From Dave Brigham:
From 1971 to 2016 this long, low building in Boston's South End was home to the Boston Flower Exchange. The Exchange was founded in 1909 when the Boston Cooperative Flower Growers Association, which was founded in 1892, merged with the Boston Cooperative Market, which dates to 1903. Over the ensuing 68 years the organization was housed at various locations, including Winthrop Square and the Cyclorama Building.
Two-thirds of the group's shareholders agreed in late 2015 to sell the property, a smart move given the amount of money involved: more than $40 million. The Exchange closed up shop here in early 2017 and most of the wholesale vendors moved to Chelsea. Located between the Southeast Expressway and Albany Street, the site is close to Boston Medical Center and is just one of several rehab and new projects that have been completed or approved in recent years (stay tuned for a more comprehensive look at this part of the South End in the near future).
So what's going to rise here? Boston-based developer The Abbey Group has announced plans for Exchange South End, a 1.6-million square foot, four-building "life science and technology urban campus" featuring lab and office space, as well as restaurants, retail and park space. The buildings will range between six and 20 stories, with parking both above and below grade.
When I visited this site I thought the adjoining Jacobson Floral Supply building was part of the deal. But it's not. In fact, one of the Boston Flower Exchange vendors, Quinlan-Wasserman, Inc., moved into part of the Jacobson space when other flower wholesalers relocated to Chelsea. I'm curious how long these businesses can hold out before selling to a developer.
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