In February, Urban Retail Properties Co. out of Chicago and thelocally based Drew Co. won a bid to develop what is expected to beone of the largest public improvement projects in the city'shistory. The project, will over 600,000 sf of retail space, a20-story condominium complex, a visitor's center, a 21-story hoteland more than 2,000 parking spaces. Drew Co. CEO John E. Drew hascalled the site "a new landmark in South Boston." Urban officialsstated that they expect the project will accelerate development inthe area.

Urban was also responsible for the city's most recentlarge-scale project, the 3.7-million-sf Copley Place, which wasbuilt on landfill over a highway and opened in 1984. Urban and Drewhave collaborated on numerous projects including the Ronald ReaganBuilding and International Trade Center in Washington, DC.

The partnership continues negotiating for retail leases withseveral major retail firms. Earlier in summer, the partners signedSeattle-based retail design firm Callison Architecture Inc. todesign the retail and mixed-use spaces within the complex. The firmworked with Kallman McKinnell & Wood Architects of Boston withKallman McKinnell taking responsibility for the overall projectdesign. The project is now undergoing the permitting process.