Hey, there! Log in / Register
Designated developer of overgrown Roxbury land given another month to prove it can actually build there
By adamg on Thu, 08/21/2014 - 12:42pm
Tremont Crossing: This time for real?
P-3 Partners, which has the city nod to build a large mixed-use development on what has become an urban wild across from Boston Police headquarters on Tremont Street, has until Sept. 18 to "articulate a clear funding plan and demonstrate concrete interest on the part of prospective retail, office, and commercial tenants," the BRA says.
After years of ground going unbroken, the BRA in June had given P-3 until last Thursday to come up with this plan for its proposed Tremont Crossing; on Thursday, the BRA voted to give the development group one more month.
BRA staff in the departments of Finance, Economic Development, and Planning and Urban Design met with members of the P-3 Partners team during this time and noted elements of progress while also providing guidance for the proposed Tremont Crossing project. Given the complexities of the project, the BRA Board voted to extend the developer’s tentative designation by an additional month. By September 18, 2014, P-3 Partners is expected to be able to articulate a clear funding plan and demonstrate concrete interest on the part of prospective retail, office, and commercial tenants.
Neighborhoods:
Free tagging:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
Amazing...
...how it fits right into the neighborhood;
I think a BJs is planned for this site as well...will save gas on those drives to the burbs...
Whittier Housing (BHA) will be the next highrise across the street
lower roxbury, we hardly knew ye.
Whittier was...
Go lower 'Berry!
BTW Whittier was awarded a 'Hope 6.'
HOPE VI
actually it was awarded a Choice Neighborhood Initiative Planning Grant (HOPE VI successor and somewhat similar...planing underway now: expect more high-rises on Columbus/Tremont. Hope VI died under W. who believed we had solved all of the distressed public housing developments under Clinton. Good resident group at Whittier: once the largest development in the neighborhood: soon to be dwarfed if it stays as is. ....the hwy clearance program (which is being infilled/developed with large buildings) was for I-695 or the Southwest Expressway and the inner belt: would have ripped thru Fowl Meadow, Hyde Park, Rozzie, JP, Rox, Mission Hill, Lower Rox, Fenway, Fens, etc....if you're interested great book on the history of that project and the activism that defeated the hi-way: "Rites of Way", Lupo, Alan: a great Boston writer who dies in 2008..
P3 partners
Such a shocker that a development project granted to an offshoot of the National Center for Afro-American Artists isn't be running at top speed out of the gate. Involving the community is a good thing, but I don't understand the background of why this non-development group was handed this project, even if they were working in conjunction with a developer with a track record (Feldco).
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/boston/roxbury/articles/2011/02/03/develo...
"Last month, Elma Lewis Partners received its third extension of time from the city in four years, winning 18 months to show it can move forward with construction." That was written in 2011, so it's not like this group hasn't had time.
Hope they figure it out - a development would be a nice addition instead of the weedy lot. Then again, I suspect a different team could get this done if given a chance.
Do you remember how long it
Do you remember how long it took developers to get going on the South Boston Waterfront? It was a decade plus of dragging their feet, and really the first pioneers were the ICA and some independent restaurants. Only later did the chains and big box office developers get into it. And that was walking distance to the financial district. If it takes longer to get the right thing done, thats much better than the alternative, a quick development of 1-2 stories that will be outdated as soon as it opened.
Different market though, isn't it?
That was a question of creating a neighborhood in an area with little infrastructure or other business centers beyond the fish market and Anthony's.
This site is between several dense neighborhoods which are underserved by grocery and retail and yet for political reasons, it was awarded to a company spun off of a small art museum to shepherd the project through the very complicated process of development and construction. Nice idea, but at the end of the day it seems like this decision has made the local community at large wait just to hook up these people.
I'm not trying to slag the art museum folks, I just don't really understand their involvement. Oh well, better than some operator like Claudio Martinez getting his hooks into it.
Underserved
Due to crime, perhaps? Retail stores are not charities, they will not open in areas where they cannot make money due to theft and security costs.
Have you been there? Its not
Have you been there? Its not crime ridden, its across the street from Northeastern, nearby to where NU is building a multimillion dollar science building. Its also across the street from Boston Police HQ (though they have made developing the parcel difficult because their employees like to park illegally in the vacant lot so they don't want it developed (i.e. have to pay for parking at work like the rest of us)
Lot has been empty since 1964
It's been undeveloped for 50 years now.
Not the current developer's fault for that, but they've obviously made promises they can't keep.
Torn down for I-95, I assume?
Yeah
There's also a segment of an abandoned street, Hampshire Street, cutting through the parcel and meeting up with the fossilized remains of Vernon Street.
The long, long road to Tremont Crossing
A lot of nothing has gone on down at Parcel 3 during the past 8 years.
May 19, 2005 BRA authorized advertisement for RFPs
May 22, 2006 BRA received 3 proposals, didn't like any of them; advertised again
June 21, 2007 Tentative designation of Elma Lewis as redeveloper for project with 1,398,889 square feet of cultural, residential, office, retail, medical, and art educational uses, and a 1,044 space parking garage, including the renovation of 34,000 square feet in the existing and former Whittier Street Health Center building, in four (4) building blocks whose heights would range from 4 to 20 stories (“Original Tentative Designation”).
October 21, 2008 Designation expired
April 28, 2009 Redesignated Elma Lewis, extended 18 months
October 28, 2010 Redesignation expired; project separated from Whittier Health Center project so that it could move forward (WHC now complete in 2014)
January 13, 2011 Designation extended for 18 months
June 12, 2012 Designation extended for 6 months
December 13, 2012 Extended 30 days
January 17, 2013 Extended 90 days
April 11, 2013 Extended 6 months
September 26, 2013 Extended 6 months
April, 2014 Extended 3 months
July, 2014 Extended 1 month
August, 2014 Extended 1 month
Prior to demolition and clearance activities carried out by the BRA in the late 1960s, the site was fully built up with a mixture of residential, commercial and industrial buildings. Foundations and piles from previous structures on the site are expected to lie below grade. The site is on a portion of Roxbury that was created as a result of landfill operations from 1857 to 1900.
Dude, that culture looks
Dude, that culture looks awesome!
Anyway, I wish something would go in there. A BJs would convert me from the Dedham Costco.