Sleek, shiny stadium seating overlooking a public amphitheater could cover the MBTA station entrance that protrudes from the shoppers’ plaza at Washington and Franklin streets in downtown Boston as part of the proposed redevelopment of former Filene’s department store.
At a community meeting Wednesday night, the project’s developer, Millennium Partners, presented its tentative plans for the redesigned Downtown Crossing plaza, as well as a 600-foot residential tower and renovations of the eight-story Burnham building.
The project is in the midst of the review process. But Joseph Larkin, a principal for Millennium, said he knew abutters would be curious to see initial ideas. The development team, which also built the Ritz towers and is working on another tower at Hayward Place downtown, presented a concept that covers the T’s entranceway in the middle of the plaza with stadium seating. That would overlook an area designed to feel like an amphitheater, possibly for street performers or other entertainment.
The project will also include about 190,000 square feet of office space, between 122,000 and 231,000 square feet of retail, and the 600-unit residential tower. Wednesday night’s proposal showed the entrance to the Downtown Crossing T stop eliminated on Washington Street, but retained on Summer Street.
The most vocalized concerns from the audience were about the potential for 550 parking spaces. Several attendees, including one who said he worked at 33 Arch St., criticized the proposed number of parking spaces. Larkin responded by saying that it’s "not likely" they will build the full 550, "but we could."
When asked the range of prices for the units, Larkin said that while some tenants would not need to be the senior partner at a law firm, still, "It’s going to be expensive."
As Banker & Tradesman reported, six large-scale retailers are "deep in evaluation" of potentially anchoring the nearly 1.2-million-square-foot, mixed-use project that will replace the Filene’s pit in downtown Boston.
If Millennium Partners secures commitments for portions of the 450,000 square feet of potential retail and office space, construction could start as soon as next February, Larkin said. And if Millennium can secure a tenant, the Burnham building could open in 2014, before the tower.
