Groundbreaking of three buildings containing office-lab space, 450 apartments and retail and creative space marked the beginning of the 2.4 million-square-foot Union Square development in Somerville. Credit: Image courtesy of US2

After years of planning, USQ broke ground on our first site at the $2 billion Union Square redevelopment in July.

The groundbreaking at 10-50 Prospect St. signaled a momentous transformation and an economic revival of great proportions for Union Square. As we look to 2022, we can say with certainty that it will be an exciting year when, after decades of work, key components of USQ come to fruition.

USQ is a 15-acre, mixed-use, transit-oriented development that will become the newest destination within the Boston-Cambridge innovation economy while simultaneously expanding the neighborhood’s vibrant residential community.

However, any story about Union Square’s future must start with its past.

Union Square played a fascinating role in the founding of our great country. In 1776, George Washington’s Union Army raised the first true American flag on the top of Prospect Hill. In the 1800s, Union Square pushed American commerce forward. Grist mills, brick manufacturing, ink, glass and copper tubing factories thrived. In 1852, the first streetcar linked Union Square and Harvard Square, and by the early 1900s, nearly 100 streetcars stopped each day in Union Square – a testament to the bustling economy.

Union Square had become the economic engine of Somerville and is Somerville’s oldest commercial district. However, by the mid-20th century, as Massachusetts embraced automobiles and highways instead of rail service, Union Square’s economy collapsed and has languished ever since.

Positioned for 21st Century Commerce

The vision for Union Square’s future was defined by the Somerville community, outgoing Mayor Joe Curtatone and the city over a decade ago. The goal was very clear: Return Union Square to its role as a center of commerce for Somerville and develop it into a regional urban employment center. Replace the streetcars of the 1900s with the MBTA’s light rail. And instead of having glassmakers, brickmakers and copper tube manufacturers drive local commerce, fill the square with modern innovators, technology companies, artists and life sciences discoverers.

Spanning 2.4 million square feet, USQ is central to Somerville’s growth plans, delivering on the community-led “SomerVision” plan by expanding jobs, housing, open space and transit. In total, USQ comprises 1.2 million square feet of new lab and office space; 1,000 residences, including 200 permanently affordable units; 3.6 acres of parks and open space; 11 new, multipurpose civic open spaces, including three neighborhood parks; 140,000 square feet of retail; 74,000 square feet of arts and creative space; and 175 hotel rooms.

Infrastructure and transit are a transformative and integral component to USQ, and much of our work, along with the city of Somerville, is to create invaluable accessibility to, from and around the neighborhood. The city recently completed a $57 million infrastructure and streetscape upgrade on Somerville Avenue, expanding pedestrian and bike facilities, providing stormwater management, adding tree planters and allowing for Somerville Avenue to reopen to two-way traffic. The city bonds issued to fund the project are supported by the future property taxes from USQ.

A Year of Milestones

One of the development’s most important milestones will take place in spring 2022, when the new Union Square Station on the Green Line Extension opens.

Decades in the making, the $2.4 billion Green Line Extension Project will expand transit access from approximately 20 percent to over 80 percent of Somerville residents. The Green Line Extension will shuttle passengers from Union Square Station to North Station in less than 10 minutes, while also connecting Union Square to other key employment districts along the Green Line, such as Government Center, Fenway, Copley and Longwood. USQ is delivering critical elements for the operation of the Union Square MBTA station, including an ADA accessible path, an elevator serving MBTA patrons to the south, The Ride drop-off, MBTA bicycle storage and MBTA employee facilities.

In the latter part of 2022, construction of the structure of the 10–50 Prospect St. project will be completed, enhancing Union Square’s skyline. Building completions and initial occupancies are currently planned for the early part of 2023. 10-50 Prospect Street will be home to three buildings, offering 194,000 square feet of class A lab and innovation space, 450 apartment units (including a 25-story tower), as well as retail and arts and creative spaces and 271 parking spaces. Life sciences and retail leasing are underway now with JLL leading leasing for the project’s lab space, and Graffito SP leading its retail.

Greg Karczewski

In 2022 we will also share design plans for 50 Webster, a new, 280,000-square-foot class A life sciences building at the northeast corner of Webster and Prospect streets.

We are honored and excited to add to the amenity-rich and popular residential neighborhood that is Union Square.

If you’ve visited any of our award-winning restaurants, like Tasting Counter, Juliet or the Neighborhood Restaurant, you know Union Square is delicious.  If you’ve visited Fluff Festival or Ignite Fire Festival or the weekly farmers’ market, you know Union Square knows how to celebrate. If you stopped by the independent and creative businesses at Bow Market or learned about the businesses working within Greentown Labs – the largest climate tech incubator in North America – you know that a creative and innovative economy is thriving here in Union Square.

And if you’ve ever met anyone who calls Union Square home, you know Union Square is passionate, independent, proud and engaged.

Greg Karczewski is president of Union Square master developer US2, a joint venture between Magellan Development, RAS Development LLC, Cypress Equity Investments and USAA Real Estate.