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We write to thank the community members, the City of Somerville, Mayor Curtatone and his dedicated staff, city consultants, and all of those who took part in the City’s recent design charrettes and prior visioning sessions and workshops, for your efforts to guide the future development of Union Square.

As developers, we were drawn to Somerville as a city that had worked to define its goals and articulate a vision for the future. The Somerville By Design process set up by the City only reinforced our appreciation for the collaborative approach you have established. A community driven master planning process will ensure that the creativity, originality, history and diversity of Union Square is amplified. After all, places remembered best aren’t defined by buildings and streetscapes; like Union Square, they are defined by the people who call them home.

From December 17 through last Wednesday, March 11, the City ran 10 separate meetings aimed at creating a vision for Union Square that capitalizes on all of its innate strengths in ways that will bolster the community and drive a responsible development program. Over the course of those meetings, we gained important insights into the neighborhood’s values and goals. Some of our ideas were better received than others, but all were informed by the constructive participation of so many who call Somerville home. We look forward to continuing the dialogue and producing a plan that meets Somerville’s objectives and is economically viable.

Thank you.

Richie Stein, Jim Loewenberg and Greg Karczewski
US2
Master Developer Partner for Union Square’s Revitalization