Six Bidders Look to Redevelop Winthrop Square Garage Site

BRA director of real estate Edward O’Donnell

BOSTON—The Boston Redevelopment Agency reported on Thursday that it had received six proposals to redevelop the Winthrop Square Garage site. The redeveloped site has the potential to host a building of more than 70 stories, making it one of the tallest towers in the city Some of the firms that responded to a request for information for the project issued by the BRA in February 2015 answered the recently released request for proposals by the BRA. HYM Investment Group , Millennium Partners , Trans National Group , Accordia Partners , Trinity Financial and a joint venture of Lendlease Development, Hudson Group North America and Eagle Development Partners submitted proposals to the BRA by the deadline of noon on April 21. The BRA had put out an RFP on the Winthrop Square Garage project last month. The BRA reports the proposals from the various firms run the gamut from towers anchored by new residences, offices, hotel rooms, retail shops, or developments that would feature a mix of uses. BRA director of real estate Edward O’Donnell has previously told Globest.com that the authority would like to select a developer for the project by sometime in June with the goal of securing a permit for the development by year’s end. Eight development firms/teams responded to a Request for Information issued by the BRA on the Winthrop Square Garage project issued in February 2015. The development firms that answered the RFI were: Trans National Properties, LLC, Lend Lease Development Inc. & Hudson Group, the Fallon Co., Millennium Partners, Accordia Partners, LLC, Trinity Acquisitions LLC, Lincoln Property Co. and the HYM Investment Group, LLC. The BRA will be working in cooperation with the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, the Department of Neighborhood Development, the Boston Transportation Department and the Environment Department in reviewing submissions. The BRA stated yesterday it has a goal of designating a developer by sometime this summer. The selected firm would then go through the BRA’s Article 80 approval process. “We are pleased that so many respected and qualified development teams responded to the RFP, and we’re eager to learn more about their ideas for the future of the property,” says BRA Director Brian Golden . “It’s hard to imagine a better real estate climate in which to attract ambitious proposals for a location with as much potential as this one. Now is the time to capitalize on this opportunity.” The inter-agency review committee plans to meet with prospective developers to discuss the proposals in May. The BRA will organize a public open house where developers will be allowed to present their concepts, the authority stated. The project site totals more than an acre and is located within walking distance of the Greenway, Post Office Square, and Downtown Crossing and is over an acre in size. Based on guidance from the Federal Aviation Administration, Winthrop Square could accommodate a building as tall as 725 feet, which would make the building one of the tallest in the city.