Star Market Coming to Boston’s West End
Star Market will anchor the Boston Garden redevelopment site, bringing a close to the nearly 20-year effort to bring a supermarket to the northwest end of the city, said Mayor Thomas M. Menino. To secure the grocer’s tenancy and create tax certainty during the first phase of the $950 million mixed-use project, the city has forged a tax agreement with the developers.
“For many years, West End residents have asked for an accessible and convenient supermarket,” noted Menino. “Bringing Star Market to this neighborhood is one of the key community benefits of the Boston Garden redevelopment plan and is considered of immeasurable value to residents of the West End, Bulfinch Triangle and the North End.”
“The North and West End communities deserve a grocery store that will offer a variety of high-quality, fresh foods from a trusted brand that is also focused on delivering premium customer service,” added Shane Sampson, president of West Bridgewater, Mass.-based Shaw’s and Star Market. “The Boston Garden Star Market project affords us that opportunity. The Star Market name has been recognizable to Bostonians for nearly 100 years, and there’s no better location for us to consider than the heart of Boston for our first new Star Market in four years. It will create new jobs and provide Bostonians with an unrivaled shopping experience.”
More Jobs, Residents Wanted
The supermarket will be part of a larger development project under review by the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) at the old Boston Garden site. The development team of Delaware North Cos. and Boston Properties has proposed a 1,870,000-square-foot mixed-use complex featuring residences, hotel rooms, office space, flex office space and retail, with the aim of attracting new jobs and residents to the area and furthering the community’s ongoing revitalization. Star Market will account for about 45,000 square feet of the space.
The tax agreement, authorized under Chapter 121A of the Massachusetts General Law, will provide $7.8 million in property tax relief to the project over 15 years, while bringing about $32.3 million in new revenue to the city during the same period.
The redevelopment proposal and 121A agreement must be approved by the BRA board, both of which are scheduled for the board’s Dec. 19 meeting.