Boston Harbor Garage tower can move forward following state rezoning decision

A 600-foot tower at the site of the Boston Harbor Garage could move forward under a rezoning that state environmental officials approved on April 30.

The rezoning covers 42 acres of waterfront from Long Wharf to the Moakley Bridge. In particular, it allows for larger buildings at the Harbor Garage and at the Hook Lobster site.

There are plans for development at both sites, with a 305-foot tower proposed for the Hook parcel at 440 Atlantic Avenue. But it’s the Harbor Garage plans that are the biggest—and longest-running.

The Chiofaro Co. has owned the 1,380-space building at 270 Atlantic Avenue since 2007, and has been trying to redevelop it pretty much since then.

Previous projects have included a two-tower complex that included hotel rooms and condos—and an ice rink as part of a year-round open space—and a single skyscraper with offices and condos.

Disputes with the neighbors, including the New England Aquarium, have held up the plans, and, while the single-tower proposal appeared to take a big step forward in early 2017, plans still remain up in the air.

With the April 30 rezoning decision, though, Chiofaro founder Don Chiofaro tells the Globe’s Tim Logan that the company is going to file fresh specifics for a 600-foot tower “pretty quickly.”

That filing could touch off another round of wrangling, particularly between Chiofaro and the residents of the Harbor Towers condo complex, many of which oppose a skyscraper in place of the neighboring Harbor Garage.

Chiofaro has mollified the aquarium, however, with a fund worth up to $30 million to recoup any lost revenue from construction. The institution will also get parking in the skyscraper complex; and Chiofaro will fund a so-called Blueway park extension of the Greenway to the tune of $10 million.

• Round two for harborfront skyscrapers begins [Globe]
• Boston Harbor Garage tower could hinge on New England Aquarium deal [Curbed Boston]
• Boston’s downtown municipal harbor plan gets green-light [Curbed Boston]
• ‘Blueway’ could extend the Greenway 1,000 feet to Boston’s waterfront [Curbed Boston]