2101 Commonwealth reopens
2101 Commonwealth at Boston College, one of Greater Boston’s prime event destinations, has reopened following last year’s six-month renovation.
Originally constructed in 1927, the grand Roman Renaissance Revival-style building is located on the University’s 65-acre Brighton Campus just minutes from downtown Boston, with views of the city skyline. Among BC’s most distinctive spaces, 2101 Commonwealth is designed for elegant, exclusive celebrations including weddings, special occasions, private functions, and corporate events.
“2101 Commonwealth is destined to be a premier event location for our University,” said Associate Vice President for Auxiliary Services Patricia Bando. “There is intended synergy between the McMullen Museum of Art and Auxiliary Services Event Management for operating this beautiful gathering place to our Boston College community of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends.
“BC has worked on beautifying not only inside this majestic building but also the outside grounds, which serve as a lovely setting for celebrations of major campus events or wedding receptions,” she added.
The Neo-Renaissance palazzo includes an adjacent glass-enclosed space that houses the McMullen Museum, offering a combination of old-world art in a modern setting, with elegant interiors, a patio, and formal lawn which accommodate varied event needs, with on-site catering provided.
Featured as a Unique Venues “Top Pick,” the rooms showcase works of art from the McMullen Museum permanent collection, including masterpieces from the private collection of famed investor and University Trustee Peter Lynch ’65, H’95 and his late wife, Carolyn H’09, which he donated to BC. The Carolyn A. and Peter S. Lynch Collection comprises 27 paintings and three drawings from 20 renowned artists, among them Albert Bierstadt, Childe Hassam, Martin Johnson Heade, Fitz Henry Lane, Mary Cassatt, Pablo Picasso, Winslow Homer, and Jack Butler Yeats, and are displayed on the first floor.
“We are excited to share that our 2101 Commonwealth venue has reopened,” said Director of Event Management James Mastin. “It’s the perfect backdrop where elegance meets art, after a thoughtful renovation and installation” of the Lynch Collection.
The collection “transforms the walls of this Boston College special event space into a beautiful, breathtaking gallery to view the works of fine artists,” said Bando. “This art collection is truly an added value for internal or external events at 2101 Commonwealth.”
The Hill Family Room and its adjacent gallery in The Putnam Room (rooms 111 and 109, respectively) are ideal for intimate events and can accommodate 56 guests for a seated meal with a dance floor, Mastin noted. Combined, the galleries on the first floor can accommodate up to 180 for a reception-style event. Outdoor events may be hosted on the expansive lawn from May through October, and require the use of a tent; the lawn is suited for guest counts up to 180 for a seated meal. The venue—which also has won accolades from The Knot and Wedding Wire, and praise from many who have celebrated occasions there—provides free parking.
To celebrate the reopening of 2101 Commonwealth, exclusive pricing will be offered to Boston College faculty and staff for special events on select dates from now through December 15. For more information and to reserve a special event date, email 2101commonwealth@bc.edu or call 617-552-0311. This offer will later be extended to University alumni, as well as to the public.
“We are so happy to extend a welcome to our Boston College community and friends who are planning an event or program that needs to have a memorable ambience,” said Bando. “2101 Commonwealth is that place.”