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

By Jack Connolly
Jackconnolly422@gmail.com

Several community meetings have been held by Copper Mill LLC, the proposed developers of the Elm St./Grove St location currently occupied by the Burren, McKinnon’s Market and Dragon Pizza. The most recent meeting was held on February 12th before a standing room only crowd at the Community Baptist Church. The developers stated that the city encouraged them to meet with the community to get reaction to their proposal for a 500-unit, 25-story [put height in feet here] tower. The developer claims that this size and scale are necessary to make the development profitable and that there would be no compromise on the proposed number of apartments and building height. By the way, this is the third attempt at redeveloping this site by the owner and development team after two failed previous attempts.

A development of this magnitude does not align with the current residential and commercial landscape in the Davis and Porter Sq. neighborhoods.

But let’s stop right there. Why isn’t the City of Somerville Special Planning and Community Development Office organizing and conducting these meetings? Why hasn’t the city taken any formal position on this development proposal which runs counter to community planning for Davis Square in SomerVision 2040, and the draft Davis Square Commercial Area Plan? Take a hard look at those studies – this proposal is totally inconsistent with the long standing Davis Sq. history of community-led planning efforts for our City and our neighborhoods.

The Copper Mill proposal for a massive Davis Square 25 story tower is nothing more than a PR campaign by Copper Mill hoping to get the neighborhood on board, while our Somerville elected officials hide in the background.

To date, Copper Mill has made NO application to the City, NO formal plans or impact studies focusing on traffic, shadow impacts, construction impacts, etc. Yet the city and the neighborhood is being asked to “trust them (Copper Mill)” and override current zoning and planning efforts to grant approval for what would be the largest single development in the history of Davis Square.

A project of this size deserves a thorough review, complete with planning studies, community meetings, and revised zoning for the future of Davis Square – not just for the benefit of one property owner.

Sadly, none of the elected city councilors who were present at the last meeting (including Ward Six Councilor and two Mayoral candidates) made any substantive comments about the size and scale of the project or impacts on the community. If Copper Mill was looking for neighborhood reaction, it was evident from the size of the crowd and testimony given that there are many residents and business owners who have serious concerns about the proposed project. And if Copper Mill is unwilling to compromise on the size and scale of the project, why put us all through the charade of community ‘engagement’ meetings?

Have you been around Davis Square lately?

Have you seen the empty storefronts, streets and sidewalks that are falling apart and creating trip hazards, broken trash receptacles, public safety concerns, and littered streets that continue to daily deteriorate.

Copper Mill and the property owner have contributed to the decline by failing to rent empty storefronts in their block, leaving them in disrepair, plastered with flyers and graffiti. They claim the building is beyond its useful life and can’t possibly be repaired. Despite this, Copper Mill just announced plans to open one of the Elm St. storefronts as a marketing office for their ‘dream’ development. Copper Mill claims that the tower will be a new “gateway” to Davis Square, and somehow magically revitalize the entire commercial district by adding luxury units that will command rents in the $3,000 to $5,000 per month range, while “temporarily” displacing local businesses including the Burren, McKinnon’s and Dragon Pizza. In return, they only plan to provide the minimum 20% affordable housing units in return – WHAT A DEAL!

Construction impacts for a building of this 25 story scale and type would only exacerbate existing problems in the Square, with traffic and congestion disrupting existing businesses for several years and making it even more difficult for patrons of Davis Square to enjoy local restaurants and entertainment spots. How does this make things better for small business owners struggling to survive?

Most Somerville residents agree that we need more affordable housing and that new construction, especially near transit, will help achieve that goal. Likely most residents also agree that our desire to create more housing doesn’t mean giving a blank check to any developer who shows up with a plan, no matter how large and disruptive it is to neighborhood residents, property owners, and businesses.

 In my humble opinion, the City administration should right away step out of the shadows, OPPOSE the Copper Mill development, and work with the Davis Sq. area community to create a BALANCED GROWTH approach for the entire Davis Square commercial district and surrounding neighborhood.

Jack Connolly is a native Somervillian, a Davis Sq. resident and insurance agent: He is also a former Somerville Ward Six and At Large Alderman (known now as City Councilor).