Somerville’s Union Square is undergoing one of the most exciting redevelopment processes in the city’s history. However, last week’s column by Scott Van Voorhis sorely missed the mark, painting an erroneous and skewed picture of how one parcel of land in the neighborhood, owned by The Hamilton Co., is shaking out.
US2 was designated the master developer of 15-acres by the Somerville Redevelopment Authority through a competitive process in 2014, after a 2012 community driven plan, “SomerVision,” laid out a bright future and dynamic goals for the square.
When Hamilton purchased its land in 2013, it did so with full knowledge that the city planned to have the parcel redeveloped by a master developer. Hamilton did not participate in the master developer competition but made subsequent purchases in the years following, while knowing that US2 had been chosen as the city’s partner and that US2 is contractually obligated to acquire and develop the Hamilton parcel in accordance with the approved master plan. This master plan reflects the city’s vision and the community’s needs while Hamilton’s proposed plan is inconsistent with the approved master plan and zoning regulations.
Last week’s article also posited that “deputizing a private sector entity like US2 to take on what is essentially a government planning role raises all sorts of potential conflicts of interest.”
We strongly disagree. US2 is working in close partnership with the city for the long term. The city desired such a partnership so that it could realize its community-driven goals; goals that could not be reached by negotiating with multiple developers and their varying interests.
Since our selection as master developer, US2 has been working every day from our office in Union Square to advance Somerville and the neighborhood.
Our progress includes substantive achievements toward SomerVision’s goals: 450 housing units, including 90 affordable units, opened this summer; new life sciences space will support 500 workers; a new MBTA station serves the neighborhood; $63 million of critical city infrastructure completed; a first-ever community benefits agreement addresses hyperlocal priorities; and a new 18,000-square-foot public open space has arrived. These achievements would not have been possible without a master developer implementing a unified vision for the neighborhood.
— Greg Karczewski, president, US2
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