It’s a strange day when developers in Boston are actually told to make their projects bigger – but that’s just what Cresset Development was told to consider for a development project in South Boston.
The Boston Civic Design Commission suggested Cresset increase the size of its proposed 411 D Street development, which includes 197 apartments and ground floor retail space in two five- and six-story buildings. The project is adjacent to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center on D Street.
The project as it currently stands is modest in scope, especially compared to the convention center, Westin Boston Waterfront hotel and other nearby buildings. Plus, if a proposal from Intercontinental Real Estate Corp. for 585 condos in buildings up to 17 stories – approved by the Boston Redevelopment Authority in 2006 and adjacent to 411 D Street – is resurrected, Cresset’s project would be dwarfed and seemingly out of place, commissioners opined.
"The overall size of the two buildings is quite diminutive for the scale of that setting," said Andrea Leers, a commissioner, at a meeting last night. "I wonder if the strategy is actually a good one in this environment where there are a lot of big public buildings. It seems overwhelmed."
In defense of the design, Edward Nardi, Cresset’s president, said the firm is trying to differentiate itself from massive apartment projects from firms like AvalonBay and others that create large and expensive apartment units. Additionally, he said the design is attempting to knit together the area that lies between the actual small, triple-decker-dominated neighborhood of South Boston and the emerging big-building waterfront area.
Other issues discussed include the proposed retail portions of the project. Multiple commissioners commented on how challenging it will be to fill ground floor spaces with retail stores, which are still an uncommon site in the area. Instead, they suggested Cresset might offer incubator space for the technology firms moving into what Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has dubbed the Innovation District.
"That retail is going to be tough to fill," said Commissioner William Rawn. "It’s a really tough sell," at that location.
The commission voted to send the design to a sub-committee for further study.
