Washington Village

Boston Redevelopment Authority directors have approved a 656-unit residential complex near Andrew Square in South Boston and a controversial 22-story luxury condominium tower in the Seaport District.

Boston-based Cronin Group, owner of the Whiskey Priest and Atlantic Beer Garden property at 150 Seaport Blvd., could face a legal challenge from the Conservation Law Foundation before it can break ground. The environmental group has objected to the $260 million development proposal’s density and what it argues is inadequate on-site public access under the state’s Chapter 91 waterfront regulations.

The 263,000-square-foot Elkus Manfredi-designed structure would include 124 condos with 12,000 square feet of ground-floor restaurant and retail space and a 179-space parking garage. The Boston Harborwalk would be extended around the building, forming a new link between Pier 4 and Commonwealth Pier.

Development in the neighborhood is governed by a municipal harbor plan, which was recently amended by the Boston Redevelopment Authority to reflect the Cronin Group’s proposal. A CLF official described the process as a “sweetheart deal for one developer” and told The Boston Globe it will take legal action to block the project. The BRA’s harbor plan amendment also needs approval from state environmental officials.

BRA directors approved nearly $1 billion in nine development projects Thursday, including 1,415 housing units.

The largest residential project will be built in an industrial neighborhood near Andrew Square in South Boston, where developer DJ Properties LLC received approval for its 735,000-square-foot Washington Village project.

Spread over 5 acres at the corner of Old Colony Avenue and Dorchester Street, the Prellwitz Chilinski Assoc.-designed project would contain 656 apartments and condos in 3- to 21-story buildings – 17 percent of which will be income-restricted – 99,000 square feet of retail space and a 6,000-square-foot public green.

“We have a project that we think will be a huge improvement to the neighborhood in many ways, from the new middle-class homes, to places to shop and eat, and in addition a large place for people to meet,” David Pogorelc, a partner of DJ Properties, said in a statement. DJ Properties is partnering with Boston-based Core Investments Inc.

The development moves forward as the BRA considers rezoning a 144-acre section of Dorchester Avenue between Broadway and Andrew stations on the MBTA’s Red Line for higher densities and building heights, clearing the way for potentially 16 million square feet of development including 8,000 housing units.

Other major projects approved Thursday include:

• Trinity Financial’s $186 million redevelopment of 420,000 square feet owned by the Boston Housing Authority in the Orient Heights section of East Boston. The 331 existing residences will be demolished and reconstructed as midrise and 42 units of market-rate housing would be built in the final phase, estimated to begin in 2023.
• Jackson Square Partners LLC and The Community Builders Inc. will build the third phase of a Jackson Square redevelopment project including 144 housing units, 68 of which would be income-restricted, in two buildings totaling 150,650 square feet on Amory and Centre streets.