Somerville Drafts Plan For Vacant Star Market

SOMERVILLE, MA — After a year of public meetings and community conversations, the city released its draft Winter Hill Urban Renewal Plan Friday. The plan calls for the Somerville Redevelopment Authority to take a 2.8-acre area that includes the Star Market, Walgreens and two buildings at the corner of Temple Street and Broadway and create more green open space, affordable housing and a mixed-use development.

Community members are invited to submit feedback on the draft to the SRA, which will vote on the plan in the coming months.

The Urban Renewal Plan is a key step in implementing the Winter Hill Neighborhood Plan and strives to incorporate more recent community feedback on key components like the project area boundaries and the process for ensuring continued public involvement. In addition to state requirements for urban renewal plans, the Winter Hill Urban Renewal Plan also includes an equity analysis of how benefits and burdens for redevelopment may affect different populations and a detailed community process for the disposition of the largest portion of the site.

"I want to thank the many Winter Hill community members that came together to shape the future of a key block in their community," Mayor Joseph Curtatone said in a statement. "They deserve better than crumbling buildings and empty parking lots. We have the opportunity to make this block the beating heart of this neighborhood once again while also offering a model for building a higher percentage of affordable housing and adding green space in an urban community. The people of Winter Hill have been clear they envision something better than the decay that’s taken place on that site, and this is their chance to make that vision a reality."

The plan proposes turning the area into three distinct projects. A vacant lot on Sewall Street would become green open space, while another would become affordable housing. The remainder of the site, which includes the four buildings, would be subject to a community process to determine an appropriate concept for the site and assist in selecting a developer.

As proposed, the plan would displace two residences and four businesses, possibly as soon as 2024. These parties would receive relocation benefits including financial support and site search assistance, according to the plan.

The plan sets goals for creating at least 40 net new jobs, 200 new housing units (including at least 40 new affordable units), and 0.5 acres of green open space.

The Urban Renewal Plan must be approved by the SRA, the Planning Board, the City Council and the state. Currently, the plan is with the SRA, which will vote on it during its September meeting at the earliest. Should the plan be approved, there will be a separate community process regarding the design for the redevelopment. Participants have already expressed an interest in preserving a pharmacy use, bringing back fresh produce and maximizing public benefits of the redevelopment of the site.

In the meantime, community members may share their feedback on the plan with the SRA by participating in public comment at the SRA's meetings or emailing written feedback to LDrago@SomervilleMA.gov. Project updates are available at www.SomerVoice.SomervilleMA.gov, and interested stakeholders may sign up for email updates. SRA meetings are posted to the City Calendar at www.somervillema.gov.