Dec 2019: Which sites could be included in a Winter Hill urban renewal plan?
The conversation about an urban renewal plan in Winter Hill started because of the vacant Star Market site in the neighborhood. As we collect feedback about this, City staff would also like input on what other sites the community may be interested in focusing on as part of an urban renewal plan. In this post, we highlight some of the possible sites that could be included in a Winter Hill Urban Renewal Plan and what was imagined for these sites in the Neighborhood Plan. Download this PDF to see all of the renderings and images for each property.
Star Market Site
Although we refer to the Star Market site as such, this site also includes the Walgreens, Winter Hill Liquor Store and Brazilian Times building, and the Elegancia Barber Shop.
The Neighborhood Plan calls for a five-story development on the whole site that allows for 200 new housing units with 28,000 square feet of retail and a half acre of publicly accessible open space. Recently, a private developer was interested in this site but was not ultimately able to make the deal. The developer, after conversations with the community, imagined a 6-story project with 310 housing units, 25,000 square feet of retail, and 1 acre of publicly accessible open space.
Whitcomb Place
This site includes the vacant Walgreens, CareWell Urgent Care, and Winter Hill Bank. The Neighborhood Plan envisions a new development that would connect Broadway to Heath Street for pedestrians and incorporate .4 acres of open space. The new buildings could be four stories with 130 housing units and 8,700 square feet of retail. The idea would be to contemplate the four-story buildings adjacent to the property while still preserving the character of Heath Street.
Brewery Block
The Brewery Block includes the Winter Hill Brewery Block, Citizens Bank, the Post Office, and some surrounding properties. The idea is not to do a major redevelopment on the site, but rather to focus on fixing the street network. Many different property owners are involved in this site. The Neighborhood Plan calls for a reconfiguration of the area to allow for better circulation of people and cars, additional open space, and maybe the building of a house or two. The Plan also imagines preserving the post office building, Winter Hill Brewery, and the residential building while redeveloping the single-story commercial building and the Citizens Bank property. The redevelopment efforts could be four or five stories with about 80 units of housing and .2 acres of open space, as well as current ground-floor retail.
Foss Parking
Another opportunity site identified in the Neighborhood Plan is to transform the City-owned parking alongside Foss Park into additional open space that can complement the park. The Neighborhood Plan imagines how incorporating the pavement into Foss Park could provide more space for assets in the park and a more environmentally-friendly and beautiful walk along Broadway. There is space for some small businesses that could provide concessions for the park and an opportunity to increase the gathering green space.
What happens to the property owners and tenants of a property that ends up in an urban renewal plan?
Inclusion in an urban renewal plan makes it possible for the Somerville Redevelopment Authority to take a property, but that doesn't necessarily happen right away. When a property is taken, the property owner is paid a fair market value, which is determined by a specific legally prescribed process.
Any tenants--businesses or residents--who would be displaced through a taking receive financial and site search assistance to relocate. Businesses who do not wish to be relocated can be bought out.
How can you get involved?
We are seeking input from the community about whether we should pursue an urban renewal plan at all, and whether any sites besides Star Market should be included in such a plan. Visit the SomerVoice project page for up-to-date information about how to share your input.
