A proposed $120 million warehouse development in East Boston aimed at consolidating logistics operations serving Logan International Airport has sparked a debate over traffic, environmental impact, and potential airport expansion. The project, led by warehouse owner Jacob Citrin, would construct a 152,500-square-foot facility at 160 McClellan Highway, replacing an older building near the Chelsea Street Bridge.
The Boston Planning & Development Agency’s staff recommended approval of the plan, highlighting its environmental benefits, including a commitment to use electric delivery vehicles instead of diesel trucks. The warehouse is designed to meet LEED Platinum standards, making it the first of its kind in New England. Citrin’s company, Cargo Ventures, expects the facility to serve as a central commissary for MarketPlace Development, the main concessionaire at Logan, facilitating the efficient transfer of food, beverages, and supplies to airport terminals.
Advocates and community groups, however, have raised concerns about the project’s broader implications. The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) and airport watchdog AIR Inc. worry that consolidating operations off airport property could lead Massport, the Massachusetts Port Authority, to shift additional logistics and kitchen functions to multiple new sites around East Boston. This, they argue, could increase truck traffic through residential neighborhoods and possibly serve as a precursor to Logan Airport’s expansion—an outcome Massport denies.
Fred Salvucci, former Massachusetts transportation secretary and a longtime opponent of Massport’s expansion efforts, echoed these concerns. He warned that freeing up other properties could prompt Logan operations to spread into East Boston, exacerbating congestion and burdening local communities. Brad Campbell, president of CLF, called for a comprehensive study of truck traffic along Route 1A to better understand cumulative impacts before approving the project. He criticized the process for moving quickly since detailed plans were first submitted in July, suggesting that piecemeal approvals could hinder effective congestion management.
Massport chief executive Rich Davey acknowledged the historic conflicts over airport expansion in East Boston but rejected claims linking the warehouse project to any shift in operations off Logan’s campus. He stated that the consolidation would reduce vehicle miles traveled in the area and emphasized Massport’s ongoing efforts to minimize environmental impact, including initiatives to promote sustainable jet fuel and boost ridership on Logan Express buses rather than encouraging car traffic.
State Senator Lydia Edwards of East Boston expressed cautious support for the project, noting Massport’s troubled history but viewing the warehouse as a potential model for future development. She recognized Salvucci’s right to oppose the plan while maintaining her own hope that the project could be executed responsibly.
As the Boston Planning & Development Agency board prepared to vote on the proposal, community members and officials remained divided on whether the project would bring lasting benefits or set the stage for further challenges in a neighborhood wary of Logan Airport’s expansion legacy.