Architect's rendering of proposed reuse of 1898 building at L Street site.
The developers who want to turn the old L Street power plant into the Next Big Thing on the Waterfront this week filed new plans with the BPDA that call for 750 housing units, down from the 1,344 they initially proposed on the 15-acre site.
That still might not be enough of a cut for some local leaders and residents, who don't seem to mind offices and stores, but who say all those new apartments will be the straw that breaks the camel's back in a neighborhood they say is bursting at the seams with development and more development.
The "supplemental information document" filed by Hilco Redevelopment Partners and Redgate Capital Partners for their proposed L Street Station calls for an overall decrease in the size of the project, from 1.93 million square feet to 1.78 million, much of that achieved by cutting out plans for so many housing units. But the plans do call for an increase in the amount of office space, from 368,070 square feet to 470,000 square feet - and the addition of 330,000 square feet in R&D space, something the initial filing had not included at all.
The new proposal also calls for a new 14,000-square-foot community space, and an overall decrease in parking spaces, from 1,397 to 1,214. Also, residents of the new spaces better not think they can just park anywhere they want in South Boston:
The Project will provide 120 parking spaces to neighborhood residents on nights and weekends at a discounted rate within the parking garages in the commercial buildings. The Project will also enter into an agreement with the City to waive resident parking stickers for apartment residents on the Site.
The project still also includes retail space, including, of course, a food hall, but marijuana-related businesses will have to look elsewhere - nobody's going to be getting any bowls or tinctures or fancy glass bongs at L Street Station.
The developers hope to begin the 10 to 15 year build out with demolition this fall.
Supplemental information document (95M PDF).
Proposed rendering of entire complex (original turbine halls and 1898 buildings, in blue on the right, will stay):
Clik here to view.
