12/12/16 Union Square Community Advisory Committee Meeting Reply

by • Beat Reporter, Commercial Corridors, Commercial Corridors, Squares, Growth Districts, Development, Economic Justice and Urban Development, Gentrification, Growth Districts, Jobs, Neighborhoods, Shared, Squares, Station area plans, Tax Base, Transportation, Urban Planning, Zoning code overhaul

Mon. Dec. 12 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Argenziano School
Cafetorium
290 Washington Street
Somerville MA

This is a public meeting of the Union Square Civic Advisory Committee (CAC) to discuss the planning process in Union Square. The meetings are sponsored by the Somerville Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development.

The CAC will discuss the current status of the Green Line Extension, the LOCUS process, and the zoning update. Come and participate in the discussion! More…

12/8/16 Somerville Redevelopment Authority Meeting Reply

by • Beat Reporter, Commercial Corridors, Commercial Corridors, Squares, Growth Districts, Development, Growth Districts, Jobs, Regulation, Shared, Squares, Station area plans, Transportation, Zoning code overhaul

This is a meeting of the Somerville Redevelopment Authority. Agenda not available. Current issues are the Union Square and Assembly Square developments and the status of the Green Line Extension. More…

12/7/16, 12/14/16 Green Line Extension Public Meetings Reply

by • Beat Reporter, Development, Quality of life, Shared, Station area plans, Transportation

The MBTA is sponsoring two public meetings about the status of the Green Line Extension. The meetings will include a general update on status, contractor selection process, and schedule. There are ongoing issues about the revised GLX plans, which eliminate several neighborhood connections and provide an awkward connection along McGrath Highway to the Community Path. More…

David Dahlbacka Testimony on Ades Development Proposal (MEPA #15955) Reply

by • Beat Reporter, Commercial Corridors, Commercial Corridors, Squares, Growth Districts, Development, Jobs, Quality of life, Shared, Squares, Station area plans, Tax Base

This letter is with regard to the MEPA filing for all four phases of project EEA #15595, “The Office and Research Center + The Residences at Assembly”. I wish to indicate general support for the project as a whole. The mixed-use office/R&D developments in phases 2 and 3 meet Somerville’s goals for jobs and commercial tax base, while phases 1 and 4 include a useful mix of other uses that could help to activate the area.

The following comments are intended to make the proposal more desirable to all stakeholders. More…

11/9/16 Public Presentation on Michael Ades Development in Assembly Square Reply

by • Beat Reporter, Commercial Corridors, Development, Economic Justice and Urban Development, Environment, Gentrification, Growth Districts, Infrastructure, Jobs, Mystic River, Quality of life, Shared, Station area plans

Michael Ades is giving a project presentation on their proposed development at 5 Middlesex Avenue in Assembly Square. This development is on the site of the existing office building and includes in phase 1 a five-story hotel and residential building with ground floor retail. At issue is what community benefit this development can provide in exchange for the vehicle trips and other impacts of the project. Please come, listen, and make your voice heard. The time for influencing this development is now. More…