Christian Science Plaza Redevelopment Letter Filed

The developers for two development sites adjacent to the 14.8-acre Christian Science Plaza in Back Bay, has filed a letter of intent with the Boston Redevelopment Authority regarding its plans to two new buildings on Belvedere and Dalton Streets.

The letter, dated June 12, can be accessed here.

According to the letter, developers Carpenter & Company, Inc. and Pritzker Realty Group, LLC, intend to construct one approximately 712,500 square-feet hotel/residential structure with restaurants and one residential structure with some retail space that would be approximately 237,500 square feet.

The project would also include about 4,300 square feet of new open space and a proposed redesign of the intersection of Belvedere and Dalton Streets, according to the letter.

In order to accomodate the total 950,000 square feet allocated by the Boston Zoning Commission-approved master plan for the site, the developers wrote they will need to increase the height of the buildings currently in the master plan. They intend to seek an amendment to the master plan as a result.

That height increase would bring the first building to 691 feet from 512 feet and the second to 285 feet from 251 feet.

The developers also plan to file a form in the near future to start the "Large Project Review Process under Article 80 of the Boston Zoning Code." 

More information that review process is available here.

According the letter, the developers would hope to begin building in early 2014 with a construction timetable of 30 to 36 months.

The developers believe the construction would create an estimated 250-300 permanent jobs, 1,000-1,200 construction jobs, an estimated $10 million of annual new real estate taxes and an estimated $6 million in new hotel occupancy and meals tax revenues for the city of Boston.

In January, Mayor Thomas Menino voiced his support for the plan.

"The Christian Science Plaza has always served as a beautiful outdoor destination for our city and its residents,” he said at the time.  “I am very pleased that the development of these buildings will allow the Plaza itself to be maintained for the enjoyment of Boston residents and visitors for many years to come.”

How do you feel about the proposed new development? Let us know in the comments below.