Dorchester, MA Lee Kennedy Co. broke ground and construction is now underway for the residential portion of real estate developer EDENS’ 700,000 s/f mixed-use South Bay Center. These buildings are being constructed for Pritzker Realty Group, a private developer who acquired the residential development rights in March, from EDENS. The majority of the retail and the public parking garage are simultaneously under construction, having broken ground in January.

“In place of the underutilized former industrial sites, the South Bay Center by EDENS will create a vibrant live, work, and play neighborhood, while helping the City of Boston to achieve its market-rate and workforce housing goals,” said Lee Michael Kennedy, president and CEO of Lee Kennedy Co.

The residences will be located within walking distance of two MBTA stops with access to I-93. The development will offer 475 units with a combination of studio, one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, with 62 of the units designated as affordable housing. Tenants will have access to amenities including roof decks, a pool with cabanas, grilling areas, as well as fitness facilities.

The project also includes 160,000 s/f of retail, consisting of a mix of restaurants and shops including a flagship Wahlburgers restaurant, a 12-screen luxury AMC Theatre with IMAX, and 1,094 structured and surface lot parking spaces. South Bay Center will also incorporate 113,000 s/f of usable open space and plaza infrastructure. The intent is to improve aesthetics and provide a welcoming pedestrian neighborhood for residents, workers and visitors. 

The base buildings for the 160,000 s/f retail portion of the project are currently being completed by Lee Kennedy Co. The 604 space parking garage is expected to open in the fall, and construction of the cinema is proceeding at an accelerated pace in anticipation of a fall opening. On the residential sites, the foundation is being installed for the larger of the two buildings. This building is scheduled for delivery in the fall of 2018. The second building is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2019. The last site on the parcel is designated for a 130-key hotel. Design is anticipated to begin this summer and construction will follow in the spring of 2018. 

EDENS develops, owns and operates community shopping centers in primary markets across the country. Focusing on innovative development and redevelopment together with key acquisitions in urban areas, the company has built an institutional-quality portfolio of more than 130 retail centers. EDENS has regional headquarters in Boston, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Miami, Dallas, Houston and Columbia, SC. For additional information about the company and its retail real estate portfolio, please visit www.edens.com 

Celebrating over 35 years of building partnerships, Lee Kennedy Co. is a full-service contractor that provides general contracting, construction management, preconstruction, program management and design/ build services. The company’s extensive portfolio includes work in a variety of industry sectors, including healthcare, academic, institutional, commercial, residential, and hospitality.