BOSTON — Millennium Partners, a New York-based developer, has kicked off construction of its Millennium Tower and Burnham Building development in Boston’s Downtown Crossing neighborhood. Located at the site of the former Filene’s Department Store, the $630 million project consists of the 1912 Burnham Building and the 62-story, 450-unit mixed-use Millennium Tower.
The 1.4 million-square-foot development will feature office space, street-level retail and luxury residential condominiums.
“The Filene's site is synonymous with Downtown Boston,” said Boston Mayor Thomas Menino at the groundbreaking ceremony. “The start of construction celebrates the beginning of a new chapter in the history of this historic building and highlights the promising future that is in store for this neighborhood.”
The Millennium Tower/Burnham Building project is located within walking distance of all five MBTA T lines and the South Station commuter rail terminal. Pedestrian count exceeds 51,000 persons per day, surpassing that of New York City's well-known Fifth Avenue and SoHo shopping destinations, according to Millennium Partners.
Millennium Partners signed its first office lease for the development in April with Arnold Worldwide, a subsidiary of Havas Advertising. Arnold Worldwide is expected to occupy its office space in September 2014.
Millennium Partners has also reached agreement with Roche Brothers Supermarkets to bring in its retail grocery store chain. This new store will be the first large-scale grocery store to be built in Downtown Crossing, according to Millennium Partners.
“No neighborhood can be called complete without a food purveyor of the highest quality and good value,” says Anthony Pangaro, principal at Millennium Partners/Boston. “Now, with Roche Brothers, we can truly say that what we have here is a total, urban, neighborhood place to live.”
From left, Christopher Jeffries, founding partner of Millennium Partners; Thomas Menino, Mayor of Boston; Pam Hamlin, president of Arnold Worldwide, Boston; Edward Roche, owner and COO of Roche Bros. Photo Credit: Russ Campbell
Plans for the Millennium Tower and Burnham Building project include more than 135,000 square feet of entirely restored retail space on the lower floors and nearly 200,000 square feet of office space on the upper floors.
The Burnham Building restoration will incorporate features envisioned by renowned Chicago architect Daniel Burnham, including a street façade with large plate glass display windows featuring mirrored vitrines showcasing items sold at Filene’s. Handel Architects will restore the Burnham Building, which is the only structure in Boston that Daniel Burnham designed.
The restoration has been certified by the United States Department of the Interior as meeting the standards for rehabilitation for a structure on the National Register of Historic Places. Handel has also designed the project to achieve LEED certification and will include new systems for office and retail spaces, all constructed within the historic shell and its inner steel structure.
“Millennium Partners is very pleased to revive and restore a building that is so close to Bostonians’ hearts,” says Christopher Jeffries, founding partner at Millennium Partners. “We strongly believe that this new project will support the further economic resurgence of one of the country’s most vibrant urban centers and will extend residential and retail growth in a continuous stretch from the Theatre District to City Hall.”
Millennium Partners’ development portfolio features 27 properties, including the nearly completed Millennium Place luxury condominium and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Towers in Boston.
— John Nelson