A number of Somerville residents have raised concerns about the proposed inclusion of a police station as part of the new public safety building.

By Ryan DiLello

After sustained community pushback, The Somerville Redevelopment Authority has agreed to acknowledge public concern and policy debates around policing in the next version of the RFQ for plans to build a public safety building at 90 Washington Street.

The Board convened last Wednesday night for a virtual meeting to discuss, among other items, updates on plans to build a public safety building at 90 Washington Street Update. The new RFQ draft, up for review, proved the most contentious item of the night.

For nearly four years, the city has stalled on plans to build a public safety building at the 4-acre plot site. The new public safety building would house a fire and police station, replacing the older public safety building on 220 Washington Street.

Upwards of 15 Somerville residents voiced their concerns about the inclusion of a police station within the building. Multiple residents cited the recent police shooting of Arif Sayed Faisal, a 20-year-old UMass Boston student, as a reason to invest more in mental health and social services, before the city’s police department. Many residents wanted to know why the latest draft of the RFQ omitted their views on this issue, especially given their persistence to voice their concerns in prior meetings.

SRA Board Member,  Patrick McCormick attempted to provide an answer to why this perspective was omitted in the RFQ. “As the redevelopment authority, we’re focused on how development occurs. Still, these issues [pertaining to policing] become embedded in the public discussion of it. Whatever the future is around policing in our community, the current public safety building is not sustainable. It’s not a place for anyone to work. It’s also a place for potential better use in the revitalization of Union Square. I think we cannot wait for the big policy decisions to be made, before we find a space for community workers and [first responders]. While that policy debate continues, if it were completely resolved, perhaps that could be reflected in the architecture of the space,” McCormick said, noting the building will be designed to accommodate future changes in occupation, depending on policy decisions and community feedback.

McCormick noted that the Board has addressed other community concerns such as siren noise, parking availability, and neighborhood preservation. “What’s been unaddressed is the future of our policing and I don’t know if we can depend on that for the future of the RFQ,” McCormick concluded.

Board Member William Gage argued that the RFQ should acknowledge the community’s sentiments around policing. “I think any developer is going to come up against pushback, including the police issue”

The Board agreed to amend the RFQ with a general statement acknowledging the ongoing policy debate regarding policing. Shortly after, the Board voted unanimously to approve the RFQ for its next draft, which is slated for final release the week of January 30.