NU dorm, Charlestown project, South End labs get BPDA sign-off
A 23-story dorm for Northeastern University students, an office-to-residential conversion downtown, and 2.4 million square feet of lab space all won approval at a busy Boston Planning and Development Agency board meeting Thursday evening.
By far the largest approved project is 425 Medford St. in Charlestown, a 1.79-millionsquare-foot mixed-use project that would put six buildings across 20.5 acres along the Mystic River behind the Schrafft Center. Developer and property owner The Flatley Co. plans an almost half-mile flood protection barrier and 13 acres of public open space at the site, which will also house 100 condominiums, 400 apartments, just shy of 1 million square feet of lab space, and a 210-room hotel or residential space, along with restaurant and retail space, a community center, and a waterfront park.
“I’m proud that our proposal includes a resiliency component, with parks and recreational amenities, designed to protect well beyond our own properties,” said Flatley CEO John Roche.
Also in Charlestown, the BPDA board approved developer The Fallon Co.’s proposal for a pair of lab buildings — 11 and 13 stories, respectively — spanning a combined 812,000 square feet at 66 Cambridge St. along Interstate 93. The project, developed in partnership with property owner The Owens Co., will raise the industrial site by 5 feet to prevent future flooding and be compliant with zero carbon zoning rules.
The BPDA board approved a 12-story residential building at 290 Tremont St. in Chinatown, currently a city-owned parking lot. The Asian Community Development Corp. and The Community Builders have tentative designation to build 132 units, consisting of apartments and condos.
The 256-foot Northeastern dormitory at 840 Columbus Ave. near the MBTA Orange Line Ruggles station will house at least 1,240 student beds, though there is an option for developer American Campus Communities and the university to include an additional 130 beds.
In the South End, the BPDA board approved The Druker Co.’s proposal for two lab buildings spanning 588,000 square feet at 1033-1055 Washington St. The project will include a pedestrian plaza between the two buildings.
“This project will continue to drive forward economic opportunity, an improved streetscape, a new public open space and more, all in the context of a sustainable building,” said Druker Co. president Ronald M. Druker, in a statement.
And a downtown office building at 281 Franklin St. on Thursday became the first project approved by the BPDA to take part in the city’s office-to-residential pilot program, which offers developers steep tax breaks if they convert underutilized offices to residential units. Boston Pinnacle Properties plans to convert the six-story brick office building into 15 apartments.