Two development teams are seeking to restart the Southfield project at the 1,450-acre former South Weymouth Naval Air Station with a larger housing component while reducing commercial space.
In a submission to the Southfield Redevelopment Authority, New York-based Brookfield Properties said the existing plan for 2,855 housing units and 8 million square feet of commercial space is unrealistic. Brookfield said additional housing density is needed at the site’s central Village District to offset infrastructure costs including a potential MWRA connection, off-site road projects and public transit upgrades.
“The current rezoning for an 8 million-square-foot new urban center is not feasible … given the market for commercial space on the South Shore and the site’s distance from existing highway transportation infrastructure,” developers wrote.
Brookfield did not propose any specific rezoning, but said future debate would be influenced by “market realities” and feedback from the towns of Abington, Rockland and Weymouth.
Brookfield is partnering with Boston-based New England Development, which developed the master-planned Pinehills residential community and golf course in Plymouth.
The other development team is a partnership between New Jersey developer Ridgewood Real Estate Partners, Houston-based Patrinely Group, Angelo Gordon & Co. and Pulte Homes. In its submission, the group said it wants to increase total housing units to 3,000, an increase of 1,208 from the current zoning. Commercial space would be cut to 3 million square feet.
“Our vision is a comprehensive transformation from broken development to the ultimate live-work-play master planned community,” the submission states.
Approximately 1,065 residential units have been built at the property under previous developers.
The Southfield Redevelopment Authority which oversees the property sought proposals from master developer candidates after removing LStar from that role in February, citing lack of progress. Lender Washington Capital Management foreclosed on the residential development sites in February.
The first major potential commercial tenant at Southfield, Dutch tech company Prodrive, dropped plans for a 550,000-square-foot U.S. headquarters at Southfield and opted for a location in Canton.
