Northeastern plans to replace historic Matthews Arena

Northeastern University is seeking to replace its historic Matthews Arena with a new multi-purpose athletics facility, it said Tuesday in a letter of intent filed with the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA).

The letter, sent by Kathy Spiegelman, vice president of university planning, real estate and facilities at the BPDA, stated that Matthews would be replaced by a 290,000-square-foot facility for Northeast sporting events . Matthews is the oldest multi-purpose athletic building in the world and was purchased by Northeastern in 1979, the school’s website states.

If approved, the new facility would include an arena, multi-purpose turf playing field, basketball courts, recreational fields and “other accessory uses” to meet Northeastern’s athletic needs, according to the letter.

“The project will also include site improvements including new street trees, pedestrian improvements and public realm improvements,” Spiegelman wrote.

In a statement to The Boston Globeuniversity spokeswoman Renata Nyul said Matthews is “over a century old and reaching the end of his useful life.”

“It has recently undergone structural modifications which will temporarily extend its use. Simultaneously, the university conducted long-term assessments regarding the growing demand for state-of-the-art athletic and recreational facilities on our Boston campus. This is why we are starting the process to explore new options with the BPDA,” Nyul told World.

The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Boston.com Thursday afternoon.

Matthews Arena, originally Boston Arena, opened in 1910. In 1982, it was renamed Matthews Arena in honor of George Matthews, a Northeastern graduate and former chairman of the board of directors of the ‘school. Matthews, who died in January, helped finance the arena’s renovation when the school purchased it.

The building has undergone several renovations under Northeastern’s ownership. The rink was expanded in 1995 and in 2010 the arena received a new roof and new seats.

Matthews has been the site of many important political and sporting events, including presidential rallies for Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt, receptions for Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart, and the funeral of Reggie Lewis.

The building also survived two fires, one in 1918 and another in 1948. Northeastern’s website calls the arena “a stationary jewel of the community.”

The proposed facility is part of Northeastern’s new 10-year master plan, Spiegelman said in the letter.

“We look forward to working with City of Boston agencies, members of the Northeastern University Task Force, elected officials and community members as we undertake the review of the renewal of this institutional master plan and the project,” Spiegelman wrote.