A development proposal would transform an entire block of the South End with 710 apartments in a pair of 19- and 11-story buildings.

Bethesda, Maryland-based Multi-Employer Property Trust (MEPT) acquired the six South End parcels in January 2015 as part of a $250 million acquisition spree in Boston that also included three office buildings in Fort Point.

MEPT is partnering with Boston-based Leggat McCall Properties on the South End project, which also would renovate 575 Albany St. into 40,100 square feet of office space with ground-floor retail.

The six properties are located at 660 and 720 Harrison Ave., 575 Albany St., 100 East Canton St. and 123 East Dedham St. near Boston Medical Center.

Pending approval by the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA), the project would begin in early 2017 with construction of a 745-space underground parking garage, the 487-unit apartment building and renovation of 575 Albany St. A second phase would include the 223-unit apartment building, with the entire project completed in late 2022.

Some of the units would be reserved for “working artists” in both apartment buildings, according to the filing submitted Monday to the BRA. The project will include an undisclosed mix of market-rate and affordable rentals for working artists, according to Leggat McCall. The city of Boston in December increased fees for multifamily developers who choose to contribute to an affordable housing fund rather than include 13 percent affordable units on-site. The project is not subject to the new fee structure because Leggat McCall filed its original notice with the BRA before Jan. 1.

Three of the five existing buildings would be demolished, with the 34,500-square-foot Gambro building currently used as a dialysis center and Boston Medical Center labs maintaining its current tenants.

The project would retain nearly an acre of open space on the 3.1 acre site, and 5 percent of the nonresidential space is set aside for affordable cultural space such as maker space, art studios or a shared commercial kitchen.

In a statement, MEPT Portfolio Manager David Antonelli said the development will attract creative, health and educational jobs to the South End.

The project team includes development adviser Bozzuto Group of Burlington, CBT Architects of Boston, Goulston & Storrs, Epsilon Assoc., Howard/Stein-Hudson Assoc., Nitsch Engineering and Haley & Aldrich.