Boston Properties and the owners of the Boston Bruins held a ceremonial groundbreaking today for the first phase of their $1 billion North Station redevelopment.

Known as “The Hub on Causeway,” the 2.5-acre site is approved for 1.5 million square feet of retail, office, hotel and residential space.

Construction of the first phase began in December, shortly after the Boston Civic Design Commission approved architect Gensler’s plans for the complex. It will consist of 210,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, a 60,000-square-foot Star Market and a 15-screen ArcLight Boston Cinema, 175,000 square feet of loft-style office space and a 64,000-square-foot expansion of the TD Garden. Parking will be provided by 540 underground spaces connected to the existing North Station garage.

The office space is designed to attract TAMI (technology, advertising, media and information) tenants who seek dynamic city neighborhoods to spur creativity.

“Design is a tool that can create multi-purpose destinations, like The Hub on Causeway, while using land and resources intelligently,” said J.F. Finn III, a principal at Gensler, in a statement. “This expansion at one of the city’s largest transportation hubs is particularly efficient, as it takes advantage of existing infrastructure assets.”

Future phases of the project will include a 38-story residential tower designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz containing 440 units, a 10-story hotel with 260 rooms and a 21-story, 525,000-square-foot office tower. The first phase is expected to open in late 2018.

AvalonBay Communities is building a 38-story, 503-unit luxury apartment tower on an adjacent parcel scheduled for completion in 2017. And two blocks to the south, HYM Investments and National Real Estate Advisors are set to break ground this spring on a 480-foot-tall, 486-unit apartment tower in the first phase of their $1.5 billion Government Center garage redevelopment.