Image courtesy of Utile
Student housing specialist Scape is opting for a 188,000-square-foot life science project at a Somerville property where it previously had floated plans for a 250-unit multifamily development.
A group of retail buildings and parking lot at the corner of Elm and Grove streets in Davis Square would be replaced with the four-story lab structure. Developers propose over 17,000 square feet of retail space, including preservation of The Burren Irish Pub and Restaurant’s facade and interior at 247 Elm St., and a mix of retail and multi-purpose tenant space on the parking lot at the rear of the property.
The Burren will remain open at 249 Elm St. during the estimated 18-24-month construction period, according to a development review application submitted to the Somerville Planning Board.
Scape signed a $10 million ground lease in 2019 for the block of retail storefronts in the heart of Davis Square.
Before filing formal plans, Scape held a community meeting in 2019 to discuss its plans for a 250-unit multifamily project, including studios as small as 300 square feet.
But after COVID increased demand from biotechs for expansion space in Greater Boston, Scape unveiled plans in August 2021 at a neighborhood meeting for the commercial building, after the city of Somerville rezoned the area to disallow residential use.
At a maximum height of 65 feet including rooftop mechanical equipment, the proposal conforms with the neighborhood’s zoning regulations. The project is subject to site plan approval by the Somerville Planning Board, which will open a public hearing on Thursday.
Designed by Utile, the project would include a 9,334-square-foot roof deck and 57,000 square feet of below-grade parking containing 80 spaces on two levels. The utility systems will include air-to-water heat pumps, heat recovery chillers and gas-fired boilers, according to a sustainability checklist.
Boston-based Scape North America broke ground in April 2021 on its first development project, demolishing a row of retail buildings at 1252-1270 Boylston St. in the Fenway for a 451-unit apartment tower.
The firm also received Boston Planning and Development Agency approval in 2021 for a 393-unit apartment tower and 53 family housing units for Boston Children’s Hospital patients at 819 Beacon St., and is proposing a 400-unit housing tower at 2 Charlesgate West.
Editor’s note: This report has been updated with additional information about Davis Square rezoning and to correct the number of units at 1252-1270 Boylston St.
