830-Acre Purchase Paves Way for $2.5B Smart Growth Community

Southfield, Mass.–LNR Property LLC, developer of the SouthField master-planned community outside of Boston in Southfield, Mass., has just wrapped up the acquisition of the final 830 acres required to bring the 1,400-acre, $2.5 billion project to fruition. LNR purchased the land, located at the former home of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station, from the U.S. Navy at Southfield to create a gargantuan transit-oriented development designed to serve as a model of smart growth.

Ultimately, SouthField will encompass 2,855 residences, including apartments, condominiums, townhomes and single-family homes. Work has already begun on the property’s first residential enclave, SouthField Highlands, which will offer 226 apartment units built by John M. Corcoran & Co. Later this year, construction will kick off on the 220-unit William B. Rice Eventide senior independent living and skilled nursing facility, a development spearheaded by Rogerson Communities.

LNR is not on its own in the pursuit of bringing SouthField to life. The project is a public-private endeavor that has brought the developer together with agencies from the local to the federal level. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s administration has contributed $45 million to build the East-West Parkway, a necessary infrastructural addition, and the federal government is shelling out $8 million for additional transit-related projects.

“The administration of Governor Deval Patrick, as well as the Massachusetts state and federal delegations, have been instrumental in making this day a reality,” Kevin Chase, regional vice president of LNR, notes in a prepared statement. “It is a testament to their steadfast support and commitment that the full vision of SouthField is coming to fruition.”