Image courtesy of Rafi Properties
A Somerville neighborhood group will vote on a community benefits agreement tied to approval of a 1.5 million-square-foot tech campus by Rafi Properties.
The Union Square Neighborhood Council has been in negotiations with Boston-based Rafi Properties since last year. The neighborhood group’s goals include preventing displacement of arts and cultural tenants, creation of affordable housing and ensuring construction jobs go to local residents.
“Through hundreds of hours of collaborative work, we now have unprecedented benefits for everyone. What’s to come for the arts is truly game changing,” Ami Bennett, volunteer founder of the Art Stays Here coalition, said in a statement.
Following a year of discussions with Rafi Properties, the neighborhood council will present the details of the agreement on Wednesday.
The project would include over 100,000 square feet of arts and creative enterprise spaces such as art galleries, music studios and three music venues with capacity ranging from 80 to 325 people. At least 60,000 square of the arts and creative space will be offered on a permanently affordable basis, Rafi Properties announced.
Responding to public comments on housing affordability, Rafi Properties agreed to pay $50,000 a year for 10 years to the Somerville Community Land Trust, which acquires properties for affordable housing with community ownership and management. For 150 housing units built on the project site, at least 20 percent will be income-restricted.
The agreement also includes $250,000 paid over 10 years to the Union Square Main Streets organization to support local businesses.
The Union Square Neighborhood Council represents the local community on negotiating community benefits with developers tied to specific projects.
Separately, Rafi Properties has agreed to require its construction manager to negotiate a project labor agreement with the Greater Boston Building Trades Unions and North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters. The agreement sets goals of 25 percent of construction jobs for local residents, 25 percent to underrepresented groups and 12 percent to women.
Rafi Properties rebranded the commercial buildings along Somerville Avenue as Somernova after acquiring the Ames Business Park campus in 2018.
In May 2024, Rafi Properties submitted the latest version of its plans to replace many of the low-rise industrial buildings with offices, labs, housing and retail space. Responding to public criticism of an earlier plan, it reduced the maximum building heights under a rezoning plan from 245 to 185 feet.
The project was designed to attract more R&D tenants to the campus, which includes startup incubators Greentown Labs and The Engine. The redevelopment plans also include child care and civic space, retailers, housing and a community center.
Under the neighborhood council’s bylaws, approval is subject to a two-thirds vote of membership and anyone who lives, works, owns property or a business, or volunteers within 1,000 feet of the development area boundaries.
Neighborhood council leaders will present the community benefits agreement during a meeting at 6:30 p.m. on May 28 at St. Anthony’s School, located at 480 Somerville Ave. Voting is scheduled for June 4, also at St. Anthony’s School.
Editor’s note: This report has been updated to clarify that the Union Square Neighborhood Council will vote on a community benefits agreement, but not the project labor agreement.
