Motor Mart Garage Project Team Unveils Planned Streetscape Improvements

Members of the team behind the proposed redevelopment of the Motor Mart Garage outlined planned refinements to the streetscape during a city-sponsored meeting on Tuesday, May 28, at the Revere Hotel.

An affiliate of the Los Angeles-based CIM Group and Boston Global Investors intend to redevelop the eight-story existing garage at 201 Stuart St. into a mixed-use building with new condominium units located within the western portion of the existing structure, as well as additional units within a new 20-story residential tower that would sit atop of the existing structure. All together, the project would create 306 new residential units, and retain approximately 46,000 square feet of restaurant space and retail space, as well as 672 of the 1,037 existing parking spaces. The project would also include a new basement-level space at Columbus Avenue and Church Street designed to accommodate a supermarket.

Phil Casey principal of Boston’s CBT Architects, said the city is planning to reconfigure Stuart Street, eliminating parallel parking while creating two travel lanes, a parking lane and a dedicated bike lane there.

Casey said the developer would make enhancements in accordance with the Boston Complete Streets initiative, which intends to make city streets more accessible for all modes of transportation, at Stuart Street, as well as on Park Plaza and Charles Street South.

On Columbus Avenue, a crosswalk would be added via the creation of a “bump out” while the loading area would be relocated inside, thereby creating around 8 square feet of new greenspace.

 Casey said the project also includes plans to transform Church Street into a “shared street” by raising the street and making it a pick-up and drop-off point.

Construction on the project isn’t expected to get underway for at least 12 months, members of the design team said.

Public comments on this project can be submitted until June 7; to submit comments and for more information on the project, visit http://www.bostonplans.org/projects/development-projects/motor-mart-garage.

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