Jim Miara is a columnist for Banker & Tradesman. His column runs in the first issue of every month. He can be reached at: Miara@comcast.net.
Somerville’s new mayor, Joe Curtatone, is determined to find a solution to the first-tier-suburb syndrome that afflicts his city. Most older, close-in suburbs across the country suffer from declining tax bases, deteriorating infrastructure, rapid ethnic changes, increased poverty and poor school performance. Somerville has most of these problems, but it is also has what by any measure would be considered extraordinary resources: location, access to talent and expertise at nearby universities, an increasing percentage of highly educated residents and a growing reputation as a destination rather than a bedroom stopover.
The problem is that over the years, for one reason or another, Somerville hasn’t been able to take full advantage of these assets. While its residential property values have equaled or exceeded the escalating prices in even the most preferred locations, its commercial development – and the tax revenue it yields – has lagged. Somerville is caught in the middle between neighboring cities like Boston and Cambridge that have a broad commercial tax bases to support social services and infrastructure improvements, and affluent farther-out suburbs that have a strong tax bases and low demand for social services.
Yet, as built-out as Somerville is (with a population of 77,000 packed into approximately four square miles, it has been described as one of the densest cities New England), it still has ample room and opportunity to increase commercial activity. Curtatone, 36, a lawyer and former city alderman, was elected mayor last fall, thanks in part to a pledge to increase commercial tax revenue by moving long-stalled projects (e.g., Assembly Square) into production and promoting the city’s competitive advantages to businesses that would benefit from them. Other Somerville officials have made the same claims over the years, only to be stifled by a combination of economic fluctuations and determined opposition by community groups such as the Mystic View Task Force. But in his brief tenure, Curtatone has demonstrated already that he means business.
This spring he hired Jim Kostaras, a veteran Boston Redevelopment Authority official and Harvard lecturer, to direct the city’s newly formed Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, which is a consolidation of several development-related agencies. Curtatone’s mandate to Kostaras was to move quickly, act intelligently in the interests of the city and its residents, and “bring home the bacon.”
“The mayor wants to streamline the development process and put out the word that Somerville welcomes business investment,” says Kostaras, who left the BRA last year after 18 years of service, the last few of them as assistant director of economic development.
Kostaras credits Mystic View and other community groups for forcing debate on issues that needed discussion and said he intends to “keep open the lines of communication between City Hall and community activists.” But obstruction for obstruction’s sake is not welcome. “We have to move forward,” insists Kostaras.
‘Design Innovation’
To get the controversial Assembly Square project in east Somerville into motion, Curtatone proposed, and the Board of Aldermen and the Planning Board approved, a unique compromise that allowed developers of Assembly Square some zoning flexibility in exchange for a commitment to throw a shovel in the ground within six years. If construction doesn’t start within that time frame, the developer forfeits the land to the city. In the unlikely event forfeiture takes place, says Curtatone, “We will make the land available to other developers on very good terms.”
In May, Assembly Square Limited Partnership, comprised of Boston-based Taurus New England and Cambridge-based Gravestar Inc., signed a covenant with the city. The developer agreed to begin construction within the prescribed time frame while the city revised its zoning rules to expedite development. ASLP was allowed to renovate and re-tenant the Assembly Square Mall without further approvals from the Planning Board. In addition, ASLP agreed to build 286,000 square feet of office and residential space and 60,000 square feet of retail space in several buildings along Main Street.
That development, combined with Ikea’s commitment to build more than 100,000 square feet of office and retail space in addition to its 277,000-square-foot store nearby on the site, would create a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood. And according to the mayor’s scenario, once everything is in place, there will be enough density and pedestrian activity to warrant state and federal funding for a new Orange Line “T” stop at Assembly Square. Currently, the Orange Line traverses the site but does not stop.
Unfortunately for Curtatone, Mystic View – or at least the vast majority of its 220 members – doesn’t see it that way. According to Mystic View President Bill Shelton, the organization within the next two weeks is expected to vote to support an appeal of the zoning ruling. “There’s a difference of opinion in Mystic View,” Shelton explains. “Some members said, ‘Look, it’s a democracy. Let’s let people discover what they bought.'” But the vast majority, he says, fear that ASLP’s plans will be a “financial disaster for the city.”
Assembly Square is a big part of Somerville’s plans, but there’s more on its plate. Curtatone and Kostaras also intend to revitalize Union Square, Magoun Square and lower Broadway. Union Square, says Kostaras, already has a substantial population of artists and other unique virtues to build on. “Somerville has more artists per capita than any place outside of New York City. We want to help them stay here,” says Kostaras. “We also want to bring the Green Line [subway] into Union Square. When that happens Union Square will be only five minutes from North Station. That makes a big difference to developers.”
Kostaras, who authored the BRA’s revitalization strategy for Boston’s Washington Street Corridor, emphasizes that while development is welcome, it has to be creative and address quality-of-life concerns. “We want Somerville to be a city recognized for design innovation,” says Kostaras. “We want to be an incubator for urban design. We want to tap into the resources of the nearby universities: Tufts, Harvard and MIT. Professors from these schools have agreed to participate in a newly formed citizen review panel. Adele Santos, dean of MIT’s School of Architecture and a Somerville resident, is the panel chairman.
“There are some interesting ideas out there. We are prepared to consider them and see if they will work for Somerville,” says Kostaras.
