Carpenter & Co. was about to receive final approval to break ground on the 239,000-sf project. But Meredith Baumann, a spokesperson for the BRA tells GlobeSt.com that the BRA board "decided to table [the vote] because [the developer] is still negotiating with Local 26. The board explained they would feel more comfortable if union issues would be worked out."

Baumann points out that everyone at the meeting was "very positive" about the project but its essential, she says, that the developer understands that union support is important to the BRA. She points out that the developer and the union are trying to work out a "neutrality agreement" in which neither side will stand in the way of the other, irrespective of their final decisions about worker's contracts. Baumann notes that while many hotels in the city have union contracts, plenty don't.

"The BRA is aware if these issues and we are very supportive of unions," she says. "When it was determined that there were outstanding negotiations it was enough to give our board members pause for concern. This is meant to encourage both sides to go back to the table to talk."

Cambridge-based Carpenter & Co.'s project will be located at 215 Charles St. on a 1.1-acre site, with one side bounded by Massachusetts General Hospital. The site was acquired by MGH 11 years ago and is being ground leased to Carpenter & Co.

The project involves renovating the jail and constructing an adjacent 15-story guestroom wing, which will be 155 feet high. The development involves a 181,500-sf hotel; 8390 sf of meeting and function rooms; two restaurants and a bar totaling 10,640 sf; a 4,140-sf exercise area; and 500 sf of retail space.

Carpenter & Co. has yet to nail down financing for the project and the hotel does not have a flag. Calls to the developer and to Local 26 were not returned by press time.