BOSTON Planners of the $750 million convention center under construction in South Boston are considering cutting one end of the development or discarding the planned indoor parking lot in order to avoid a projected $100 million cost overrun, according to a board member overseeing the project.
The projects construction team is being criticized for not recognizing the budget problem earlier, and for organizational deficiencies in a yet-to-be-released management study being conducted by KPMG Consulting. Possible solutions to cut costs include mothballing the project until construction costs come down, changing the project s design, and cutting back on space, which could mean dropping 100,000 square feet from the planned 600,000 square feet of exhibit space or cutting a 1,000-car, above-ground parking garage. (2/2/01)
SOURCE: The Boston Globe