The MBTA is moving ahead with the sale of part of the parking lot at the Greenbush commuter rail station in Scituate to a private company that plans to build residences and commercial space there.
State officials praised the transaction as a good way to handle taxpayers’ money and encourage responsible development.
“As the Commonwealth’s second-largest property owner, the MBTA’s pursuit of private sector partnerships promotes public transit, local economic growth, and opportunities for the MBTA to boost non-fare revenue as it aims to control costs and reinvest in the core system,” Governor Charlie Baker said in a press release.
On Jan. 9, the MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board unanimously approved selling the 4.5 acres to The Drew Co. for $2.02 million. The board noted that the so-called “upper” parking lot is rarely used by commuters, and that only about 20 percent of the entire Greenbush parking lot is ever occupied.
The Drew Co.’s plan calls for 83 residential units -- 11 of them designated affordable -- and about 18,000 square feet of retail and commercial space.
There will be 370 parking spaces, with 240 allotted to MBTA commuters, according to the MBTA press release.
The MBTA had originally planned to sell the property in 2014 to another developer, but that deal fell through.
A separate proposal to sell a town-owned piece of the parking lot also did not go through.
Johanna Seltz can be reached at seltzjohanna@gmail.com.