601 Congress St./Photo courtesy of BioMed Realty
Boston Planning & Development Agency officials approved two new life science projects in the Seaport District, including one that’s already landed an anchor tenant, and construction of 255 housing units at properties in the Fenway, Roxbury, Hyde Park and Jamaica Plain.
Boston-based Marcus Partners is redeveloping the Au Bon Pain bakery property in the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park as the latest expansion location for Ginkgo Bioworks, which is headquartered in the nearby Innovation and Design Building.
The biotech firm will occupy 150,000 square feet in the 8-story, 219,000-square-foot building on the 2.6-acre parcels O and P on Au Bon Pain Way and Anchor Way, which will also include a 9,000-square-foot amenity building.
Ginkgo Bioworks is also expanding in Cambridge, after leasing nearly 39,000 square feet at The Davis Cos.’ Quad complex at 10 Wilson Road. The firm is going public through a special purpose acquisition company in a deal valued at $15 billion.
BioMed Realty, which ground-leased the former John Hancock office building at 601 Congress St. in January for $362 million, plans to convert the 482,000-square-foot complex into lab-ready space following approval of the conversion plans Thursday.
At its August meeting, the BPDA board of directors also approved 255 housing units at four projects that will include a combined 121 income-restricted units.
At 135 Dudley St. in Nubian Square, Cruz Development Corp. received approval for a 168-unit apartment and condo project that includes 60 affordable apartments and 27 income-restricted condos.
The two-building complex includes new offices for the Boston chapter of the NAACP, which will occupy the space rent-free for a decade.
Fenway Community Development Corp. received approval for a 100 percent affordable project at 72 Burbank Terrace including 27 compact living units. The project does not include on-site vehicle parking, and residents will be given the option of receiving free Bluebikes subscriptions or subsidized MBTA passes.
In Hyde Park, Whiteacre Properties LLC received approval for 34 apartments, including seven affordable units, in a new 36,000-square-foot building at 804 Hyde Park Ave.
And in Jamaica Plain, the board approved plans by developer/owner James McClure for 13 compact living studios in a four-story, 6,669-square-foot building replacing a vacant lot at 3-5 Woodlawn St.
