South Bay Center to Get $30M Expansion

The center is located at the northern juncture of the city's South End, Roxbury and Dorchester neighborhoods between Massachusetts Avenue, Allstate Road and Southampton Street. Edens & Avant recently acquired an eight-acre industrial parcel located along Massachusetts Avenue, adjacent to the 46-acre South Bay Center, and plans to demolish the existing 135,120-sf building to make room for the redevelopment plan.

"The plans we have submitted will expand retail uses into the former industrial space, and allow us to improve portions of the existing shopping center," says Joe Pierik, vice president of the company's Northeast region. "In addition, Edens & Avant has been working diligently to address community concerns such as site access, appearance, vehicular traffic, pedestrian connections and signage."

The company says the project, which involves demolishing the old warehouse building formerly occupied by the AGAR Supply Co., is part of an effort to meet the needs of its retailers, shoppers and residents of the surrounding neighborhood and communities. "Overall, our plan creates more attractive uses for the neighborhood by demolition of the existing industrial structures, and eliminating the storage of parked school buses," notes Pierik. "We will be able to create a more attractive buffer between the Newmarket industrial area and the surrounding residential neighborhoods."

Upon completion of the project, South Bay Center will comprise approximately 540,000 sf. In addition to its existing retailers, South Bay Center will include a new 75,000-sf Stop & Shop as well a new Target store, which is scheduled to open at South Bay Center in early March in space formerly occupied by Kmart, along with a variety of other new retailers.

The expansion project is subject to Large Project Review under Article 80 of the city's zoning code. Construction is expected to begin sometime this summer and completed by the end of 2005.

Columbia, SC-based Edens & Avant owns over 250 grocery-anchored shopping centers in 20 states. The company has regional headquarters in Boston and Washington, DC.