Gillette plots redevelopment of South Boston HQ 

The best a man can get? Gillette is looking to build out its South Boston manufacturing campus even better.

The shaving brand — a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble — submitted a proposal to local officials regarding the redevelopment of its headquarters in the Boson neighborhood, according to a letter sent to the Boston Planning Department reported by MassLive. 

The redevelopment of the 31-acre site is expected to include housing, commercial space and a waterfront park. Construction of the land, a manufacturing hub largely inaccessible to the public, will open up the space to the community and unfold in several phases.

Housing is expected to span a third of the redeveloped space, while half would be dedicated to “usable green open spaces.” P&G is forecasting the creation of one of the largest waterfront parks on private land” in the area.

A critical feature of the redevelopment will be a design that is climate resilient, particularly fitted to withstand the effects of rising sea levels.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu released a statement saying she was “glad to see Gillette’s commitment to mixed-use, transit-oriented development.”

Gillette has long run its manufacturing operations out of 1 Granite Street. The World Shaving Headquarters has 1.5 million square feet of office, lab, warehouse and manufacturing space off of Fort Point Channel, which feeds into Boston Harbor. Gillette is transitioning manufacturing operations to a 150-acre campus in Andover, but plans to retain its headquarters and innovation center in South Boston.

P&G will next need to submit a master plan to the city’s planning board. A site tour is expected to happen next month and community meetings will take place in the fall.

Where Gillette isn’t redeveloping its campus, it’s selling chunks off to developers, according to the Boston Business Journal. Eli Lilly & Co.’s new research and development center opened there, while Related Beals is planning a mixed-use development from Related Beal and Tishman Speyer is spearheading a lab development.

— Holden Walter-Warner

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