The Planning Board is holding an informational meeting on the newly-passed zoning (which invalidates all currrent permits) and on SomerVision 2040. The meeting will be held Thursday, January 9, at 6PM, at the Somerville High School Auditorium. More…
Category Archives: Commercial Corridors
11/14/19 SRA Meeting (rough notes, annotations) Reply
11/14/19 SRA Meeting (rough notes, annotations)
Ercolini, Gage, Emily, Eileen, Sue, Ewen-Campen
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Click to access SRA%20Meeting%20Notice%20&%20Agenda%2011.14.19%5B2%5D.pdf
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Minutes 10/17/19
Minor corrections, approved
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Click to access sra-meeting-minutes-10-17-19.pdf
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90 Washington St. docs to go on city website
Assembly Square update
K-mart liquidation ends dec. New tenant coming. Flower sculptures to come. Don’t know if connected to grid.
Two job fairs 1st and 2nd Nov.
Union Square update
US2 presentation, Wacheski
Working on D2 implementation; building permits being reviewed, also environmental remediation. In remediation until mid next year.
Closing to come. SRA taking scheduled for tonight. Marketing starting. Signage going up at Webster St.
Coordination with GLX ongoing. Easement agreements being discussed, also elevator design.
Ercolini: what’s brand?
A: web site “discoverusq.com”.
Targeted at lab users. Connections to Kendall Square etc. Talent available to tenants.
Q: what dependencies with GLX?
A: GLX to be in before us. We be done 2021.
Ben: what types of retail?
A: not advanced that, looking at services, prioritizing local tenants. To sit down with Union Square Main Streets.
Gage: when beginning of construction?
A: 4-6 months of remediation, starting early next year. Midsummer 2020.
Adoption of D2 order of taking
Updated date. In March required combining parcels. Clears title, erases parcel boundaries.
Approved.
90 Washington St.
Request by fire dept to host fire truck during close of bridge. Need it by Dec. 1. Generator, office trailer, tent to house fire truck until 4/20.
Q: can we still demolish plaza?
A: yes, have RFP for demolition. Will remain at grade. Getting place activation organizations. Need public process for activation plan. Building committee (ward councilor, OSPCD, asset management).
Gage: SRA should be on building committees for public safety building and also public/private development.
A: Public safety building doesn’t come under SRA jurisdiction.
Gage: need coordination between projects.
A: OSPCD will be on building committee.
Ercolini: take under advisement. Ben is city councillor.
Gage: reluctant to leave in hands of OSPCD.
A: is this part of our function? Not done demo project before.
Ben: How is lot split to be decided? Very relevant to SRA role. Want to know process.
A: separate projects. Give public portion back to city. OSPCD based on report and discussion with police and fire depts.
Ben: don’t know about SRA in public safety side. Don’t want to preclude future opportunities. Want updates on where process I.
Ercolini: How often?
Ben: public meetings.
A: will give updates at least every month. Building committee like other cities do it. Is a committee for high school project, Rosetti is on committee. Want to put public safety building at back, put public/private uses on side toward T-stop and Washington St. Bring in someone from committee to discuss this issue.
Q: need high level timeline. Want to max height of public safety building to max usable space.
Winter Hill
Last June was community Meeting about Star Market site. Has been vacant for several years. Interest by private developer, demo project, urban renewal. 95% wanted to do something, majority wanted demo project.
Legally safer to do urban renewal. To go back to community, also to ask about other sites.
Web site: somervoice
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https://somervoice.somervillema.gov/
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Ercolini: diff between urban renewal and demo project.
Eileen: demo is outside regs. Generally applies to one parcel.to get other parcels, need urban renewal plan. Supreme Court said that all of parcels don’t have to be blighted to allow taking.
Other business
I commented that their docs should be easily accessible from SRA web site.
Dec. 12, Jan. 16
Adjourn 6:15.
6/20/18 DEIR Available for XMBLY Project at 5 Middlesex Avenue Reply
A consortium of developers has gone through the initial Planning Board review of a mixed use residential (initial phase) and office/R&D (later phase) development at 5 Middlesex Ave., across Middlesex Ave. from the Public Storage facility that houses the Community Assembly Room. More…
5/31/18 Somerville Redevelopment Authority Meeting Notes Reply
US2 has completed closing with USAA. Voted authorization to escrow relocation package for Mr. Francis Fahey, gives person 30 days to move out. Many new stores opening in Assembly Square. Special permit for Assembly’s Edge granted. 5 Middlesex Xmbly before PB next week for master plan. Executive session to discuss litigation: Prospect Iron & Steel, Mr. Fahey. Voted on Prospect Iron & Steel, I do not know result. More…
2/13/18: Adoption of New Zoning Ordinance Meeting Reply
In joint session, the Planning Board and the Land Use Committee is holding a meeting to present the new zoning ordinance, which supercedes current zoning. It has been updated from the 2015 version in response to feedback from the community. More…
2/13/18: Somerville Planning Board Hearing on Assembly’s Edge Reply
The Somerville Planning Board is holding a hearing on the Assembly’s Edge project at 845 McGrath Highway & 74 Middlesex Avenue. This project includes a 235-foot residential tower next to I-93 and its pollution. More…
Somerville Development Forum 