Image courtesy of Perkins + Will

The owner of a vacant South Boston office building says a proposed life science project would revitalize the Fort Point neighborhood’s retail scene by bringing 400 employees to the property regularly for in-person work.

Westbrook Partners proposes demolishing a three-story office building at 7 Channel Center and replacing it with a 9-story, 99,500-square-foot office and R&D building.

The 0.3-acre property contains a 34,000-square-foot office building that has been vacant for decades, according to a filing with the Boston Planning and Development Agency. The facade of the existing building’s lower three floors would be reconstructed in the new building, which is designed by Perkins + Will.

“These uses will bring new activity to the area because R&D uses typically require employees to work in person. In turn, these employees will bring economic activity to the area during the day, supporting local retail, service, and restaurant businesses,” developers stated in a notice of project change.

Developers plan to lease 50 to 159 spaces in the Channel Center parking garage.

Westbrook bought the property in 2020 for $12 million from Berkeley Investments, according to a Suffolk County deed.

Developers are targeting an early 2023 groundbreaking and completion in late 2024.