By Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

On Thursday, the Board of Aldermen will be taking a vote which will determine the future of Assembly Square. In front of the board is a District Improvement Financing (DIF) plan, designed to provide $25 million to build the infrastructure (roads, utilities and an Assembly Square T station) necessary for development to go forward.

That $25 million will be used to cover part of a $63 million gap in the infrastructure financing plan for Assembly Square, with the State covering the rest. And, using the innovative DIF plan, the money will be taken from future tax revenues coming from three blocks in Assembly Square. The other nine blocks slated for development in Assembly Square will help bolster Somerville’s tax base. So the plan is for a portion of the new Assembly Square tax revenue pay for the infrastructure necessary to make the entire project happen.

There really isn’t any debate over whether the government and people of this city want development to move forward in Assembly Square. We have talked about redeveloping Assembly Square for more than a decade. I worked alongside many current members of the board to help push this project forward during my time as an alderman. This project means jobs, increased tax revenue, new housing, improved transportation and a reclaimed waterfront along the Mystic River. It is a universally popular idea.

The original plan was to use a complex mix of federal, state, local and private money to build the infrastructure, but the timing of some of the funds has been delayed and we need to build now. Most critical is the T station, along with the streets and utilities necessary for the first phase of the development.  Without that infrastructure, the private construction will not take place. No one is building condo units if you can’t flush the toilets.

This is a situation where the government has to take action to make a popular project happen. We will not issue the bonds for this project until the developer (Federal Realty Investment Trust) breaks ground. FRIT also will be held responsible if the city builds the infrastructure and the promised buildings in the area are not constructed. The people of Somerville will not be on the hook for building something for nothing.

Yet we need to move quickly to make sure the State funding is in place and to stay on schedule for the T station construction. Also, if we build the infrastructure now, while construction costs are lower, the Assembly Square project should be perfectly positioned to take advantage during the next upswing for the economy. This is an opportunity worth seizing.

Most importantly, this is a situation where government needs to be responsive and agile. Our best laid plans for Assembly Square need revision. Some things have worked out. For instance, thanks to federal stimulus money, MassDOT is currently rebuilding Assembly Square Drive. Now we need to take action to make sure the rest of the development moves forward.

Given all of its dedication to this project in the past, I am confident the board will secure the funds necessary to move forward in Assembly Square. And, as a nearby resident, I look forward to seeing the transformation of Assembly Square in the coming years.