Founded in 1910 in Boston's South End, the Community Music Center of Boston (CMCB) provides equitable access to music education and arts experiences throughout the Greater Boston area. CMCB focuses its services on disenfranchised youth of color who historically have lacked the opportunity to participate in arts opportunities or access musical education. CMCB currently delivers programs to thousands each week, in coordination with over 150 partner schools, community centers, health clinics, and housing developments throughout Boston.

To expand its capacity, CMCB is investing over $24 million to renovate the historic Brunswick building in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood. Originally constructed in 1926, the 99-year-old facility has remained vacant since 2005 and sits in a deeply distressed community with concentrated poverty and high unemployment. Leveraging New Markets Tax Credit financing, CMCB will transform the 13,528 sqft. building into its new headquarters and a comprehensive resource for music education, workforce development, and mental health services.

The renovated facility will feature 18 state-of-the-art music studios, a recording studio, sound booth, percussion room, digital piano studio, multiple community gathering spaces, and a 200-seat performance hall - all available to program participants free of charge. The expansion will enable CMCB to grow from 2,500 to over 7,600 unique persons served annually and provide over 107,000 services (a 50% increase), including music education through the Community Music School, music therapy services, school-based music education, youth workforce development training, and community performances.

Services Provided by Classic Lake:

• New Markets Tax Credit Advisory

Community and Economic Impacts

• Creates 75 construction jobs 

• Creates 12 permanent full-time jobs, and retains 35 permanent full-time jobs

• Serves 7,628 unique individuals annually

• Provides 107,000 services annually

• Trains 70 youth annually through workforce development program