Boston.com Article on Channel Center Project

Boston.com has coverage of the meeting about the One Channel Center Tower meeting.


South Boston residents express concern over parking garage and new park at Channel Center
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/south_boston/2012/05/residents_express_concern_over.html

By Patrick D. Rosso, Town Correspondent

The Channel Center project is moving into the final phase of construction on its major development along A Street in South Boston.

Developers from Commonwealth Ventures, the proponents, were before the South Boston community Monday night to discuss the “final evolution” of their project and the construction of a new office tower, parking garage, and two parks.
While many in attendance were thrilled to see the project getting underway, many were concerned about the size of the parking structure and the lack of community involvement in the design of the two new parks in the plan.

The One Channel Center phase of the project will erect an 11-story, LEED certifiable building with 521,000-square-feet of office space, some of which will house the State Street Bank offices, as well as 4,000-square-feet of ground-level commercial space to be used for a café.

The building will be divided with a lit glass plane and a pedestrian walk-way that will cut through the building to the proposed park on the corner of A Street and West First Street.

Many residents who attended Monday night’s meeting at 10 Channel Center were curious if pedestrian access through the building would be 24/7 or if the building and walk-way would be opened only during business hours. Residents said that the park won’t always be frequented between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and that crosswalks and other amenities need to be implemented to encourage pedestrian use.

“It seems to me that there needs to be some acknowledgement of pedestrians trying to get to the park,” said Larry Bisoff, a Channel Center resident.


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