Office building behind Green Monster could change Fenway's skyline

Driving the news: WS Development released plans to build a seven-story tower at 55 Lansdowne Street, currently the Lansdowne Garage across the street from the park.

• The new building would have 250,000 square feet of office space.
• The Red Sox and Fenway Sports Group staff are expected to occupy most of the space as a new headquarters.
• Construction could get going next year.

The intrigue: A new building behind the Monster could potentially affect views of the iconic Citgo sign from certain seats in the park.

What they're saying: "We are looking at some upgraded video boards and equipment, but largely the main improvements or changes over the next decade, I believe you will see, are in and around Fenway in the neighborhood," Sox president Sam Kennedy told MassLive last year.

The big picture: The Lansdowne building is part of the broader Fenway Corners initiative, the $1.6 billion mixed-use development around the park set to open new offices, residential units, retail spaces and labs.

• Kennedy said in October that the current real estate development environment has kept the project from breaking ground, but that the team is hopefully "inching closer to" beginning construction.

• Fenway Sports Group opened the 5,000-capacity MGM Music Hall at Fenway adjacent to Fenway Park in 2022.

Zoom in: The design is an attempt to blend in with the existing neighborhood character of brick buildings.

• Digital screens at the top would display Red Sox messaging visible in the park and on TV.

Friction point: Some Fenway faithful have mixed feelings about how the new building could impact views of the games and the economic impact for the neighborhood.