Developers have published detailed plans to replace the Fenway’s Star Market with a towering life sciences and retail building and could be ready to begin the three-year construction process before the year is out.

The project was originally proposed in December 2021 by real estate firm Samuels & Associates, but only received a full Project Notification Form on June 6.

The proposal now moves onto the public review stage, where it’s bound to see scrutiny over traffic and the vital Star Market, which would move to a separate development at the nearby Landmark Center.

The new building would span over 550,000 square feet. Most of that would be taken up by office space or research and development, but 20,000 square feet on the ground floor would be offered up to retail businesses.

The comparatively small acreage of the lot means that floorspace is only possible in an eleven-story structure, almost 60% more than zoning typically allows. The project would need zoning relief to proceed.

“Over the years, Samuels & Associates has slowly and methodically implemented the neighborhood’s vision of creating a sense of place and having Boylston Street serve as the ‘main street’ of the Fenway. Now Samuels proposes to complete the Boylston Street gateway as one enters into the Fenway neighborhood from the west,” the developers wrote in the new document.

Samuels also hopes to improve traffic and parking, a constant issue in the Fenway. The property currently houses a parking lot which would be removed, but the new facility would add a 416-space underground parking complex for a net gain of 253 spaces.

Both the underground parking and the new loading dock would be accessed via Kilmarnock Street, relieving some pressure from Boylston. That said, the footprint of an eleven-story building can’t be entirely erased, and developers estimate the project would generate around 200 new trips at peak hours.

“The activation of this parcel and the implementation of significant streetscape improvements will complete the pedestrian and cycle networks on the final portion of Boylston Street at the gateway of the neighborhood and at the edge of the Emerald Necklace,” wrote Samuels.

The project also aims to improve the area for pedestrians with widened sidewalks and new landscaping. Samuels plans to connect around 1,000 feet of tree-lined pathways with the nearby Emerald Necklace.

Those improvements would include protected bike lanes connecting to the Fenway’s expanding alternative transport network.

The public comment period for the project ends on August 12, and Samuels is expecting to get the permits it needs before the year is out.

When exactly construction would begin hasn’t yet been estimated, but the developers say they want to start as soon as possible and project the construction itself to take around 32 months.

Sometime within that period, the proposal is likely to go through the public review process standard for large developments, though no specific plans have been released by the city.

“In our more than two decades in the Fenway neighborhood, the Samuels & Associates team is proud to have created a diverse mix of housing, retail shops, restaurants and offices along Boylston Street and Brookline Avenue, fostering a vibrant streetscape and walkable experience,” said Peter Sougarides, Samuels principal in a statement.

“The proposal for this Boylston Street parcel continues our commitment to creating more open space for thecommunity along with a commitment to create a unique pavilion committed to cultural and civic uses.”