by David Dahlbacka in Beat Reporter, Development and Zoning, Environment and Open Space, Neighborhoods and Squares, Somerville By The Numbers, Transportation, Ward 1
Posted on July 2, 2010 at 7:11 pm
Last Modified on July 2, 2010 at 7:13 pm
loading…
(Ref: 6/30/10 Ocean State Job Lot Introductory Meeting)
Meeting at Elizabeth Peabody House, 277 Broadway (almost next door to site). Same time as Green Line Extension FEIR meeting, but about 40 people there, including ~4 city staff, 3 aldermen (White, Sullivan, Pero), Mayor Joe Curtatone. James Cohen, owner, present, along with Ocean State Job Lots representative. Attorney representing property presented, described later as friend of Mayor.
Cumulative notes:
* Length of lease: 10 years, plus 5 year extensions. Exact terms confidential but could be 30 years. (Apparently started city process with 5 years lease, later boosted.) Lease until 2024 on building and parking lot.
* # employees: 45-50 people. Later broke down as: 4 mgrs, 28 full time, 7-20 seasonal: 57-74 total.
* # square feet: 27,000
* Food sales? No perishables, but food is sold there.
Was empty Star Market store, in bad condition. Neighborhood wanted another grocery store. Attorney described yearlong search for grocery store tenant. > 22 supermarkets contacted. Store size obsolete. Demoulas wanted 100 K s.f. (In the audience, there was speculation the primary interest was always Ocean State Job Lots.)
Zoning changed. 1st meeting with Planning Board scheduled July 15 at 6 PM. Use requires 4 special permits, 3 for a preexisting nonconforming use plus 1 change of use from Grocery to Large Format Retail.
Comment: Can you break this into a smaller supermarket and other uses? In recent months, economy is better.
Answer: Odd Lot includes boxes of food, like Costco. Have tenant, want to move forward with process. City economic development department struck out on finding tenants.
Comment: City has no obligation to approve this change of use.
Comment: There is new Broadway zoning in place. Do you consider this use consistent with that use?
Answer: Noncommittal from attorney. City staff replied new zoning wants higher value uses, such as 5-story office buildings, in area. Zoning allows buildings up to 55 feet in height, like Union Square mixed use development.
Comment: It’s been alleged the property values drop when a use like this is put in place. Was neglected before, but can you comment.
Answer: No answer from tenant.
Comment: Have you considered doing something different here.
Answer: Not approached by anyone.
Comment: Would you want to redevelop it.
Answer: City described a vision, we thought ideas economically unfeasible.
Mayor C.: They listened and said not feasible. Administration is concerned about specific issues. Attorney, owner, tenant all honorable people. Job Lots OK, concerned about type of use.
Comment: Wants best use of space. Do we want this? Could turn Broadway into a strip mall. Owner’s treatment of property has contributed to Winter Hill decline.
Answer: There is a cross agreement with Rite Aid on property
Comment: Parcel very valuable. We hoped to inspire revitalization of Winter Hill. You’re saying “let’s settle for this.” In 10 years the neighborhood will be very different. Lots of money coming into neighborhood. Maybe owner should look into subdividing for smaller tenant. Take a proactive stance, add value.
City staff: This is a voluntary meeting called by the developer. Officially, this is a special permit use. There is a process before Planning Board, including consistency with purpose of zoning. What is said here IS NOT part of the official record. If you want to send written testimony before July 15 Planning Board hearing, send to OSPCD (Rob May), Planning Department, Planning Board. Go to Planning Board hearing July 15 @ 6PM.
Comment (abutter): Space has bad uses now. Condoms, boozers, drugs, disgusting. Neighbor couldn’t sell property. I am willing to compromise.
Comment (another abutter): Star Market dumpster smelly next to my yard 20 years. Is better to have Job Lot than nothing.
Comment: Were lots of meetings on new zoning. How is that project going? This use will shoot down all those meetings we had about rebuilding Broadway.
Answer: Municipality has wish list, a “Comprehensive Plan”. Property owners have their own issues, not ready to make that leap.
Comment: Height issue taken care of. Aldermen and administration worked hard on rezoning. At least 5 public meetings. Assembly Square coming to fruition, city on the move.
Ocean State Job Lot real estate development manager spoke. Job Lot is $550M company, almost 100 stores, 2 years in this process. People appreciate institution. Good quality goods, good prices. Not a grocery store, but have food.
Take great umbrage with things said about company. Chatham opposed us at first, but likes us now. Bring that quality to Somerville.
Have a Facebook page with unedited comments by customers. Good things said about store.
Globe article praising food product. Give $ to Boston Medical. Endorsements from VA, Educator Partnership Program. Co-anchors include Market Basket, Marshalls, Bob’s Store, Stop & Shop, Rite Aid, Price Rite.
[NOTE: Presentation disrupted when member of audience pointed out the Somerville had been misspelled as Sommerville on slide. Presenter responded, “I don’t care.” Someone said, “You can’t talk to people that way”. Four people got up from audience and walked out. After a few minutes, presenter closed laptop and also walked out. Attorney continued.]
Comment: Will Job Lots fix façade? Presentation didn’t show front of store.
Comment: Store is on Chatham border. They are usually in malls and strip malls. See the store in Bourne near the bridge.
Comment: Union jobs, wages, benefits?
Answer: Nonunion jobs, usually local employees, prevailing wage.
Comment: Do we really expect people to go to the store to buy groceries?
Comment: What’s your expectation on the resulting traffic? Is the catch basin 10 miles? 20 miles? 30 miles?
Answer: Traffic estimates less than grocery store. Don’t have a study of catch basin. Idea came up with IKEA, now discredited. Supermarket about 1400 trips/day. Job Lots estimates 800/day.
Attorney stated the city has delayed them from the beginning. “Feels misled”.
Comment: Landlord’s support of long-term tenants shown by smelly dumpster after 20 years.
Ald. Sullivan: Learned of drainage issues at property, loose sound barrier, insulation. Landlord should take care of neighborhood. Track record not good. Back alley floods into basement.
Answer: Tonight was first time I heard about drainage problem.
Ald. Pero: If there are crime and drug problems on site, tell me and I’ll get the police there.
Comment: This is the wrong place for this use. We should all go to the Planning Board and oppose it. Put it on Mystic Avenue. Put it in Assembly Square.
Answer: We can do other things as of right. We’ll pursue all our legal rights.
[NOTE: I interpreted that as hinting at a lawsuit.]
Comment: I’ve disagreed with administration before. The word is “respect”. We know what we need. We only have 4 square miles. Use would be OK at Assembly Square.
[NOTE: I find it disturbing that Assembly Square is seen as a big-box disposal. Somerville is trying to do better than that.]
Answer: What would I like? Trader Joe’s.
Owner: Call Trader Joe’s and ask them to put a store there. I’ll give you my business card, go ahead. Call me with their response.
Comment: Brookline won’t allow this kind of use. What else could go in there?
Answer: Could put in a grocery store.
Comment: Is Ocean Job Lots a grocery store?
[NOTE: This meeting was unexpectedly testy. Apparently the neighborhood isn't convinced that Ocean State Job Lot is the best use for the site.]
loading…
Somerville needs FRESH FOOD not BOXED FOOD. No to Ocean State Job Lots on Broadway!
“If you want to send written testimony before July 15 Planning Board hearing, send to OSPCD (Rob May), Planning Department, Planning Board. Go to Planning Board hearing July 15 @ 6PM.”
loading...
Petition against changing the zoning to allow Ocean State Job Lot use.
The second public meeting about the Ocean State Job Lot use has been rescheduled. It is now scheduled for August 19 at 6 PM at City Hall. This meeting, like the previous, is sponsored by the property owner.
The Ocean State Job Lot issue is due to be raised at the Planning Board meeting now scheduled for August 24.
loading...
FYI: I live in Winter Hill and when Star Market went out, I thought the space would be perfect for a Trader Joe’s. I wrote to them and recommended the property as a potential spot for a new TJ store. (They actually have a place on their website for that.) Never heard back.
loading...
Thanks for the online Petition to RETAIN THE CURRENT ZONING for the former Star Market site on 299 Broadway in Somerville, Dan S.- and thanks DaviD for the link!
loading...
I think that having Ocean State Job Lots would be a good idea.
1. It’s better than the eye sore that is there now
2. It’ll open up more jobs for Somerville Residents
3. The discounted prices on their items are good deals in these economic times
I don’t understand why everyone is so set on making sure that a supermarket opens up there. S. Nathanial would like to have more fresh food available …. don’t forget, Somerville has a number of Farmers Markets to visit through the summer months, and into October. Also, there is a Supermarket just down the street in East Somerville with fresh produce. We also have two Trader Joes location nearby in Cambridge: Fresh Pond, and Memorial Drive.
I would love to see Ocean State Job Lots open up in Somerville. .
loading...
Tricia,
In reference to your points, I respectfully disagree.
1) Anything would be better than what is there now. What makes OSJL better than, say, a park or a Friendly’s?
2) Retail jobs do not pay a living wage.
3) The items they sell may be cheap, but probably of inferior quality and end up wasting money.
I love the farmers markets. And yes, there are other supermarkets. But none that you can walk to. None that act as an anchor to the community.
Why must we contend with an area devoted to polluting automobile traffic and not a walkable neighborhood? The zoning reflects this goal: smaller buildings without vast parking lots. If OSJL goes in, it rules that model out for 299 Broadway for at least 10 years – a huge setback. And it may bring more large stores with big parking lots out front.
No Ocean State Job Lots! Fresh Food not Boxed Food!
loading...
I never said that OSJL would be better than anything else that would go there. I just said that any business (the anything) would be a lot better than a closed building.
I understand that retail jobs don’t pay a livable wage… there are quite a few jobs, aside from retail, that don’t pay livable wages. It would help those residents who are looking for a second/part-time job in order to make ends meet,
On your last remark… you say that OSJL’s items are PROBABLY inferior quality… which makes me think that you have never shopped at OSJL.
There is not much difference between OSJL and Building 19 or The Christmas Tree Shops. Both of these stores are/were once located in Somerville. Have you shopped at either one of these stores?
I also believe that the Stop & Shop located in East Somerville IS a walkable distance from the Winter Hill area.
loading...