It is being developed on 68 acres of waterfront property owned by the Massachusetts Port Authority. The proposed development is slated to provide 585 units of housing, landscaped open space and public areas, a refurbished shipyard and an expanded and revitalized marina. In addition, the development will retain active maritime industrial uses on Pier One.

The project is part of an effort by the city to revitalize this gritty industrial area. Clippership Wharf, another mixed use project recently proposed for the East Boston waterfront by Winn Development and the Related Cos., is also part of that effort. It involves 400 condominium units, retail space and maritime support facilities in 778,250 sf of space.

A release by Massport emphasizes that the Pier One project is "the culmination of years of community work, interaction and involvement and is consistent with efforts to expand the City of Boston's housing supply and to promote an active waterfront."

Massport CEO Craig P. Coy notes that the effort on the part of the agency and the developers to work with neighborhood leaders and elected officials has resulted in a "landmark project that will reconnect the East Boston community with the harbor. With housing, pedestrian connections to the East Boston Greenway, an extension of the Boston Harbor Harborwalk, and proposed water transportation service, this property will enhance and support an active shipyard and a premier marina… while building a community-inspired development."

The next step for the Roseland/Sea Chain development is to secure Chapter 91 approval from the state's Department of Environmental Protection. The project also needs to be approved by the city. Meredith Baumann, a spokesperson for the Boston Redevelopment Authority, tells GlobeSt.com that the developers and the city are "working out some details." She adds that the city approval should happen within the next month.