The proposals call for a series of warehouses and other facilities to be built at the Massport Marine Terminal to accommodate the needs of the marine industry. Massport officials say the winning proposals are consistent with plans to keep the harbor as a working port and could add 600 jobs to the local economy.

Massport says it anticipates three buildings totaling 440,400 sf will be constructed on the site, including a warehouse with related office space. A second building would be earmarked for cold storage and seafood processing while a third property would be reserved for bulk cargo. The site, which is owned by the city but leased to Massport, was used in the past to store cars shipped to Boston. It also served as the repository for dirt excavated during the city's Big Dig project.

South Boston's Seaport District has undergone a revitalization in the last few years. Last year, the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center opened along the waterfront and several hotels, offices, and residences have been built or are under construction. Plans for a metal recycling facility in the area were nixed by the city, however, after Boston mayor Thomas Menino objected to the construction, saying the area was not appropriate for a "junkyard."