BOSTON — A saga 27 years in the making concluded with the unveiling of the 51-story South Station tower.
It’s being called one of the most complicated projects in North America.
The $1.5 billion project sits atop the region’s most active transit hub.
Construction faced many hurdles, including repositioning each of South Station’s 13 rail tracks and lowering the height of the building after the FAA said it was too tall.
“This is a trailblazing project, a national example for how cities can use air rights to bring new life and space downtown,” said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. “This is also a crucial piece in the puzzle of a revitalized, prosperous post-pandemic downtown.”
The shining glass tower’s 11th floor features a lush outdoor park.
The top 16 floors are dedicated to 166 Ritz Carlton-branded condominiums, starting at $1.3 million, ranging up to $15 million.
“It grew a soul that really makes it part of the city and that makes it a city within a city,” said Fred Clarke, Partner at Pelli Clarke & Partners.
The project also includes the expansion of the South Station Bus Terminal, which increases capacity by 50 percent and creates seamless connections between bus, rail, and subway.
Additionally, the project has transformed South Station’s train concourse into an architecturally significant gateway to the city.
“It’s improving the commuting experience for all Bostonians, and it’s attracting forward-looking companies,” said Sarah Hawkins, CEO of Hines’ US East market.
The tower has announced three office tenants so far: financial services firm Citadel, law firm Jones Day, and insurer FM.
Hundreds of thousands of square feet of office space are still left to lease.
Boston could soon be seeing more tall buildings go up in the city’s urban core after a controversial zoning plan was approved last week.
The Boston Planning and Development Agency Board cleared the way for new buildings up to 70 stories to go up in parts of downtown Boston.
Neighborhood advocates are worried that future construction could threaten historic character in certain areas or cast shadows over city treasures like the Common and the Public Garden.
The plan now moves forward to the Boston Zoning Commission next month, and the public will be allowed to weigh in for what’s expected to be a contentious final hearing.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
