Massport Tabs Three Finalists for Parcel F in Seaport District

BOSTON-The latest attempt to develop South Boston’s Parcel F has reached another significant stage in the process, with the Massachusetts Port Authority narrowing the list of bidders for the prime 1.5-acre parcel to three. Another three were eliminated by the decision, including Donald Chiofaro, who earlier this year was dedesignated as developer of the property when his pre-selected tenant backed out of the deal.

The Trammell Crow Co., Manulife Financial and Beacon Capital Partners will now compete against each other, with each company proposing office buildings for the site. ManuLife’s plan is seen as having a leg up by some, given that the Toronto-based insurer has tied the project to the planned relocation of several thousand employees into Boston. The size of each finalist’s proposal is similar to the 17-story, 470,000-sf structure that Chiofaro had envisioned, both in the earlier round and in his latest effort.

Massport first issued an RFP for Parcel F in 1997. The land is located in Boston’s Seaport District, a swath of 1,000 acres targeted as the next great development area for the Hub. Also losing out on their efforts to develop the property were Leggat McCall Properties and the New Boston Fund. The parcel is one of several owned by Massport, a quasi-public state agency that oversees the port of Boston, Logan International Airport and several other regional airports and bridges.