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‘Creativity’ and ‘entrepreneurship’ lure more development in Fort Point – Metro US

‘Creativity’ and ‘entrepreneurship’ lure more development in Fort Point

City officials gathered at 319 A Street today to mark the groundbreaking of the $100 million Boston Wharf Tower, which is slated to be complete by November 2013.

The 202-apartment tower will also include 22 onsite affordable units. Steps away, on Melcher Street, entrepreneurs will be able to kick off their business in one of 27 innovation housing units. The 20-story building will be the first new high-rise multifamily project in the Fort Point Channel area.

“From the very start of our plan for the waterfront and Fort Point Channel, we knew housing would be a crucial part of the equation,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino this morning. ” There are a lot of exciting things happening down – from the arts to the restaurants and more – and people want to be part of it. They want to live down here and continue the momentum.”

Boston chef and restaurateur Barbara Lynch, of Fort Point hot spots Menton and Sportello, got a razzing from Menino, who teased her for not nabbing the restaurant space across the street – the future site of celebrity chef Ming Tsai’s new eatery, “Blue Dragon.”

Tsai recently previewed a menu featuring $2 to $4 snacks, like roasted nuts, deviled tea eggs and sweet potato chips with wasabi salt; $4 to $8 small plates, including Korean fried chicken wings, and beef cheek and Chinese celery dumplings; and $10 to $15 large plates, such as house-hacked Peking duck and a grilled beef burger with umami glaze.

The restaurant, Tsai said, would likely stay open until 2 a.m., which jives with the demographic developers are hoping to drive into the district.

There are about 700 units of housing currently under construction in the Innovation District, Menino said.

“Housing is so important to economic development and it helps turn the neighborhood into a vibrant 24-hour mixed-use community,” Menino said.

The most recent RentJuice Rent Index puts a one bedroom apartment in the Waterfront at $3,160, a one bedroom in the Seaport District at $3,112 and a one bedroom at $2,722 in South Boston.