by David Dahlbacka in All Ages, Assembly Square, Beat Reporter, City Finances, Development and Zoning, Environment and Open Space, Events, Housing, Orange Line, Transportation Projects
Posted on September 25, 2011 at 6:58 pm
| October 6, 2011 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 9:00 pm |
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Thurs. Oct. 6 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Somerville City Hall
Aldermanic Chamber
93 Highland Ave.
Somerville MA (map)
Public Notice (PDF)
Agenda (PDF)
This is the regular meeting of the Somerville Planning Board.
Agenda includes public hearings on proposed developments at Blocks 1 and 4 of Assembly Square. These developments help fulfill the financial conditions needed for the success of the Assembly Square DIF and iCubed programs.
The Planning Board holds public hearings, provides recommendations to the Zoning Board of Appeals and Aldermanic committees, and grants permits for special districts, such as Planned Unit Developments.
For more information, see:
- Assembly Square Mixed-Use Development Project
- Assembly Row District Improvement Financing Program
- Infrastructure Investment Incentive (I-Cubed) Program
- Somerville Planning Board (Agendas and Minutes | Reports and Decisions)
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Beat Report: 10/6/11 Planning Board Meeting
Sole agenda item: Assembly Square Blocks 1,4.
[Summary: Assembly Square Blocks 1, 4 project by Avalon Bay passed Planning Board with minimal debate and no opposition. This is two of the three developments needed to offset the Assembly Row DIF.]
Adjacent retail all around, parking inside. No loading docks on street. Disguising parking garage as urban building facade.
Building 1 more traditional materials. Lighter materials with less contrast.
Block 4 to be different. On Main St. By rail line. Retail all first floor, except one side has townhouses (first floor on D Street). Internal corridors broken to avoid infinite corridor effect.
Intended for the Millennial or Gen Y market. Palette deliberately different from Block 1. Darker palette. Architecture of entrance gives identity of building. Garage wall is open air screen with graphics by tenants. Continuous active retail as much as possible.
George Proakis [director of planning]: Unique zoning in Assembly Square. Requires a Special Permit twice. Need to apply params from 2006 master plan. The proposed uses are appropriate by river. Assembly Square T stop funded by MBTA this week. Federal Realty was here in August 2010 to revise design standards. Owner to provide guidelines to tenants, return to Planning Board for review. These projects are consistent with master plan in intent and design detail. Staff provided documentation of differences; FRIT responded to comments, design review committee OK with them.
Reports are findings from master plan with checkoffs. Trip guidelines are in conditions. Most conditions are urban design. Some waivers required: signage, etc. Num of loading docks. City has waived right of first refusal of affordable units. FRIT to manage affordable unit as long as not condos.
Chair: 2006 master plan approved. Got this material last week. First serious project here since 1982.
Dahlbacka: there is already big box traffic and this will draw more, and if we get a walmart grocery we get still more. This would make R&D/office hard to start. Suggest making implementing transportation management plan a condition.
Zamore: Excited . Good to see designs. Liked internal loading. Liked differentiation between blocks.
FRIT: support project.
McIntyre: Bricklayers union. Offer help in getting contractors. Want to be part of project, lots of work here.
Man from Lester Terrace: Concerned about local hiring. Speaking about local jobs ordinance. Hoping to get work. At MaxPac, nonunion companies hired not one Somerville person.
Mackey: Chamber of Commerce. World will see this in 2112, see success. Waiting a long time. Enthusiastically support.
Close hearing.
Discussion on Block 1:
Capuano likes it. Q: Mentioned market is those who chose to rent. Where do such people live?
A: Newton, maybe. High income, but like lifestyle and amenities like pool.
Q: Will you reach out to local workers. A: Treat all equal, no matter where they live.
Maroney: Liked seeing materials, internal floor layout. Liked lots of use of brick. Will bring a lot of jobs, want some to go to locals. Needs to be built well. Talk to locals. Great project.
Kirylo: Hard to bring locals in but would like to have locals working.
Favaloro: took a decade. Was comprehensive architect presentation. Project exceeds Master Plan guidelines. Include Somerville workers first would be appreciated.
Block 4: Capuano said “I repeat what I said about Block 1.”
Move to waive reading. Accept as conditioned.
Voted in.
Proakis: need signature tonight on waiver of first refusal.
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The Globe today announced the MBTA board approved a $29M contract issued for the Assembly Square T Stop.
Unfortunately, the article referred to 2.5 M s.f. of commercial and retail space, not office and R&D. We need to keep pushing for office and R&D.
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