Thursday, 4:30 PM
Menino's plan to move City Hall draws praise, criticism
By Matt Viser and Thomas P. Palmer Jr.
Globe Staff
A day after detailing plans to move City Hall to South Boston and sell the current site, Mayor Thomas M. Menino on Wednesday received a half dozen calls from individuals interested in developing the prime piece of downtown real estate.
Menino declined to name the companies, but said one was from Washington and two were from the Boston area.
Meanwhile, as regulators and others mulled Menino’s announcement, the possible bureaucratic hurdles for such a deal began to emerge. Several city councilors raised questions about Menino’s plan to move the municipal hub from a downtown transportation nexus to a drydock on the South Boston Waterfront with limited subway access.
‘‘It is a mistake,’’ said City Councilor John M. Tobin, who is currently running for council president and has sights on the mayor’s seat.
The council technically has authority to kill a sale of City Hall, but Menino could likely structure a deal that sidesteps the council. Still, councilors opposing it could publicize their complaints and make a transaction difficult for the mayor.
Others raised concerns about developing City Hall Plaza. With subway lines below it, some said it would be difficult to construct tall buildings. And state restrictions on developing open space could apply to City Hall Plaza. Security concerns at the nearby JFK federal building, which have stalled plans to build in the area in the past, could resurface.
But among area developers, the proposal continued to draw excitement.
‘‘It’s arguably the best opportunity in Boston real estate,’’ said Dean Stratouly, developer of 33 Arch St. near Downtown Crossing.
To build a new City Hall at Menino’s proposed site on the harbor will require approval from the state Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. In addition to height restrictions and other guidelines for building near the water, the city would have to meet conditions imposed by the state in the area, an area zoned for port activity. It currently houses the Bank of America Pavilion under a special use permit.
City development officials said they don’t forsee problems meeting those conditions and that no other restrictions could hold back a deal.
‘‘This should not be excessively difficult,’’ said Mark Maloney, director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority.
Officials said the city will begin crafting a request for proposals from architects in January. They will also start looking into ways to improve the area’s public transportation system by adding water taxis. City officials are also hoping to keep the Bank of America Pavilion on the property, converting it into a year-round cultural hub for concerts and performing art shows to serve as a similar role as the current City Hall Plaza.
