By Joseph A. Curtatone

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

Change is inevitable, and it is necessary. As people return to the urban core seeking vibrant urban neighborhoods that are walkable, bikeable and accessible to transit, our community has set forth a vision in a comprehensive plan for how we can both grow as well as improve our city according to our shared community values. In that same vision, however, our community has made clear its commitment to preserving what we already love about Somerville: our diversity, character and culture. We want to manage that inevitable change. Part of that is the rich history of our city, from its significant role in the Revolutionary War when we were still part of Charlestown, to Somerville’s status as a major industrial center for the region, to our emergence as an artists’ enclave. And our community not only stated its commitment to historic preservation in SomerVision, but made firm on that commitment by overwhelmingly voting in favor of the Community Preservation Act (CPA). Now we are taking the next step by developing the City’s first-ever Historic Preservation Plan.

This plan will guide investment in our community’s historic resources by identifying the resources we have, determining their significance and laying out recommendations to preserve and protect our heritage. We’re developing the plan with the community, too, by using our lauded Somerville by Design process that puts the formation of the plan into the hands of the community. Having already held two visioning sessions for the Historic Preservation Plan last month, we’ll hold an open house at the Armory on Highland Avenue on Aug. 20 to unveil a first draft of the plan.

We need a formal plan developed with the community especially since the passage of the CPA, which created a new dedicated funding source for historic preservation, along with open space and affordable housing. You could see the demand this past year, when the Community Preservation Committee reviewed applications for CPA funding and makes recommendations to myself and the Board of Aldermen. In this first-ever round of CPA funding, there were over $2.6 million in historic preservation funding requests—far exceeding the funds available. So, we need a plan in place that helps us identify our historic resources and plan for how to preserve them.

In the coming year, we’ll already start to see the fruits of these commitments made by our community. The Community Preservation Committee ultimately recommended and the Board approved nearly $1.7 million in funding for historic preservation projects. Some of those are large-scale projects, such as a renovation of the Prospect Hill Tower to coincide with a rehabilitation of the surrounding park. The City originally bought that land in 1902 and completed the tower in 1903, serving as a monument for one of the most critical strongholds during the Siege of Boston in the Revolutionary War, with the Citadel atop Prospect Hill serving as the American Army’s main fortress, within cannon shot of the British troops on Bunker Hill in Charlestown.

Another large-scale project is the rehabilitation of the Mystic Water Works building on Alewife Brook Parkway. This was Somerville’s first water supply, created in 1861 when Charlestown was granted the right to construct a dam at Mystic Lake and a reservoir to supply the city with water. The Somerville Housing Authority will now turn that historic building into affordable housing for seniors, preserving our past while building toward our future.

And sometimes a small project can be the start of something big. One of the projects awarded funding this past year was $7,500 to contract a historic preservation consultant to prepare a National Register Nomination for the American Tube Works Complex outside Union Square. This company, founded in 1851, was the first in the United States to manufacture seamless tubes used for boilers on trains, ships and in buildings. This designation would make the complex eligible for historic tax credits, and thus incentivize rehabilitation. It’s not a large funding request compared to some of the others submitted, but it could spark a great revitalization of these beautiful industrial buildings that could harken back to Somerville’s past while housing our community’s future.

More than $3.7 million in CPA funding is available this coming year for historic preservation, open space, outdoor recreation and affordable housing projects, and we are once again inviting residents, organizations and businesses to submit their project proposals to see if they are eligible for funding. But even if you don’t have a historic preservation project to pitch, join the open house on Aug. 20 as we build our first-ever Historic Preservation Plan. You can also fill out our Historic Resources Survey online in just a few minutes to help shape the plan. Join in and help us stay true to the community’s commitment to preserving our city’s character and history.