Somernova Campus | Duck Village | Somerville

[stick n move]

So Cambridgeday is saying there was a new presentation last wednesday, but its not up on the project site.

Somernova community benefits presentation Wednesday brings group with other concerns (corrected)​

“The results of months of negotiations by a Somerville neighborhood group and the developer of the Somernova business complex will be presented Wednesday, but a third group is already aiming to complicate the meeting and ensure other concerns are heard.

A group of neighbors on Sunday issued a “call to action for our neighbors to speak out against Rafi Properties’ drastic changes” at the Wednesday meeting where expected community benefits will be presented. The group includes state Sen. Pat Jehlen, whose district includes Somerville and Medford and parts of Cambridge and Winchester.

“We as close neighbors and direct abutters need to make our voices hear to both USNC and Rafi Properties at this critical step in the negotiating process,” the neighbors say.

The project, in Ward 2 along Somerville Avenue between Porter and Union squares, is a scaled-back plan, now for 1.6 million square feet instead of the original proposed 1.9 million square feet and adding 100 homes – 20 of them affordable – as well as dedicated arts and music space while subtracting some car parking and building height. The original plan had no housing…….”

https://www.cambridgeday.com/2025/0...n-wednesday-brings-group-with-other-concerns/



Heres the previous presentation from 7/9/24 which wasnt posted in this thread:

https://issuu.com/somernovacommuniy/docs/20240709_somernova_presentation_land_use_map_final?ff

Somernova site
https://www.somernova.community/blog

 

[Badusername]

Here are the slides: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGc91ODUlQ/BbNOpOdnDySAKuN4n3-mIg/edit

I followed Chris Dwan’s live thread while the meeting was ongoing, the sentiment seemed pretty positive.

 

[stick n move]

Sweet thanks.

 

[awood91]

100 units of housing is pathetic. Should be 300+ IMO

 

[Equilibria]

A group of neighbors on Sunday issued a “call to action for our neighbors to speak out against Rafi Properties’ drastic changes” at the Wednesday meeting where expected community benefits will be presented. The group includes state Sen. Pat Jehlen, whose district includes Somerville and Medford and parts of Cambridge and Winchester.

Why does a State Senator need to join a splinter group of neighbors? You're an elected official! Just call the developer if you have concerns...

 

[Rosarino]

Why does a State Senator need to join a splinter group of neighbors? You're an elected official! Just call the developer if you have concerns...

Senator Jehlen has been doing that for years. The greater irony is that what was an illusion of standing conceded by the City to 'Neighborhood Councils' in development review procedures was subsequently codified procedurally to be some manifest 'community voice'; turns out its not everyone's voice. How shocking!

 

[Texasian]

100 units of housing is pathetic. Should be 300+ IMO

Sure, but it’s still 100 units better than the 0 that were in the original proposal.

I know that Rafi is still a developer, but they’ve been generous with community groups (Somerville Media Center and Somerville Bike Kitchen) when they didn’t need to, and are willing to try out unconventional activations (the Sauna village outside Aeronaut). Gives me hope that the project will turn out alright for the neighborhood.

 

[stick n move]

Somernova developer presents revised benefits, followed by neighborhood vote next Wednesday​

Rafi PropertiesBuilding heights would double under proposed Somernova zoning, as seen from the Somerville Market Basket.

“The developer for Somernova, the 7.4-acre business park housing Aeronaut Brewery, Boston Bouldering and Greentown Labs, among others, announced a finalized community benefits package with a neighborhood group Thursday. A press release by Rafi Properties and the Union Square Neighborhood Council details benefits including 100,000 square feet set aside for arts uses and three music venues, as well as the continuation of The Dojo community center.

The community benefits, published in full on Somernova’s website, include a labor agreement with a goal of giving 25 percent of construction jobs to residents.

Rafi Properties has wanted to overhaul and redevelop its site between Porter and Union squares for years, with an original petitionsubmitted in 2023. This year’s petition is a scaled-back version, now for 1.4 million square feet plus housing, or a total 1.5 million, instead of the original proposed 1.9 million.

The proposal would double the height of some parts of Somernova, with zoning allowing for some blocks to be built up to 200 feet instead of the current 60, as seen in renderings published by the developer. The expansion would help give more space to tenants such as Greentown Labs, a climate tech incubator that got $4 million in new funding in December, as well as make space for new tenants.……”

Somernova developer presents revised benefits, followed by neighborhood vote next Wednesday - Cambridge Day

The developer for Somernova, the 7.4-acre business park housing Aeronaut Brewery, Boston Bouldering and Greentown Labs, among others, has a finalized community benefits package set with a neighborhood group.

www.cambridgeday.com

 

[kdmc]

Somernova developer presents revised benefits, followed by neighborhood vote next Wednesday​

Rafi PropertiesBuilding heights would double under proposed Somernova zoning, as seen from the Somerville Market Basket.

“The developer for Somernova, the 7.4-acre business park housing Aeronaut Brewery, Boston Bouldering and Greentown Labs, among others, announced a finalized community benefits package with a neighborhood group Thursday. A press release by Rafi Properties and the Union Square Neighborhood Council details benefits including 100,000 square feet set aside for arts uses and three music venues, as well as the continuation of The Dojo community center.

The community benefits, published in full on Somernova’s website, include a labor agreement with a goal of giving 25 percent of construction jobs to residents.

Rafi Properties has wanted to overhaul and redevelop its site between Porter and Union squares for years, with an original petitionsubmitted in 2023. This year’s petition is a scaled-back version, now for 1.4 million square feet plus housing, or a total 1.5 million, instead of the original proposed 1.9 million.

The proposal would double the height of some parts of Somernova, with zoning allowing for some blocks to be built up to 200 feet instead of the current 60, as seen in renderings published by the developer. The expansion would help give more space to tenants such as Greentown Labs, a climate tech incubator that got $4 million in new funding in December, as well as make space for new tenants.……”

Somernova developer presents revised benefits, followed by neighborhood vote next Wednesday - Cambridge Day

The developer for Somernova, the 7.4-acre business park housing Aeronaut Brewery, Boston Bouldering and Greentown Labs, among others, has a finalized community benefits package set with a neighborhood group.

www.cambridgeday.com

I want to highlight a really interesting aspect of this, which affects me personally. In exchange for allowing the upzoning, the USNC successfully negotiated for Rafi to include 100,000 sq ft of arts and creative space, including studios and dedicated rehearsal spaces (sorely needed in Greater Boston) and three new small performing venues. The rezoning also permits residential development, which was not the case in the older plan.

I'm a YIMBY, but I'm also a musician who depends on local studios and rehearsal spaces, and cares a lot about local artists who are constantly dealing with rent increases and the threat of their studio being redeveloped into a lab. It's cool to see that we can upzone but also get developers to contribute towards the creative culture which helps keep Somerville interesting.

If you live, work, or volunteer near Union Sq, you can vote on the proposal on June 4th.

 

[JS38]

Isnt this developer kinda sketchy? And also, that MarketBasket site needs to be redeveloped and parking lot right along main avenue gotta go! They can reopen an urban store there like the Roche Bros. at Arsenal Yards if wanna stay at that location...

 

[curcuas]

Given the massive downtown in the lab real estate market and the number of unbuilt projects closer to transit, it's hard to think of this as something that's going to happen...anytime soon. Somerville should encourage this to be ~all housing with (as @kdmc points out) room for creative space. That might actually get built. But I think their city gov't is too obsessed with trying to chase commercial tax $$ that won't happen.

 

[stick n move]

Neighbors Vote in Favor of CBA for Somernova Development​

“The Union Square Neighborhood Council has announced the USNC-Somernova Community Benefits agreement has been approved with 71% yes votes. The planned 1.5M square foot project must now obtain zoning approvals from the city. The Somernova CBA sets a bold new standard for arts-centered development, transforming the campus into a vibrant home for Somerville’s creative community. With over 100,000 square feet dedicated to Arts and Creative Enterprise (ACE), the CBA promises 60,000 square feet of permanently affordable, purpose-built spaces—from art exhibition & galleries to music rehearsal and recording studios……”

Neighbors Vote in Favor of CBA for Somernova Development

Neighbors Vote in Favor of CBA for Somernova Development

www.bldup.com