The development of Boston’s historic Fort Point neighborhood is set to take a leap forward with the opening of the first high-rise building in the neighborhood later this fall.
The completed 315 on A apartment and office building will be unveiled in December, said a spokesperson for the project’s development company. Apartments have already begun leasing and an initial occupancy will take place in late November.
The neighborhood, also known as the Innovation District, has become a development hub in the city. Earlier this month, the Boston Redevelopment Authority said the area "has the potential to become the next great place in the city of Boston."
"It is here that the downtown and its commercial waterfront meet the South Boston waterfront," according to BRA press release.
It was announced Wednesday that Mayor Thomas Menino, MassDOT and the MBTA will use a $1.28 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant to introduce two ferries between South and East Boston to aid area development.
"The Innovation District has become a busy and thriving mix of business, industry, cultural attractions, restaurants and residences," Menino said in a statement. "The steps we are taking today – and planning for the future – to connect it with the rest of Boston will make it even more attractive and accessible to companies, their employees, residents and visitors."
Development company Gerding Edlen broke ground on the 200-unit complex in July 2012, which includes 22 affordable units. In a statement, the company said 315 on A would bridge "the neighborhood’s past with a recent influx of modern office and residential buildings nearby."
The $100 million high rise is the second Boston project for the Portland-based company. Gerding Edlen recently restored and repurposed Factory 63 on Melcher Street, which now offers the city’s first innovation units along with permanent gallery space for Design Museum Boston.
Mirroring Gerding Edlen’s philosophy of "People, Planet, Prosperity," the apartments represent the idea of "20-minute living," according to Gerding Edlen spokesperson Alex Szafranski.
The 257,000-square-foot apartment complex is designed to maximize space through efficient design. It includes 22 affordable units.
The building was certified LEED Gold, the second highest rating a green building can reach for design, construction and operation. Sixty-one bicycle parking spots in a dedicated bike room are meant to encourage carbon-free transportation.
All in all, the energy savings are projected to power 126 homes, remove 38 cars from the road and save 3,812,000 gallons of water, according to a press release.
Units are priced between $2,129 and $5,289 per month, and range from studios to two-bedroom apartments with an optional den.
