Following a preliminary agreement in December 2013, Star Market has now signed a long-term lease at the new TD Garden / North Station development by Boston Properties and Delaware North, according to the Boston Herald. It will be the largest supermarket (63,000 s.f.) in downtown Boston. The Boston Garden Project includes three towers (hotel, residential & office) emerging from a podium base including retail and entertainment uses. The supermarket will be below ground level, accessible through escalators.
Since Stop & Shop closed on Cambridge Street in 2003, the resident-based North End / West End / Beacon Hill Supermarket Committee has been working with city officials and developers toward an affordable supermarket as an alternative to Whole Foods. The Star Market deal has been in negotiation since last year and includes city tax incentives of $7.8 million. The Boston Garden project is estimated to bring $51 million in tax revenues over the lease period, according to the developer.
In December, the proponents filed supplemental information to the Boston Redevelopment Authority. The North Station project has received initial approvals to move forward with Phase 1, including the base levels and hotel tower. In the filing, the developer has agreed to contribute $100,000 to four West End neighborhood organizations. Affordable housing in the West End neighborhood is expected to comprise 15% of the residential units, onsite or otherwise funded offsite.
The developer’s schedule implies a potential supermarket opening in 2018. Construction is expected to start within the next year for Phase 1 (podium base and hotel tower) taking about two years to complete. The residential and office towers are part of the Phases 2 and 3 that may follow based on the success of Phase 1.
A wider “Champions Way” entrance to TD Garden from Causeway Street has been proposed in the latest filing:
The proponents have also shown new traffic patterns around TD Garden:
The “rise” and fall of Boston.