Roche Bros. Commences Construction on Flagship Store in Downtown Crossing's Millennium Tower/Burnham Building

Neighborhood to Welcome its First Supermarket, Boasting 25,000 Square Feet of  High-Quality Prepared Food and Groceries, in Early 2015

BOSTON (June 30, 2014) – Millennium Partners, developer of the award-winning Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Towers and other acclaimed projects in Boston and around the country, today announced that Roche Bros., a regional high-quality grocer, has  commenced construction on its 25,000 square-foot flagship supermarket at the Millennium Tower/Burnham Building in Boston’s Downtown Crossing.  This is the first large-scale grocery store to be built in Downtown Crossing and will serve the growing residential neighborhood first initiated by Millennium Partners.  The new store is scheduled to open in early 2015. 

“We are extremely pleased that Roche Bros., an independent family-owned business with deep roots in the community, will be playing such a prominent role in the rebirth of the historic Burnham Building,” said Richard G. Baumert, partner at Millennium Partners.  “As the first large supermarket in Downtown Boston, Roche Bros. will further legitimize the evolution of Downtown Crossing as a vibrant urban neighborhood.”

Headquartered in Wellesley, Mass., Roche Bros. was founded in 1952 and is known for its high-quality produce, fresh meat and seafood, local and national grocery favorites and personalized service.  The new flagship supermarket will feature 3,000 square feet of street level retail and 22,000 square feet in the historic Filene's Basement.  At the new location, Roche Bros. will offer neighborhood residents, commuters, local businesses and tourists a curated assortment of merchandise suited to the unique needs of the downtown customer, from prepared food, flowers and artisan cheeses to household basics.

Recognizing the store’s central location on the most heavily trafficked corner in Boston, the first floor will feature an extensive offering of convenient, ready-to-eat meals, snacks, and prepared foods from Roche Bros.’ own kitchen.  Other departments will include Deli, Specialty Cheese, Bakery, Floral, Grocery, Frozen, Dairy, Produce, Meat, and Seafood, including sustainable offerings from longtime partner Foley Fish.  The location will also boast Roche Bros. Home Delivery and full-service Catering, dedicated to making every event special with capabilities ranging from small office meetings to weddings. 

Leading Roche Bros.’ efforts to provide customers with just the right assortment of merchandise at Downtown Crossing are the newly appointed Brian Buckley, Senior Director of Perishables, and Jerry Cedrone, Senior Director of Non-Perishables.  These new roles were created to ensure senior management attention to providing an innovative and on-target product offering for the flagship store. 

“Roche Bros. roots are deeply embedded in Boston, beginning with our first store opening in Roslindale in 1952,” said Gary Pfeil, President of Roche Bros.  “As a second generation locally-owned and operated family company, we are so proud to be a part of revitalizing the Downtown Crossing neighborhood and the redevelopment of such an iconic building.  Nearly every Roche Bros. associate has memories of shopping in Filene’s Basement and we are all so energized to serve the community through our new flagship location in downtown Boston.”

 Roche Bros. has engaged Suffolk Construction as general contractor for the project.  BHDP was responsible for the conceptual development, creating a look and feel that reflects both the Roche Bros. brand and unique neighborhood. Roche Bros. is delighted to be working with its long-standing partner Plan B for the layout, mechanicals, engineering design, and engineering construction management.

The renovation of the Burnham Building, originally completed in 1912 for Filene’s Department Store and the only structure in Boston designed by legendary Chicago architect Daniel Burnham (1846-1912), began in summer 2013 and is slated for completion in August 2014.  The Burnham Building/Millennium Tower mixed-use project will encompass a harmonious pairing of old and new, and leverage its tenant mix – which also includes Primark and Havas Media/Arnold Worldwide– to ensure a vibrant 24/7 city center.  Restoration is part of Millennium Partners’ $689 million redevelopment plan for the site which also includes Millennium Tower, a striking 625-foot new building comprised of 442 luxury residences above 95,000 square feet of additional retail space on its lower floors.  The Millennium Tower Boston sales center is slated to open in October 2014.