Landmark Center redevelopment ditches apartments

Developer Samuels & Associates is ditching the apartment component of the redevelopment of its Landmark Center in Fenway.

Instead, the project will entail creating 506,000 square feet of new office and lab space in a building at the corner of Brookline Avenue and Fullerton Street; and renovating the center’s existing 950,000 square feet for office and lab space as well.

There will also be 17,000 square feet of retail in the new building and 300,000 square feet in the existing one (though that 300,000 will very, very likely not include Boston’s first Wegmans).

The redevelopment—which also now includes renaming Landmark Center as 401 Park Drive—will still produce a 1.1-acre public park.

Plans had called for 550 apartments. The change marks the third time recently that a developer of a major Boston project has pivoted away from apartments.

Earlier this summer, the developer behind the redevelopment of the Government Center Garage in downtown announced it was converting 118 apartments in the project’s 45-story, 486-unit rental tower into 55 condos instead.

Also this summer, the developer of the 44-story, 470-unit replacement of the West End’s Garden Garage pushed back the start of construction to 2018 (it was supposed to be already underway toward a 2019 wrap).

This might not be the end of what’s now a bonafide trend. Stay tuned.

• New name, change Of plans for Landmark Center redevelopment [Banker & Tradesman]
• Slowdown in Boston’s apartment market? Delay in rental tower’s construction [Curbed Boston]
• Bulfinch Crossing flipping some rentals to condos amid changing market [Curbed Boston]
• Landmark Center expansion will likely include new park [Curbed Boston]