Nordblom Proposes to Nearly Double Size of Boston Office Project

1000 Washington St., Boston

BOSTON—A little over a year after affiliates of Nordblom Development Co . and Rubenstein Partners LP acquired the 1000 Washington St . office building here, Nordblom has filed a letter of intent with the Boston Redevelopment Authority to build a new office building atop the existing building’s parking garage. Nordblom EVP Ogden Hunnewell in a Feb. 3 letter of intent filed with the BRA stated that 1000 W Acquisitions LP is seeking to build a new 216,000-square-foot office building as an addition to the existing 300-car parking garage at 321 Harrison Ave. in the South End of Boston. The letter of intent was submitted for the project’s review in conjunction with the agency’s expanded project notification form. On Jan. 12, 2015, Norblom of Burlington, MA and Philadelphia-based Rubenstein reported that they acquired the 11-story 242,000-square-foot 1000 Washington St. office building for $75 million. Nordblom has operated and partnered in the ownership and earlier redevelopment of 1000 Washington St. since 2006. At the time of the purchase, Nordblom and Rubenstein officials stated that they were attracted to the property due to the opportunities they envisioned to enhance the value of the asset. Nordblom officials could not be reached for comment regarding its letter of intent filed with the BRA. Nordblom’s Hunnewell states in the BRA filing that the 1000 Washington St. office building is currently 95% leased. A major tenant at the property is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance for various state agency offices. The new building would feature a new lobby and what the property owner calls “significant pedestrian realm improvements.” The new office building, if approved, would result in the loss of 60 parking spaces at the existing parking garage that would upon completion serve both office buildings. “We believe that the proposed project will have a positive impact on the neighborhood and further the goals of the City of Boston and neighborhood residents to create an attractive gateway to the South End and enliven both Harrison Avenue and Washington Street, Hunnewell told the BRA. “Our intent is to identify potential impacts of the proposed project in consultation with the Boston Redevelopment Authority and other city agencies and file a PNF (project notification form) which studies and addresses all such impacts.”