South Boston’s biggest development in ages draw opposition

What could be South Boston’s largest single (non-Seaport) development ever has run into some understandable skepticism among local residents.

Recall that developers Hilco Global and Redgate want to build big on the 15.2-acre waterfront site of the long-shuttered New Boston Generating Station (a.k.a. the South Boston Edison Power Plant).

The 2.1 million-square-foot development would include seven new buildings, three at least 200 feet high each. There would be 1,588 apartments and condos, plus a 150-room hotel, 339,000 square feet of office space, and 68,000 square feet of retail.

The project would provide 987 underground parking spaces as well as a new road off Summer Street and a 1.15-acre plaza along Reserved Channel.

Some residents and elected officials voiced concerns at a recent forum about such a scope. Mostly, it boils down to worries that it might be too much housing, hospitality, retail, etc., in one spot.

“I’m concerned they’re putting 10 pounds of potatoes in a five-pound bag,” said state Rep. Nick Collins of Southie said during the forum, per the Herald. “There’s no room to handle the density that’s proposed. They’re calling for 10,000 to 20,000 vehicles per day ... That’s their estimate. People want to see the site cleaned up, but at what cost?”

Stay tuned. The project is still under review, and the developers do not expect to wrap everything until 2030.

• Southie residents fret over condo proposal [Herald]
• South Boston’s biggest development ever? Builders detail plans for 2.1M square feet [Curbed Boston]