SOMERVILLE AT LARGE
An e.newsletter from Denise Provost, Alderman-at-Large
Vol. 1, No. 2
December 6, 2001
Contents
1) DECEMBER VOTE POSSIBLE ON BROADWAY THEATER AWARD
On Nov. 19, the city received three thoughtful and interesting mixed-use proposals response
to its Request for Proposals (RFP) for re-development of the former Broadway Theater. This
property, at 79-83 Broadway in East Somerville, came to the city through tax title
proceedings in 1996. Since then the building has not been used, except for the Azeza Dental
Clinic, which occupies about 800 sq. ft. on the ground floor.
One of the challenges of redevelopment is the structure itself. Like many theaters of its era
(it was built in 1915), the theater is a two-story building in front, with street level storefronts
on either side of a central lobby. The second floor, which contains office/retail space, also
does not run the entire depth of the building. Beyond the two-story construction of the front
third of the building is the space with a 28 foot high ceiling, which was used until the late
1940s as a theater seating 1,850 people.
During the Capuano administration, the city explored converting the Broadway Theater into
18 artist's studios. The present administration found this plan financially unfeasible, and
decided to sell the property, which is currently assessed at $530,000. The twelve member
Broadway Theater Task Force may deliberate and vote as soon as this December on its
preferred redevelopment plan.
Outlines of the Three Proposals:
A) Proposal from the Present Tenant
Dr. Mansour Werfalli, the dentist who operates the existing clinic, has offered to purchase
the building for $350,000., and expand his dental clinic to 2,723 sq. ft. With the remainder
of the first floor space, he would create a 946 sq. ft. retail store front, and a 2,000 sq. ft.
day care center. These would be leased to presently unidentified tenants.
A 1,547 sq. ft. space at the stage end of the original theater is identified as the Broadway
Theater Cooperative. The proposal speaks of working with the Arts Council to find users of
this space. The balance of the space, on the second floor, would be made into five 400 sq.
ft. artist's work studios.
Dr. Werfalli has retained the services of the Amicus Equity Development Corp. Its
principal/owner, Rocco J. Antonelli, Jr., was the developer and builder of Davis Square
Plaza ( which Mr. Antonelli also owns), the Davis Square Starbucks and Joshua Tree
Restaurant, and the Sanctuary Lofts on Tufts Street in East Somerville. Dr. Werfalli's
attorney is Richard Di Girolamo, and his architect Niles Sutphin, both of whom have
Somerville offices.
B) Mudflat Studio Proposal
Mudflat Pottery Studio, a nonprofit educational organization which has outgrown its present
space at 149 Broadway, has offered $163,000 for the property. It wants to increase the
interior space 5,000 sq. ft. mezzanine in the former theater area. Mudflat would occupy
16,500 sq. ft. for its own use, mostly (12,000 sq. ft.) as classrooms and space for kilns. It
proposes to maintain the dental clinic by leasing that space to Dr. Werfalli, and to add a
second street level retail store space of 700 sq. ft.
Mudflat's architect is Brooks Mostue of Somerville. Mostue designed the Mystic Activity
Center for the Somerville Housing Authority. For the Somerville Community Corporation,
he has designed 44 units of affordable housing, to be built at 34 Linden Street in Ward 2.
Although tax-exempt, Mudflat has stated that it is open to discussing Payments in Lieu of
Taxes (PILOT) to the city of Somerville. The dental clinic and retail space would be subject
to real estate taxes. Mudflat submitted several letters of support from school principals, the
Council on Aging, the Homeless Coalition, and others attesting to its contributions to the
community.
C) Broadway Theater Studios Proposal
The third bidder for the old theater is artist/developer John Tagiuri, who, as J.T. Studios,
has previously developed artists' studios in a building on Pearl Street in East Somerville.
This proposal offers $260,000. for the property, which would then be redeveloped into
condominiums. Dr. Werfalli has made a preliminary offer to purchase a 1,120 sq. ft. office
condominium in which to continue his dental clinic. The other five units would be
"affordable live/work studios with limited equity appreciation controls to preserve these
studios as low-cost artist space."
J.T. Studio has lined up artist purchasers for all the studio units; several of these prospective
purchasers have been pre-approved for mortgages by Wainwright Bank. A notable design
feature of this project is its 3,000 square foot "dual-purpose" interior courtyard, which
accommodates patios, trees, and one parking space for each unit (the other two proposals call
for off-site parking). This courtyard is also proposed for use as the setting for community
arts and cultural events during the summers.
Why this Project is Important
Each of these proposals contemplates an investment of approximately $1 million in a fairly
large (10,000 sq. ft.) but largely unused building on Broadway in East Somerville. All of
these proposals seem to be financiable; each bidder has submitted a letter from Winter Hill
Bank expressing the bank's interest in lending money to finance construction. The investment
in construction and the active re-use of the building will have a positive impact on the
revitalization of this area of Broadway.
The last redevelopment proposal for this property was in 1996, when a building permit was
issued to turn it into a commercial bakery. A group of neighbors brought an administrative
appeal, and that project was scrapped. The solicitation of mixed-use proposals that are
compatible with the neighborhood lays the groundwork for improvement. The proposal
themselves vary considerably in their mix of uses, their impacts on the neighborhood, and
their balance of public and private space.
I believe that the best plan, and the highest degree of public confidence, will come from a
deliberation process that is open to the public. I am urging the administration to manage the
process accordingly, and will report on the process as it evolves.
2) CVS RETRACTS 'LAND SWAP' PROPOSAL, PRESENTS MAGOUN SQUARE
PLANS
On November 28, I attended a third neighborhood meeting sponsored by CVS concerning
their proposal to build a store in Magoun Square. Corporate CVS has rejected its original
concept of trading its optioned property on Medford Street for the city's Magoun Square
parking lot as "too complicated."
Their current proposal, still in the discussion stage, is to deed their optioned property
(17,215 sq. ft.) to the city, creating a lot of 40,215 sq. ft. when combined with the municipal
parking lot. CVS would then build a store of approximately 9,775 sq. ft. somewhere within
the combined lot, and lease the area of the store footprint back from the city. CVS provided
a handout with four possible layouts for the site, along with parking analysis.
Over fifty neighbors attended this meeting, and again had many questions, mostly concerning
traffic patterns and congestion. CVS had its traffic engineer, Bruno Campea of Bayside
Engineering in Somerville (617-625-4696) on hand to answer questions and give preliminary
projections of additional car trips during peak hours.
What Next?
Of the four conceptual site plans circulated by CVS, the one which attracted the most
positive comments was one which positioned the store along Medford Street, with all parking
at the side or in back. Although we have been warned that corporate CVS has not
"officially" approved this version, I applaud any opening move that incorporates elements of
good urban design. CVS's traffic engineers will be meeting with the city's, and corporate
CVS will be pondering "official" approval of the one decent site plan proposal. No more
public meetings are planned for this year.
Meanwhile, scores of people affected by this project are reading (or scrambling to get their
hands on) a magnificent booklet entitled BETTER MODELS FOR CHAIN DRUGSTORES,
by Anne Stillman. Published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the book can be
purchased at that organization's regional office at 7 Market Place, at Fanueil Hall Market.
They're on the fourth floor, open from 9 to 5. The National Trust's local telephone number
is: (617) 523-0885. The ideal holiday gift for the Somerville resident?
3) HOMANS BUILDING UPDATE
The November 29 hearing on the administration's proposal to renovate the Homans Building
was videotaped, and has been televised. A few items that were interesting to me:
A) The first speaker was the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Albert Argenziano, speaking of
the pressing space needs of Somerville High School, the inadequacies of its library, and the
outdated equipment in the trade program.
B) At the hearing, the Project Manager and DPW Commissioner backed off from naming
specific users and space allocations at the Homans building, saying that it would be "unfair"
to do so at this point in the planning process. The SCALE program, in particular, has not
been mentioned as a potential tenant of the Homans building. The officials presented stated
that the Homans renovation "might not" satisfy the space needs of the agencies presently
occupying City Hall Annex, the TAB building, and the Boys and Girls Club, although the
financial analysis provided ("Consolidation Initiative of Municipal Facilities") treated the
Homans project as an alternative offsetting the costs of those three sites.
C) According to the figures supplied, the city is paying Tufts University $14.73 per sq. ft.
for office space in Davis Square, and $21.68 per sq. ft. to the Boys and Girls Club for office
space in Union Square.
What Next?
No further meetings have been scheduled at this time. At my request, the city's presentation
from the Nov. 29 public hearing has been posted on the city's web site under "What's New."
It's in pdf format and accessible using Adobe Acrobat Reader, thanks to the excellent efforts
of OHCD's Christi Wrigley.
4) NEWSFLASH!
Twenty-three abuttors have filed an action in the Superior Court appealing the grant of a
Special Permit for the proposed Super Stop & Shop on McGrath Highway. A copy of the
complaint is on file at the City Clerk's office.
5) HEARING TONIGHT ON LOWELL STREET BRIDGE
The Massachusetts Highway Department is holding a public hearing on the design of the
reconstructed Lowell Street Bridge TONIGHT, Thursday, December 6, 2001, at 7:00 p.m.
in the Alderman's Chambers at City Hall. For questions, contact Michael Bloukos, Project
Manager, at (617) 973-7333.
6) WANTED: YOUR VIEWS ON SNOW REMOVAL AND STREET CLEANING
The Committee on Public Utilities and Public works will hold a public hearing
on the city's policies and practices regarding street cleaning and snow
plowing, on Tuesday, December 18, at 6:30 p.m. in the Alderman's Chambers.
Call City Clerk John Long for more information; (617) 625-6600.
7) READER'S POLL-SHOULD THE CITY TOW VEHICLES OBSTRUCTING STREET CLEANING?
Let me know.
copyright 2001 Denise Provost
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