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The groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the new Partners Healthcare headquarters took place last week at Assembly Row.
By Douglas Yu
Assembly Row is already one of the biggest construction projects in the state. In addition, however, Assembly Row developer Federal Realty kicked off the construction of 750,000-sqaure-foot office headquarters for Partners Healthcare on Monday, Dec. 1.
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Mayor Curtatone explained the city’s plan for creating more affordable housing with its “Sustainable Neighborhoods” program at a public meeting last week. — Photo by Douglas Yu
By Douglas Yu
The SomerVision plan is undergoing improvements in response to the gradual gentrification of neighborhoods, lack of affordable housing and forced out long-term Somerville residents.
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By Joseph A. Curtatone
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)
Last week, I attended the annual Climate Change Teach-In at UMass Lowell to talk about how Somerville is leading the way in battling global warming. After I called upon Somerville in my inaugural address in January to set a citywide goal to reduce our net carbon emissions to zero by 2050, the organizers wanted to hear what we were doing to reach that goal. And, why set such a high goal, even though we don’t necessarily have a defined path toward achieving that goal?
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“Sustainable Neighborhoods” plan to broaden and deepen Somerville’s affordability efforts includes 100-home strategy, expansion of inclusionary zoning, tax credits for benevolent landlords and increased SomerVision housing goals
In the face of a regional affordable housing crisis, the City of Somerville is expanding its already robust housing affordability efforts to create a comprehensive program that addresses affordability from all angles and across all needed income brackets, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone announced.
Building off the promise he made in his inaugural address in January 2014 to protect people who have chosen to live in Somerville, Mayor Curtatone will present “Sustainable Neighborhoods,” an outline of the next steps to broaden and deepen the city’s efforts to maintain affordability for the people and families of Somerville, at the Board of Aldermen’s Housing and Community Development Committee meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.
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By Joseph A. Curtatone
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)
You may have noticed that Somerville streets seem a little leafier lately. In a densely built urban city like Somerville, greening our streets and neighborhoods can be a difficult task, but it’s a challenge we’re committed to taking on. Part of the solution to that challenge is expanding our tree canopy, which is why last month we planted 575 new public trees throughout Somerville as we march toward our goal of planting 2,000 new trees by the end of 2015. Public trees do more than beautify our neighborhoods, although that’s important too. Increasing our tree canopy improves our air quality, saves energy costs and can even help slow down traffic and deter crime. In short: the healthier our trees, the healthier our community.
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The public was brought up to speed on new zoning laws at a recent Somerville by Design workshop.
— Photo by Douglas Yu
By Douglas Yu
After a series of discussions on Union Square redevelopment, the Green Line Extension Project and Powder House Community School redevelopment, the City of Somerville once again directed the community’s attention to the city’s new zoning ordinance.
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By Joseph A. Curtatone
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)
Our greatest successes as a city are born from working together, on a foundation of shared values and principles, to build the frameworks that will shape the future of our city. From our 20-year comprehensive SomerVision plan, to the rezoning of Union Square, to our ongoing Somerville By Design workshops, we rely on you to guide what kind of community we are going to be. That’s what all of these community-based discussions are about—building community. At a base level, building community starts with our zoning code. It’s where we identify neighborhoods and what should be allowed to be built in each neighborhood. This is the framework that shapes how our city will evolve, but we have realized that what we have on the books today is neither predictable nor easy to navigate.
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Those interested in the direction developments would take in the Central Broadway/Winter Hill Roadway and Streetscape Improvements Project took part in a community feedback meeting hosted by the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) and Somerville by Design.
— Photo by Douglas Yu
By Douglas Yu
An approximately 6-foot map of Central Broadway was set up in the Winter Hill Community School Wednesday, April 16, waiting for Somerville residents to post their advice about how to redesign their part of the neighborhood.
One of them wrote, “The timing of the traffic lights at Broadway and Boston Ave. in Ball Square seems ‘off.’ I’ve seen all the lights red, and the pedestrians crossing signals ‘red’ for what seems like 30 seconds many times.”
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