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Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte
The skyline of Somerville has sure changed a lot lately and it is still changing. Just took a look at what’s going on over at Assembly Square. Recently I posted a comment saying I believe they are building on any old available space. Not to mention the houses and businesses that are disappearing and turning into new construction. Have you been to Assembly Square lately? Gives the term ever-changing a new meaning. I drive over there once a week and I swear it changes weekly. Here are your comments.
“There is some interesting development there including housing, employment and transportation. Not for everyone but there are other options in Somerville.”
— Photos by Jonathan
“What is happening to the city I loved and grew up in? I have not been back there in a while. It seems all the yuppies moved in and there changing the structure of the city for the worse. Bring back the old Somerville!”
“There is not bringing back, wherever you are geographically. Adapting to change is important at whatever level one chooses and is comfortable with.”
“Exactly, but then they also plan to make all of these buildings inaccessible by car, and only by walking, bike or T. It’s insane. Takes two hours to navigate Somerville by car.”
Fact!
“Gee, the Star Market/Walgreens plaza on Broadway. I wonder what’s going to be built there? More friggin’ condos. They should change the name of the city to Condominiumville.”
“The grand master plan by people of a certain mindset is to get rid of most cars since they use gasoline and make Somerville residents use public transportation or bikes since they have bike lanes.”
“There’s lots of parking at Assembly Row. It’s in parking garages and parking lots. They can’t put the parking underground because the area is a sealed toxic waste site.”
“You miss your home you grew up in, then when you ride through it, and realize, WOW this really isn’t my home any more. And sit and cry.”
Progress keeps taking our businesses, and starting new businesses. Old schools and entire blocks are disappearing. Somerville is bulging with development especially Assembly Row.
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Somerville is changing.
It continues to change.
Our city has always been changing. It has never been static since before it was Charlestown beyond-the-neck.
Dairy farms on Milk Row became foundries and slaughterhouses which became envelope factories and now are rock climbing gyms and green-tech incubators.
Waves of new residents and immigrants have made this city their home.
In transportation, horse-drawn trolleys were electrified, steam tran stations were built and then removed, giant raised highways plowed through residential neighborhoods.
So the city is different than your memories, fine. But don’t try to argue Somerville ever was or should be frozen in amber. It is the change and vibrancy that makes our city so amazing. Every change leaves it’s mark and those marks together are a kind of art.
“’Exactly, but then they also plan to make all of these buildings inaccessible by car, and only by walking, bike or T. It’s insane. Takes two hours to navigate Somerville by car.’ Fact!”
Fact? None of this is remotely true. As is also acknowledged in this same article “There’s lots of parking at Assembly Row. It’s in parking garages and parking lots.” In fact it is pretty hostile to get to assembly by any means besides the car. If you take the bus you get stuck in the same traffic as cars do while taking a very indirect route and/or making a transfer at Sullivan Square. If you walk you have to cross under the highway with poorly timed signals. If you bike you face the same thing but with no continuous dedicated infrastructure.
You would also be hard pressed to take two hours to drive across somerville. Even a trip from the furthest apart points in somerville accessible by car (from Mystic valley parkway to the edge of Northpoint) takes about 30 min in rush hour traffic, and only 15 min without traffic.