The so-called 7th Spoke project proposed by developers Asan Partners and Perkins & Will would require significant amendments to the current zoning regulations in the city.

By Joe Creason

Members of the City Council Land Use Committee held a joint meeting with the Planning Board on April 29 to address several agenda items on development and zoning.

An item of major public interest is a zoning amendment to the Davis Square area requested by Asan Partners, a real estate investment firm and owner of the property in discussion under the name AP Davis Square Plaza LP. The requested amendment focuses on the land encompassing the addresses of 256 and 278 Elm, 58 Day, and 7 Herbert Streets.

“This is a big project with a significant impact on Davis Square and the surrounding community,” said Ward 6 Councilor Lance Davis.

Repeatedly called the 7th Spoke project by representatives from Asan Partners and Perkins & Will, the architecture firm in charge of redesigning the property, this name refers to the six streets and one civic thoroughfare which branch out from the Davis Square area.

In a letter from the firm’s Managing Partner Sam Judd, Asan Partners is requesting that the City Council change the zoning map of the existing plaza area into a civic district and the properties on either side of the plaza to a CC4-commercial core designation.

“It’s a focus on preserving the public realm, eliminating barriers and creating an inclusive environment and at the same time adding economically viable commercial space to Davis Square, which means adding jobs and new day-time uses for the area,” said Asan Partners Director of Development Welch Lilies.

According to the real estate and architecture design representatives, public access to the new civic space is at the heart of the project, though the space will be paid for and maintained by Asan Partners. Up to 14 new retail bays will be added across the project while leaving space for existing tenants including the post office.

Asan Partners and Perkins & Will also said that the 7th Spoke project will fix a public concern with regards to the messy trash and loading situation on the Elm Street Plaza by internalizing this area within one of the commercial buildings and concealing it from street view.

“I think it’s important to be clear that this is an ongoing process of listening to the public,” said Councilor Davis, whose ward encompasses the Davis Square area.

Overall, the reception was positive to the idea of revitalizing the Davis Square area during the public hearing portion of the meeting, however there were some concerns with regards to changing the zoning map for development purposes and if this would really yield a net benefit for the community.

“I’m no expert, but there doesn’t seem to be a substantive change in the permissible uses between MR4 (the current zoning designation for the property) and CC4,” said a resident on 15 Chandler Street.

The resident asked that the City Council maintain serious reservations about granting this amendment to the zoning map until more concrete positives are shown to be offered by the proposed change.

Several other agenda items on zoning and permit changes with regards to small business overlay district were heard at the joint hearing and will be further addressed in smaller town halls and community meetings.