Owners of long-empty Alexandra Hotel hope the fourth time's the charm to revive historic property
'This is one of the most beautiful buildings in Boston, arguably, and it really deserves to be restored, brought back to its original grandeur,' Calus said.
The building's historic facade.
David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
The Victorian Gothic property, which dates to 1875, has seen a long stretch of unsuccessful redevelopment plays. In 2008, the Church of Scientology bought the dilapidated building for $4.5 million, planning a restoration that was to eventually house the church's local headquarters.
By that time, Calus and Bhogal had already been involved in the Alexandra Hotel for a year. In mid-2018,
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'Due to decades of neglect and extensive water infiltration, the existing structure is no longer viable and will accordingly be replaced,'
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But then came the COVID-19 pandemic, which clobbered the hospitality and tourism industry, and there wasn't much appetite for a new hotel. So Calus and Bhogal in mid-2021 came back to the city with a new plan: condominiums. A few months later,
Shortly after the approval, federal interest rates — which had long been near zero — began shooting up. Construction financing, which had been readily available for years, quickly became much more expensive and made projects harder to pencil out economically.
Bhogal and Calus considered switching to apartments, but the hotel market had begun showing new signs of life. The pair reverted to their original plan: a hotel built behind a restored facade, a 13-story, 150-room structure with rooftop bar and restaurant. The BPDA board
'Construction costs were through the roof, and we weren't able to make the project work as a larger hotel,' Calus said. 'So we decided to rethink the project.'
A rendering of the ground floor, which would include either a retail store or a restaurant.
Embarc
Amid the rethinking came a big stroke of good fortune: Governor Maura Healey's $3.5 billion economic development bill — signed into law in November —
The developers
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A view of the empty lot next to former Alexandra Hotel where the addition is planned.
David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
An added bonus? Removing the 'controversial' tower above the existing facade — long the subject of neighborhood ire — has renewed community excitement about a restoration, Calus said.
'Most people in the community, and Boston as a whole, really want to see this building restored the way it is, without having to add a tower,' Calus said. 'We like the scale of it. We like the design of the new building and how it connects with the old building. We're just happy to move this project along.'
The project team has donated to community benefits, as many developers in Boston do. And an advisory meeting at the Boston Landmarks Commission saw an 'overwhelmingly positive' response and a few minor design tweaks, said Marc LaCasse, an attorney representing the developers.
'The big bone of contention in all the prior approvals was the height of the tower,' LaCasse said. 'The fact that the tower is gone — everyone says, 'We love it. ... When can you start?''
Bob Minnocci, a board member of the Worcester Square Area Neighborhood Association, said several community members who had previously opposed the project due to the additional height were now fully in support. Minnocci, who himself lives a few doors down from the Alexandra, said he was 'thrilled' at the potential of something actually happening on the dilapidated property.
'It's just been falling into greater disrepair as the years have gone on,' he said. 'You're looking at a blight on the community — your eye just can't go further when you look at that blight. Now you're going to see a fresh, brand new project that's just going to be beautiful, cleaned up, and really be an important part of the gateway from this area.'
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At its smaller size, the project can move more quickly through the Planning Department's review. LaCasse said he expected the BPDA board to vote on the proposal as soon as next month, and then South End Landmarks Commission needs to give its final sign-off before work can begin.
'Our heart is attached to it at this point, so we want to take it through,' Calus said. 'I'm not going to say there haven't been moments where we lost hope and faith. This new iteration feels right, and we're very happy with it, and we're excited for this, so it's kind of giving us some new energy. We're not giving up. This one's going to work. This one's the one.'
Faded architectural details of the building's exterior.
David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
Catherine Carlock can be reached at
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