The owners of the former Filene’s site in Boston’s Downtown Crossing will need to submit a new project proposal if they plan to build anything on the blighted street corner.
Frustrated by the lack of progress at the site, the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) issued a letter today to Boston Global Investors’ John Hynes and Vornado Realty Trust’s Steven Roth, the project’s main developers, saying the original project notification form is null and void. The action comes after various local groups said the lack of project progress continues to negatively affect the area.
It’s been three years since the BRA issued a building permit to the team of Hynes and Roth, and no progress has been made to fill the gaping maw in the ground where the storied department store once stood.
According to the BRA’s letter to the developers, the stop sign Hynes and Roth have placed in front of the One Franklin project have cost the city more than $20 million in new tax revenue, approximately 672 construction jobs and more than 2,700 permanent jobs.
"We know they have their feelers out for [selling the site]," said Jessica Shumaker, spokesperson for the BRA. "Our goal is to get the project going again, whether it’s them going through the Article 80 process [large project review process] again or it’s them selling it."
The development team has been looking at variations of the original proposal to see what could be financed in the current economic climate. Shumaker said other developers have approached the BRA and said anecdotally that they’d be interested in the property, but no official proposals have been made.
In a stinging conclusion to the letter, BRA Director John F. Palmieri indicated that perhaps it was time for the current development team to step away from the project.
"Recent reports in the media indicate that a broker is now marketing the One Franklin property," Palmieri wrote. "It is my sincere hope that this represents a genuine effort to identify an experienced and capable developer who is dedicated to bringing new economic life to Downtown Crossing and the city of Boston."
Hynes did not return a call seeking comment.
