90 Washington Street Redevelopment

Project Overview

New here? Please take a look at this narrative and reference material - Civic Advisory Committee meetings, previous public outreach events, Building Committee meetings, and the FAQ's are a good place to start.

90 Washington Street is owned by the City of Somerville's Redevelopment Authority (SRA). The agency acquired the parcel in 2020 by eminent domain as the site for a new Public Safety Building (PSB), encompassing a new station for Fire Engine 3, Police and Fire headquarters and emergency dispatch center.

90 Washington Street was home to the popular Cobble Hill Plaza shopping center, which occupied the site from 1982-2016. Closed for development into an apartment building by the former owner, the businesses in the Plaza were a vital amenity for local residents of the Washington Street corridor. Fortunately, 90 Washington Street is large enough (4 acres) to accommodate a new PSB complex as well as new retail, commercial, residential and community uses in complementary buildings, green spaces and civic areas.

Project Information

The Capital Projects and Economic Development divisions are working together to implement a community vision for 90 Washington Street. Capital Projects is managing the development of the new Public Safety Building. Economic Development is overseeing the development of the community vision on the remainder of the site.

90 Washington Street Citizen Advisory Committee - Get Involved!

After intensive listening to the public throughout 2022, the City created a new 90 Washington Street Civic Advisory Committee (CAC), comprised of homeowners, renters, local businesses, non-profits and city councilors, to help advise the Somerville Redevelopment Authority (SRA) on selecting a development partner for the site. The Committee started meeting in January 2023 and helped Economic Development staff use a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process to identify three development firms qualified for potential selection by the SRA. After sixteen (16) meetings, the 90 Washington CAC is taking a couple of months off this summer, but is poised to help Economic Development release a Request for Proposals (RFP) soon to the three qualified developers mentioned above. After proposals are submitted to the City, the CAC will help review them and advise the SRA on a final selection.

Click on this link to apply for membership on the 90 Washington Street Citizen Advisory Committee:

https://forms.gle/Hz9cLKbemWzi7vbh8

Project Timelines

Project Site

The 90 Washington Street site is a 4 acre site a stones throw from the East Somerville GLX station. Based on good urban design principles and PSB project requirements, the site has been subdivided into four areas: the new realignment of New Washington Street, the Washington Street Redevelopment Parcels (Parcels A & C), and the PSB project site, most likely to be on Parcel B. New Washington Street is proposed to be moved west to line up with Franklin Street, providing a safer intersection with Washington Street that can accommodate a traffic signal that can permit emergency vehicles to quickly access both roadways.