During summer periods, the building has been leased to Hostelling International as visitor accommodation under the Fenway Summer Hostel name.

• Parking

  Event parking

  The two-level garage beneath the building is normally reserved for permitted university staff, while Boston University also sells parking spaces during events at nearby Fenway Park.

• 2001

  Conversion from hotel to residence hallStrategy

  Background

  Boston University had acquired the former hotel and used rooms for students during housing shortages after initially considering a conference-center concept.

  Action taken

  The Boston Redevelopment Authority approved Boston University's plan to convert the building into a dormitory.

  Aftermath

  The building became a coeducational residence hall with 456 residents and retained several hotel-derived amenities.

  Source

• 1992

  Boston University acquires the hotel propertyM&A

  Background

  The former Howard Johnson's property was acquired while the university was considering additional institutional and student-housing capacity.

  Action taken

  Boston University purchased the building for $7.5 million and continued leasing it to Howard Johnson while evaluating future uses.

  Aftermath

  The property was later converted from hotel use into a university residence hall.

  Purchase price. $7.5 million (1992)

  Source

1. 1575 Commonwealth Avenueen.wikipedia.org