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More life sciences proposed for marine industrial park, but with a twist: Some of it will actually be marine focused
By adamg on Mon, 08/08/2022 - 9:17am
A trio of developers say they will soon file detailed plans for a seven-story life-sciences R&D building in the Raymond Flynn Marine Park that will include space for a non-profit aimed at better living through the study of the DNA of marine creatures.
In a letter of intent filed with the BPDA, Related Beal, Boston Real Estate Inclusion Fund and the Kavanaugh Advisory Group say they will seek BPDA approval to replace a pair of 1940s building at 20 and 22 Drydock Ave., across from the Boston Design Center, with 319,000 square feet of research and related office space.
Under the proposal, they would lease part of the ground floor to the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, which promotes the study of marine DNA both to find new disease-fighting agents for people and to help build more sustainable fish stocks. The developers say the institute would use its space to "strengthen their marine research and biomanufacturing curricula for Boston residents" and "provide hands-on training for entry-level careers in cutting-edge labs.
The developers say they would provide seed money for new education programs aimed specifically at veterans returning to the civilian workforce and high-school students.
They add that, in addition to this, they will commit $12 million to non-profits in the area of the marine park.
The ground floor will also have room for a cafe and a fitness center, the developers say.
Although the one time marine-industrial park started life as a place specifically to protect and house sea-based industries, in recent years, the BPDA has been trying to figure out how to take advantage of all its open space and old buildings for non-marine uses in the 191-acre area, including standard office buildings and hotels. The agency argues that bringing the park's old wharves and jetties up to snuff would cost too much and might not even attract new tenants. Its answer has been to allow multi-story non-marine buildings inside the park boundaries but with a requirement that developers allocate a set amount of space in their buildings for possible future marine uses.
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Comments
"Oops, we neglected our
"Oops, we neglected our assets for decades and now they're unsafe to use, we have no choice but to pivot" is crap when the MBTA says it, and it's crap when the BPDA says it about the Marine Park. We need to pay what it costs to complete the deferred maintenance. Let the huge payments be a lesson to our future selves not to cheap out on maintenance again. Mismanagement must not be rewarded.
Building out the Seaport is
Building out the Seaport is the worst idea ever. These developers will be first in line for "climate change relief" when the Sea rises and floods everything. There will be one hurricane that comes and undo three decades of "non marine" buildings
Have any of the multitude of
Have any of the multitude of Life Science Labs that have been sprouting up recently actually produced anything useful? I'm all for research but I expect to see results.