Seaport District Retail Space Market – What to Expect
If you are looking to lease or purchase retail space in Boston's vibrant Seaport District, you're in good company. Over the last few years, the neighborhood has undergone a stunning transformation. Gone are the vast expanses of old, unused parking lots, abandoned warehouses, neglected shipyards and defunct industrial sites. Today, the Seaport is the fastest-growing commercial real estate submarket in the city, and it's a great place to set up shop. With demand for commercial space at an absolute premium in this rapidly growing area, however, finding what you need can be challenging. Luckily, Boston City Properties is here to help.
Arm Yourself with the Right Resources for Finding Suitable Properties in the Seaport
Because the Seaport District is so dynamic, growing by leaps and bounds and transforming into something entirely new and exciting, knowing precisely where to look for suitable space for a business is easier said than done. It pays to have the right assistance, and Boston City Properties is here to provide it. We have skilled, experienced experts in the Seaport who know the neighborhood and its various commercial real estate opportunities like the back of their hand.
The Seaport: Boston's Newest Retail Hotspot
Many factors have converged to make the Seaport one of the fastest-growing commercial sectors in the city. Retailers who get in now stand to do quite well, as the neighborhood attracts ever-increasing numbers of startups, large corporations, biotech firms and other organizations. As the neighborhood's reputation for innovation and biotech has grown, new luxury condo and apartment buildings have been going up at unprecedented rates. The neighborhood is also a major hotspot for new, significant mixed-use developments, which typically offer a diverse array of options. The BCP team can help you identify the perfect space for your venture in the Seaport.
New Office and Lab Space
The Seaport's turnaround from a defunct industrial and shipping area began with the completion of the Big Dig in 1997. From there, Mayor Menino championed efforts to attract tech companies to the area – and his efforts paid off handsomely. Originally envisioning the neighborhood as an Innovation District, the mayor helped generate buzz for eager employers looking for prime space around the city. As tech startups and other firms flooded in, demand for new office space escalated.
What no one could have envisioned, however, is that in addition to being the city's version of Silicon Valley, the Seaport has rapidly emerged as another of its many white-hot life-science clusters. In the past handful of years, demand for lab and R&D space in the neighborhood has skyrocketed, prompting even higher levels of new construction. The neighborhood is second in the area for venture capital funding, ensuring a steady supply of top talent and firms developing innovative technologies. Demand for office and lab space has prompted the construction of many massive mixed-use developments in the Seaport, prime areas for ambitious retailers.
Luxury Housing on the Rise in the Seaport
As technology and life science firms flood into the Seaport, their employees have created skyrocketing demand for upscale, luxury condos and apartments. Developers have responded in kind, putting up some of the city's hottest luxury condo and apartment high-rises in recent years. At the same time, housing geared toward millennials – especially mini-units in more affordable buildings – has snowballed in popularity in the neighborhood. As the population of the Seaport rises, demand for retail services ranging from shops to restaurants to grocery stores has escalated, which is excellent news for retailers across many niches and specializations.
Hotel Development Brings in Even More Business
For many years, the Seaport was a ghost town in terms of hotel accommodations. The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, BCEC, started changing that. As the center became more popular and more events were booked, demand for hotel space grew. At the same time, recent developments, including the upcoming Harbor Way pedestrian promenade, are making the area more attractive to tourists. In turn, several new hotels have been built in the Seaport lately, including the Omni, a 1,000+ room hotel.
Seaport Mixed-Use Developments Offer Prime Opportunities
As noted previously, mixed-use developments of many kinds have sprung up across the Seaport in recent years. For example, Echelon Seaport, which offers trendsetting luxury condos on Seaport Boulevard, boasts 125,000 square feet of restaurant space. Another colossal development, Seaport Square, will offer two levels of retail and restaurant space among its more than 700,000 square feet. It's also home to the Seaport Performing Arts Center, SeaPAC, which is quickly turning the neighborhood into a prime entertainment destination. Many new mixed-use developments, mostly centering around office/lab space, are popping up along A Street and Fort Point Channel.
A Well-Connected Neighborhood
In addition to being one of the fastest-growing neighborhoods in Greater Boston, the Seaport is among its best connected in terms of public transportation. Crucially, the Red Line meets the Silver Line in the neighborhood, making it easy for subway and train commuters to get to and from the area. Located as it is on the waterfront, the Seaport also has the benefit of offering commuter ferry services to Long Wharf and Rowes Wharf. Many buses offer service into the Seaport as well. Best of all, developers have been conscientious about making the neighborhood better for pedestrians – and that foot traffic is sure to be music to retailers' ears.
Where to Look
Whether you're familiar with the Seaport or are just learning more about it, figuring out where to find suitable commercial space can be tricky. The neighborhood is changing so rapidly that it's crucial to know where to locate a business for optimal performance. As the Harbor Way pedestrian promenade opens up Summer Street to the waterfront, and Harbor Square Park and other developments offer prime areas for shops and restaurants, savvy retailers must weigh their options carefully when looking to buy or lease commercial space in the area.
How Boston City Properties Can Help
It's an exciting time to operate a retail business in Boston – especially if you've set your sights on the Seaport. As the neighborhood attracts more and more businesses, residents and visitors, opportunities for retailers will continue to grow. Still, success is not guaranteed. One of the most crucial aspects of operating a profitable retail business, even in a hotspot like the Seaport, is choosing the correct location. The team at Boston City Properties can help you with that and much more.
By signing up with BCP, you'll gain instant, free access to our constantly updated commercial real estate listings. In an instant, you can check current availability for the type of property you need. More importantly, we can connect you with experienced Seaport District commercial real estate experts who can alert you of prime off-market listings and other insider opportunities. With help from an experienced local commercial real estate agent or broker, buying or leasing the space you need in this vibrant waterfront neighborhood will be easier and more efficient. Don't leave things to chance when finding space for your business in the Seaport; contact Boston City Properties to hit the ground running on your search today.