3 teams bid to develop Roxbury site

Three teams have submitted proposals to develop 8 acres of mostly vacant city-owned land in Roxbury, across the street from police headquarters, the Boston Redevelopment Authority said yesterday.

Because of its proximity to major streets and public transportation stops, Mayor Thomas M. Menino views the site as a key to stimulating development in Roxbury and to creating jobs and business-ownership opportunities both for the neighborhood and the city .

``There's excitement and anxiety because this is one of the largest development parcels in Roxbury," said state Senator Dianne Wilkerson , a Roxbury Democrat. Development of the site, she said, has been ``a long time coming."

The proposals, ranging from $220 million to $350 million, envision a mix of uses for a site near Tremont and Ruggles streets that would include shopping centers, a jazz club, an African-American museum, and a center for entrepreneurship, as well as housing, offices, and a hotel.

Elma Lewis Partners LLC , a team led by the National Center of Afro-American Artists , proposes $350 million Ruggles Place . It would include 300,000 square feet of office, educational, and medical space that would be marketed to institutions in Roxbury, the Longwood Medical Area, and the Fenway.

In addition to 300 units of market-rate and affordable housing and a garage that could accommodate more than 1,000 vehicles, space also would be allocated for new homes for the Whittier Street Health Center and for the Afro-American Arts museum. A second stage of development envisions a performing arts center.

To help with financing, Elma Lewis Partners has ``letters of interest" from Urban America , a minority-owned firm specializing in real estate investments, and the investment firm BlackRock , said E.J. Walton , Elma Lewis Partners president.

``This is the opportunity to create a community square like Harvard Square, a place where you bring together all elements of a neighborhood's culture," Walton said.

Another submission to the BRA proposes Heritage Common , a mix of hotel and retail space that could accommodate stores of the size of a T.J. Maxx or a Kohl's.

Plans also envision a home for the Roxbury Community College Entrepreneurship Development Center and a jazz club.

Roughly 100,000 square feet of Heritage Common's 732,500 square feet of development would be set aside for office space, and there would be nearly 140 housing units and 620 parking spaces.

A development team that includes Taylor Smith Properties and Weston Associates estimated the price of its seven -building project at $250 million. Canyon Johnson Urban Fund , a venture firm that includes former basketball star Earvin ``Magic" Johnson , is part of the team.

A third proposal, called Tremont Center , was submitted by Madison Park Development Corp. and Trinity Financial Inc.

Highlights of this 12 -building, $220 million plan include a Roxbury Community Cultural Center , new homes for the Health Careers Academy and the Whittier Street Health Center ; and 111 family housing units, 50 percent of which would be affordable, said Kenan Bigby , a Trinity project manager.

Tremont Center also would feature 222,000 square feet of office space, street-level retail, and 300 units of supervised student housing for Northeastern University.

One challenge for developers is the site's proximity to police headquarters, which was built without parking. Some officers now park on the site and fear they'll lose their parking if the site is developed.

Seth Gitell , a spokesman for Menino , said the city is studying ways to address parking concerns.

Now that proposals have been submitted, the BRA will review them and schedule public meetings to get community feedback before choosing a developer. A decision is expected by the end of the year.

Chris Reidy can be reached at reidy@globe.com.