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How Did We Get Here?
How Did We Get Here?
Cobble Hill Plaza, 2014
Cobble Hill Plaza, 2014
As recently as 2014, 90 Washington street had a small strip mall and it was owned by Corcoran Jennison, a real estate developer. In 2013, Corcoran Jennison transferred 90 Washington St to Cobble Hill LLC, their own subsidiary. Cobble Hill LLC kicked out the strip mall business to make way for mixed development. Unfortunately by 2016, their plans fell through, apparently due to in-fighting and 90 Washington remained unused.
The current police headquarters and the current fire station for Engine #3 are at 220 Washington Street. In 2017 the city promised to give 220 Washington Street to Union Square developers (Master Land Disposition Agreement, PDF, 1.4 MB). This implied that the city would eventually need to find new locations for the police headquarters and Engine #3.
In 2018, the city commissioned a study to find a location for both the police headquarters and Engine #3 (Site Evaluation Report [PDF, 2.4 MB]). This study was flawed. It reviewed locations that were obviously too small and it grossly underestimated the cost of 90 Washington St.
In 2019, the city published the Demonstration Plan [PDF, 21.7MB] and took the site by eminent domain for $8.7 million.
Cobble Hill LLC sued the city in an attempt to keep the land. The courts ultimate sided with the city, but the court believes the city underpaid Cobble Hill and is currently determining the fair market value.
In 2021, public outreach regarding the plan stepped up.
In 2022, several meetings were arranged, soliciting some feedback about the project. The following slide was presented in the fall of 2022:
In 2023, a jury decided the City paid too little for the land, and that the city owes Corcoran Jennison an additional $26.5 million on top of the original $8.8 million paid (totaling $35.3 million). The city has the right to appeal the verdict. (Boston Globe, May 17, 2023)
How Do We Know The Site Selection Was Flawed?
How Do We Know The Site Selection Was Flawed?
Three specific flaws undercut the process.
Flawed options: The study claimed to have studied six locations, but three were under the required size. Any serious study would have discovered this early on and expanded the search to more locations.
Flawed cost estimate: The study claimed 90 Washington was one of the lowest cost options, costing $4,671,900 for 3.99 acres ($1.2 million per acre). Instead, the city has paid $8.7 million for the location ($2.5 million per acre). While $1.2 million per acre was among the least expensive, at $2.5 million per acre, it would have been the second-most expensive.
Police headquarters can be anywhere: While the study rightly evaluated each location for how quickly a fire engine could respond to fires across the city, it failed to mention that the police headquarters location does not affect police response time. During an online community meeting in February 2022, city staff admitted that the location of the police headquarters does not affect police response time. The police are constantly spread throughout the city in their cars, so are already quick to respond to incidents. The police headquarters could therefore be anywhere in the city and does not need to be next to a T station.
The outcome of the study appears to have been predetermined. While the study was being conducted, the city separately asked a law firm for an appraisal of 90 Washington. On March 21, 2018, the law firm told the city that 90 Washington St was worth $8.745 million (Demonstration Plan [PDF, 21.7MB], page 127). But then months later, the city accepted the site selection study of $4.671 million, which was published on June 20, 2018.
The process was carried out in 2018, before a pandemic ripped through the world and closed many businesses here in Somerville. There are vacant buildings up and down Washington Street and Broadway, among other places, which were unable to be considered.
Furthermore, the site selection did not include opportunity costs. The economic value of land directly adjacent to a (new!) subway station was not taken into account.
What Challenges Do We Face?
What Challenges Do We Face?
Some city councilors believe that the city must build a police station at 90 Washington St for the city to keep the land.
We doubt this. According to Massachusetts General Law, Part 1, Title VII, Chapter 40, Section 15A “Transfer of land; procedure”, we believe that the mayor could determine the land is no longer needed for a public safety building, and then the city council could then vote to transfer it to another entity within the City government for alternative use.
Multiple city officials believe all opposition is caused by their legal rivals – Cobble Hill LLC – rather than the actual will of the people.
The city continues to frame this project as a "public safety building", obscuring the fact that around 90% of the square footage have been designated for a police headquarters. This prevents neighbors from fully understanding the project.
City Council and the Somerville Redevelopment Authority don't receive the full picture of community pushback.
City staff conduct most of the community outreach. Unfortunately when they give updates to the SRA and City council, these city staff downplay community opposition.
The Mayor announced a "pause" in May 2022 but still is moving ahead and expects to select a developer next year.
What Do We Propose Instead?
What Do We Propose Instead?
Build mixed-use housing and commercial space on all or most of 90 Washington St, maintaining valuable trees and some green space.
Build a station for Fire Engine 3 with controlled traffic signals to minimize noise, akin to the other engines' stations, at 90 Washington St.
Conduct a new study to identify a lower-cost location for a smaller police headquarters.
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