Smart Growth in Somerville
Part 3:  Union Square

A Commentary by William C. Shelton

(The commentaries of The Somerville News do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

The Term ‚Äúsmart growth‚Äù implies thoughtful planning, design, and development in behalf of something or someone.   In Massachusetts, it has been in behalf of environmental protection and more efficient use of costly public works, concentrating development near transportation infrastructure.

   If growth is also to be smart in behalf of those living in the targeted neighborhoods and throughout the city, then it must be very smart indeed.  Union Square is a case in point.

   Green Line extensions will open up Union Square‚Äôs considerable development potential. Somerville‚Äôs Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) is working conscientiously to create a vision and zoning to achieve that potential.  OSPCD plans to commit a majority of its federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds to Union Square revitalization.

  Leaders in other neighborhoods reasonably ask why the city should focus the lion‚Äôs share of revitalization investment in Union Square.  Indeed, the Green Line will also create development potential in Ball and Magoun Squares. 

   HUD requires that its funds be spent in neighborhoods with the highest concentration of low-income households‚ÄîEast Somerville and Union Square.  But wise development of Union Square could benefit the rest of the city by substantially increasing net tax revenues, creating new jobs and businesses, and expanding housing choices.  Union Square revitalization cannot achieve these goals, however, unless a major portion of new development is office space. 

   OSPCD gave an impressive presentation at a November 20th community meeting.  It offered a scenario in which 83% of new Union Square development would be residential.  So I am greatly relieved by OSPCD chief Jim Kostaras‚Äô assurances that this scenario was created for illustrative purposes only.

   Past development decisions created the fiscal morass from which Somerville now struggles to emerge by replacing commercial with residential properties.  Housing is a fiscal loser, creating twice as much city expense as tax revenue. 

   Some argue that housing for affluent ‚Äúyuppies‚Äù and ‚Äúempty nesters‚Äù will generate net tax revenue increases because it does not bring children, who increase school expenses.  The historical evidence shows that such projects become family housing after their first decade.

   It is shameful that many who grew up in Somerville can no longer afford to live here.  Housing activists deserve support in their efforts to ensure that the highest proportion of new Somerville housing units that is economically feasible be affordable to Somerville families. 

   Yet, making affordable housing economically feasible requires an investment of public funds.  Property taxes on office development produce more public funds than do those on residential development. 

   In Union Square, the city should emphasize offices. Transit-related office development produces high net tax revenue, low city expenses, and relatively lower traffic.  Investing a portion of new office-generated revenue in affordable housing throughout the city would have a greater impact on the housing crunch than trying to build as much housing in Union Square as possible.

   Moreover, what will most effectively support low-income people is a living-wage job.  The more living-wage jobs are available to Somerville residents, the more they will be able to afford   Somerville housing.  The only places left in Somerville where new development could bring a critical mass of living-wage jobs are neighborhoods that will be served by the new Orange and Green Line stations.

   Emphasizing office development would better achieve the city‚Äôs other redevelopment goals as well.  City officials hope for Union Square to become a vibrant commercial district, drawing neighbors and destination shoppers to a diverse array of goods, services, and entertainment.  To support these new enterprises, Union Square must have a much larger daytime population. 

   Investing heavily in housing will not significantly expand the daytime population.  But office workers could, on weekdays, provide the customer base for enterprises that would, in turn, serve area residents evenings and weekends.

   OSPCD proposes leveraging Somerville‚Äôs high concentration of artists by focusing a portion of the new development on artists‚Äô working and living spaces.  This is clever.  With a Green Line stop and arts-related retail establishments, Union Square could become a fashionable place for firms in certain business sectors to locate offices.

   The illustrative plan offered by OSPCD proposes twelve-story buildings along Prospect Street.  This would work well, and it would be much better for Somerville if these high risers were offices rather than housing. 

   Their proximity to the Green Line station would be attractive to office commuters.  Placing housing away from Prospect Street traffic would be safer for families.  The Street‚Äôs East side is rife with environmental problems that could more economically be managed to meet regulatory standards for offices than those for housing.

   City officials have wisely opened their Union Square planning process to public participation.  The Aldermen‚Äôs Land Use Committee and the Planning Board will host a public hearing on Union Square zoning tomorrow, December 7, 6:00 p.m., in the aldermen‚Äôs chambers.