Boston Medical Center sells three South End buildings

Boston Medical Center has agreed to sell three buildings on or near Harrison Avenue to Leggat McCall Properties, a deal that could fuel additional development in a rapidly changing corner of the South End.

Leggat will acquire 660 Harrison Ave., 100 East Canton St. and 720 Harrison Ave. The transaction also included an option for Leggat to purchase 88 East Newton St. in three years. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Executives from Leggat could not be immediately reached for comment on the transaction. Harrison Avenue has experienced a spurt of redevelopment in recent years, transforming many of its low-slung brick buildings into residential and retail complexes.

Boston Medical Center is selling its buildings as a part of broader $270 million construction and renovation project that will consolidate its two South End campuses. The plan will create an updated, consistent feel throughout a sprawling campus dotted with aging buildings.

It calls for eight additional operating rooms and about 70 single rooms on the former Boston City Hospital site. The plan will also expand outpatient facilities and the gastroenterology department. It will expand by one third Boston Medical’s congested emergency department, the busiest in Massachusetts with nearly 130,000 patient visits last year.

The redesign, expected to create efficiencies that will save $25 million a year, is planned to be complete in 2017. The effort will be financed with proceeds form the sale of its buildings and philanthropic support.

Currently, 660 Harrison Avenue and 100 East Canton Street serves as BMC administrative space, and 720 Harrison Avenue houses a combination of clinical and administrative uses. The building at 88 East Newton Street houses clinical space.

BMC will continue to occupy buildings included in the sale for varying lengths of time while it completes its planned campus redesign.

“This is one more exciting step forward in our clinical campus redesign,” said Bob Biggio, Vice President of Facilities and Support Services at BMC. “By unifying inpatient operations, while upgrading and modernizing our facilities, we will be better equipped to provide high quality, seamless patient care in an environment that meets the needs of both patients and staff.”