Hailing the project as “exactly the kind of development we're trying to encourage around the commonwealth,” Governor Patrick was guided through the construction site by Mayor Joseph Curtatone and Ted Tobin of KSS Realty. ~ Photo by Andrew Firestone

By Andrew Firestone

After years of neglect MaxPak, the blighted industrial site turned residential development was thrust back into the spotlight when Governor Deval Patrick arrived to tour the area. His visit followed an announcement of the approval of a $490,000 annuity from the Department of Transportation’s Transit Oriented Development (TOD) grant to be used for construction of the proposed community path running adjacent to the five and a half acre site.

Hailing the project as “exactly the kind of development we’re trying to encourage around the commonwealth,” Governor Patrick was guided through the construction site by Mayor Joseph Curtatone and Ted Tobin of KSS Realty. “This kind of collaboration makes a difference,” said Patrick. “For anybody who questions… whether there is a role for government in investing in neighborhood improvement, I say come look at this place.”

“We’re building it green,” said Tobin, “and the fact that it’s a transit oriented development makes it a very good thing for the community, less traffic, less cars.” Tobin also noted that one of the proposed stations for the Green Line will be at the corner of the development, and has already set aside land for a swap.

The construction of 199 residential units, 25 of which are designated affordable housing, is schedule to break ground within the next year. Neighbors such as Zach Kron, could not be more pleased.

- Photo by Andrew Firestone

“Its been under-occupied since we moved in the area and I’m just excited to have more eyes in he street, frankly,” said Kron, who said that, aside from the dumping of mattresses and trapped animals there was also a problem of dumping “.22 caliber shells, directly out of the pistols.”

A hurdle overcome by the development team was the removal of harmful chemicals from the soil itself. Magoun Square Neighborhood Association founder Joe Lynch said he and the neighborhood were “very pleased” with the development, especially the reclamation of blighted land. “This is a somewhat contaminated site and it has been for the last 75 years. The manufacturing that took place on this site years ago, there were no watch-dog agencies to control what was going into the ground.”

Tobin added that going “from industrial to residential is a big deal.”

Curtatone was thankful to the Patrick Administration, saying, “It takes a vision. To have a twenty-first century economy, you need a twenty-first century transportation system,” and crediting Patrick for enabling the vision to come true. “It means a lot to us.”

Patrick reaffirmed his support for the Green Line extension, calling it the equivalent of “extending economic opportunity and quality of life to Somerville and beyond.”