A new development team has signaled its intent to begin permitting the long-contemplated 35-75 Morrissey Blvd. project, with the idea of reducing previously planned life science space and starting a first phase at the old Channel 56 site with two residential buildings featuring ground-floor retail businesses.

Copper Mill development, which is based in Boston, and POB Capital of Chicago, the owner of the entire property for the last five years, submitted a Letter of Intent to the Boston Planning Department on Dec. 20, noting that they will submit full plans for public review within 60 days that call for two buildings of 600,000 square feet comprising 750 living units, underground parking, and ground-floor retail.

Andrew Flynn, founder and CEO of Copper Mill, said his firm was brought onto the project as a partner last summer. He had no comment on the role in the new iteration of the project of Center Court, a New York development concern that was involved in setting up a master plan for the site in 2022 and 2023.

In filings for the latest proposal, no mention is made of Center Court or its principals.

Flynn suggested that the “headline” for the new filing is that there will be less life science activity on the property.

“I think of note,” he said, “is that … the master plan called for a lot of life science development and our sense is that from a needs-alignment standpoint, housing is something that is probably more aligned with the city’s goals, principles, and objectives.”

He added that Copper Mill is beginning work at 75 Morrissey Boulevard, which had been earmarked for half life sciences and half residential, and that the life sciences half is no longer in its plans.

Flynn said that his firm focuses on mixed-use, multi-family housing, so he isn’t an expert on life sciences development, but he noted that the reduction in life sciences is part of a broader “rebalancing” citywide, as the industry is a bit “dislocated” at this time.

The 2022-2023 plan envisioned 4 buildings at 75 Morrissey Blvd. with two 9-story life sciences buildings, an 18-story residential building with 188 units, and a 10-story residential building with 169 units and a large retail/grocery store space.

Flynn said they still contemplate three phases of development, starting at 75 Morrissey, then taking on Phase 2 at 55 Morrissey (Beasley Media building), and finishing at 35 Morrissey (the current Star Market location). However, he said, they will be thoughtful and patient in the buildouts.

“We have heard some of that feedback about starting at 75 Morrissey and we think that’s the right place to start,” he said. “When you think about all three parcels, it’s important to do it in a deliberate fashion instead of trying to develop it all at once.

“We acknowledge there are a lot of moving pieces in the broader neighborhood, and I think it’s very important that everyone active in the neighborhood is mindful of broader impact,” he continued. “That’s why we want to do this one phase at a time.”

That said, Flynn added, Phase 1 is ready to move ahead. He said they would ideally like to move through permitting and have a groundbreaking within 12 months.

“We don’t want these plans to end up on the cutting room floor in an architect’s office; we hope it will be built and we plan to do so,” he said, noting that much more detailed plans will be included in the expanded Project Notification Form (PNF) within the next 60 days.

Though Copper Mill is new to the project, Flynn pointed out that he is not new to the area. He has a history with Dorchester, where he attended Boston College High School with the class of 2005. It is a place, he said, that changed his life forever.

“We were brought in over the summer, but I was a BC High graduate, and my family grew up in Dorchester, so I totally feel aligned with this project and want to make sure the project is done right and done well,” he said.

“I often tell people that I try not to let the business and the personal converge, but this is one that has converged and only in a positive way.”

As such, he said, he knows how important the Star Market is to the community.

“As a guy who ate two meals a day at Star Market growing up and going to BC High, we are committed to working with them and it would seem good to us to relocate them in an earlier phase before we get to that place where their current location is at,” he said.

“We haven’t entered those detailed discussions with them yet, but I think part of that is because there is going to be no change happening there for some time to come.”

His firm and POB Capital, Flynn said, are also “aligned” with the state and city planning on the Kosciusko Circle/Morrissey Boulevard Commission and are deeply invested in being part of that effort. He said their focus on “transit-oriented housing” is a good way to also reduce the need for vehicle circulation and traffic in the area.

In that same vein, they are very interested in the new street network that will unfold within their property, including the proposed new First Street intersection at the entrance to their property on the boulevard. He said they hope that network will be part of the solution to providing access to the waterfront for existing residents and new residents.

“We certainly hope and intend for those streets to be the connective tissue with providing residents access to the waterfront,” he said. “We’re one piece of that, but there was a lot of good work done in the master plan and we intend to…comply with that. If there’s incremental feedback on that, we’ll be in listening mode.”

Councillor John FitzGerald, who was aware of the recent filing, had no comment on the matter. Likewise, the Columbia-Savin Hill Civic Planning Committee did not respond for comment. Flynn said they have been in communication with BC High, residents of Savin Hill and Columbia Point, and UMass Boston.

The next step will be the filing of the PNF, which will trigger meetings within the Article 80 public review process.