Union Square Neighbors in the News
Boston Globe, April 29, 2007
Somerville Journal, April 9, 2007
Financial Times, October 13, 2006
Neighbors don't want to be left in the shadows
By Kristen Green, Globe Correspondent
April 29, 2007
The Boston Globe
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/04/29/neighbors_dont_want_to_be_left_in_the_shadows/
When Union Square residents heard the city's proposal last fall for new zoning that would allow 10- to 12-story buildings to be constructed in the heart of the neighborhood, some were anxious.
At community meetings, they met other neighbors who shared their concerns that buildings of those heights were not appropriate for the square.
So they began meeting and formed a group they later named Union Square Neighbors. The members had a certain expertise — their backgrounds included town planning, transportation, and architecture — and they decided to write their own zoning petition as an alternative to the city's proposal, which the group submitted in March.
This month, as the city prepared to release a revised zoning proposal for Union Square, Somerville's senior planner, Joseph Merkel, thanked the group for its input and said the city is now considering limiting building heights to 100 feet, or eight to 10 stories.
The news was a relief to some members of Union Square Neighbors, who were still waiting last week to review the official proposal, which city officials had planned to submit to the Board of Alderm on Thursday.
Stuart Dash, director of community planning in Cambridge and a member of Union Square Neighbors who lives partway up Prospect Hill, said he likes the current scale and character of Union Square, which contributes to activity along the streets.
He said he wants to ensure that building setbacks are appropriate and buildings gradually increase in height. The city's original zoning proposal, which called for 140-foot buildings, would create a "darker, less personal" square, he said. The 100-foot limit would be better, but "it's not as far reduced as we would like to see it," he said.
"Those are pretty tall buildings in this area."
Vickie Choitz, another of 15 or so active members of Union Square Neighbors, said members share a concern that the square's open space, like the spot where a farmers market is held every Saturday in the summer, be maintained.
Choitz bought a home in Union Square in 2005 in part because she knew it was an area that would be redeveloped. She said she is concerned that multi story development in the area could put her home, partway up Prospect Hill, in a valley.
"We don't necessarily want to preserve Union Square as is," she said. "We're not afraid of development. We want it to be done in a way that isn't giving away the farm of Union Square and telling developers you can do whatever you want."
City planners presented their latest concepts at a meeting this month. They said they were considering reducing the size of an arts overlay district and decreasing the density they had proposed for part of the square. They are also proposing that all residential projects with more than eight units be required to designate at least 15 percent of the units as affordable in a limited area along Prospect and Washington streets. They originally proposed 12.5 percent.
The zoning is part of Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone's plan to overhaul Union Square, which includes a new Green Line stop on the T and condominium towers with retail and office space. The city is also seeking partners to redevelop several city-owned properties, including the Washington Street police station, a parking lot on Prospect Street, and a historic firehouse.
Choitz said it's important to have solid zoning in place, but that it also will be essential to stay on top of proposed development down the road. The group has proposed a citizen advisory task force to review development in Union Square.
Reebee Garofalo, who has lived in the square nearly 30 years, said he joined the Union Square Neighbors because he was impressed with the members' expertise and their ability to approach stakeholders in a spirit of collaboration.
"This is a pretty remarkable process going on," said Garofalo. "Hopefully we will come out the other end with [ zoning] everybody agrees to."
Union Square Neighbors Question Zoning Proposals
By Union Square Neighbors
GateHouse Media
Mon Apr 09, 2007, 06:00 PM EDT
The Somerville Journal
http://www.townonline.com/somerville/opinions/x1444264587
Last November, the city of Somerville shared its vision and specific zoning amendments for revitalizing Union Square with the community. Within just a few weeks, the same plan was presented to the Planning Board and the Board of Aldermen Land Use Committee in a public hearing, and the clock started ticking on a 90-day timeline for the Board of Aldermen to vote the amendments up or down. That November meeting was the first time many Union Square residents had heard of the plans — plans that would dramatically alter the scale and community of Union Square, its historic character, and surrounding neighborhoods. Surprised, a group of concerned neighbors quickly came together to represent a missing voice in this development.
This group — Union Square Neighbors, or USN — has several concerns regarding the city's zoning amendments. First, the city's amendments would have allowed 140-foot (12-story) towers to be built along parts of Prospect Street, Somerville Avenue, and Washington Street. This is three to four times higher than existing buildings and what current zoning allows. These heights are out of scale with the rest of Union Square; the historic Prospect Hill Park and Tower; and surrounding residential neighborhoods of one-, two- and three-family homes. They would block sunlight for abutting neighbors and compromise the square's neighborhood feel. Would shopping at the Union Square Farmers Market be the same in the shadow of 12-story buildings?
Second, the original city zoning proposal would have waived protections for neighboring residential districts, which normally require taller buildings to step down in height and be set back from adjacent properties. We fear that the result could be a dense tract of tall buildings that block sunlight and generate windswept sidewalks and streets instead of the friendly, welcoming environment we want to create in our square.
Union Square Neighbors is concerned about these and other aspects of the city's plan and has submitted an alternative zoning petition to the Board of Aldermen. Our zoning proposal limits building heights to five and six stories instead of 12. It also keeps intact the buffer zones and setbacks to protect neighboring properties. Both of these changes encourage development without overwhelming the square or the neighbors.
Overall, we support the city's goals, including improving the business climate in Union Square, designating it as an arts district, expanding Somerville's commercial tax base, generating revenue by selling city-owned parcels, and supporting affordable housing. We are united in our support for a Union Square that is a vibrant, multicultural, arts-infused destination that reflects the history and desired future of the square.
As of a few weeks ago, the city's zoning amendments were tabled and the clock has stopped ticking — for now. The city has announced a community meeting to discuss the zoning amendments on Wednesday, April 18, at 6:30 p.m. in the Somerville High School auditorium at 93 Highland Ave. We encourage Union Square neighbors and Somerville residents to attend this meeting and to share your opinions. Please introduce yourself to members of Union Square Neighbors — look for our bright green stickers with "USN" — and learn more about this critical cause.
The future of Union Square is looking brighter with each passing day. Let's work together to ensure that the future Union Square works for businesses, artists, neighbors, and Somerville as a whole.
Where Everybody Knows Your Name
By Rebecca Knight
Published: October 13 2006
The Financial Times
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/e5a7f196-5a0d-11db-8f16-0000779e2340.html
Somerville, the 4 sq-mile, submarine-shaped city just north of Boston, has long had a bad reputation. Derided as "Slummerville," a reference to its blue-collar residents and its reputation for crime, it was considered a student enclave – nothing more than a homely, cramped extension of Boston and Cambridge sorely lacking in sophistication and class.
But recently Somerville's image has begun to change. In the 1990s artsy cafés, gourmet eateries and chic boutiques started opening in its western neighbourhoods, such as Davis Square and Ball Square. Developers began converting old, run-down buildings into sparkling condominiums with luxury finishes, and young professionals, priced out of more established areas, started to move in. Suddenly Somerville was cool.
Today, the renaissance is continuing, with prospective buyers seeing it as an edgy alternative to Boston and Cambridge. According to local estate agents, Union Square – at the juncture of working class East Somerville and the city's revitalised western sections – is the next hot spot in greater Boston.
"Union Square has beautiful, interesting architecture, a lot of history, a real neighbourhood feel – and, most importantly, it's still affordable," says Lisa Johnson, an estate agent with RE/Max Destiny. "It's this great, newly discovered place that is only a 15-minute walk to Harvard Square."
To some, Union Square's revival was only a matter of time. Donald Norton, who has sold houses in Somerville for 26 years and also owns the Somerville News, the local newspaper, says he remembers the neighbourhood's glory days and is eager for them to return. "When I was a kid, Union Square used to be a vital neighbourhood filled with shops. It was where everyone went to do their Christmas shopping," he recalls. "Then the 1960s happened, the community changed and half the stores were boarded up. For a long time after that, Somerville was a place that people made fun of. The politicians were corrupt and it was just an unattractive city."
Nowadays Union Square is coming back to life, he says. "There are several coffee shops that have moved in and there are more on the way. And coffee shops bring in the more educated, artsy crowd."
A decent cup of coffee aside, one of the main reasons people have become interested in the community is its accessibility. Union Square is a quick car ride to downtown Boston and within easy walking distance of many Cambridge neighbourhoods, which makes it appealing to young families and urban professionals alike.
"It's so close to Boston that working people want to live there for the convenience," says Patricia Ng, an estate agent with Century 21 Legacy. "It has always been a vibrant area with lots to see and do but, strangely, people paid it no mind. It's starting to be noticed now as more nice restaurants and upscale bars come in."
Union Square will become even more convenient for commuters once Boston's public transit system – known in the city as the "T" – expands to include a stop there, according to George Ross, owner of Ross Real Estate, who has sold houses in the area for the past 20 years.
"A big part of why Union Square is on the up-and-up is that the T is coming," he says. "People who are buying property now know it's going to be worth a lot more five years from now. And in the property business five years is not a long time."
Union Square still has a reputation of being rough around the edges. "For the longest time, no one would even consider [moving to] East Somerville," Ross says. "It was always really bad – I never used to let my secretary walk down the street with receipts from the business. [But] today there is greater police presence and a greater sense of community, which have cut back on some of the crime."
There is also a bright side to the rough reputation: it means there are deals to be had. While properties in Boston and Cambridge are on the expensive side – modest, two-bedroom flats start at $450 per sq ft – there is great value in Somerville and Union Square in particular.
But if recent trends continue the bargains won't last for much longer. In 2000 the average price of a condominium sold in Union Square was $215 per sq ft, for single-family homes it was $150 per sq ft and for homes divided into apartments $135 per sq ft, according to figures from Multiple Listing Service, the real estate database. Today those costs have risen to $350, $300 and $220 respectively.
Still, buyers get a lot more for their money than in other neighbourhoods in greater Boston, according to Jaime Kidston and Beth York of Coldwell Banker Huron Avenue. "There are lots of properties in Union Square that are being bought and renovated; for buyers this means there is room to add value with a little DIY," Kidston says. "In these places buyers may need to do a more substantial renovation rather than just a cosmetic update. But for someone who is looking to capitalise on an opportunity, this up-and-coming neighbourhood is a value proposition."
Johnson, of Re/Max Destiny, thinks buyers are also drawn to the varied architecture. "Most of Somerville and Cambridge is rows and rows of triple-decker [houses]. But Union Square has a good mix of multi-family homes and single-family homes and condos," she says.
She says the buildings on historic Prospect Hill, which overlooks Union Square, are particularly elegant. The hill is perhaps the area's most famous landmark. In fact, town lore has it that George Washington, the first president of the US, raised an early version of the American flag there on January 1 1776.
"The stately homes there are beautiful. There are some wonderful streets in Prospect Hill – Columbus Avenue, Boston Street and Summit Avenue – where you can see Victorian architecture, old Queen Annes, as well as early Empire, Italian Renaissance-style homes."
New residents of Union Square also seem to like its neighbourhood feel. In Somerville, population 80,000, community pride is alive and well, but Union Square – which has sizeable Portuguese, South Korean, Indian and Brazilian populations – has even more small town atmosphere.
This is partly due to the efforts of a local community development organisation, Union Square Main Streets, that is working to revive and preserve the neighbourhood by supporting local business, public transit, gardens and pedestrian and cyclist access. The non-profit group's endeavours include the farmers market, which takes place every Saturday morning from June to October, and the ArtsUnion, a collaborative programme with the Somerville Arts Council, which sponsors festivals and craft markets. It also helps with business recruitment and assistance.
"There are certain neighbourhoods in Cambridge that over time have become like outdoor suburban malls, with chain stores and chain restaurants. But Union Square has independent shops and vintage stores," says York. "It also has the opportunity to be a very pedestrian-friendly neighbourhood. It's not a destination yet but it certainly has potential."