11/15 Community Meeting

co-creating a more equitable future for our youth, our planet and for Somerville.

Why Density is key to innovation?

Density & Innovation

Tough Tech “When iron rusts, it swaps an electron for an oxygen molecule. Usually, that electron goes to waste. Form Energy’s batteries, which are the size of a washer-dryer set, take in oxygen to convert iron to rust, harnessing the resulting electrons and their energy.

The devices can discharge power for about four straight days – lasting far longer than lithium-ion batteries, which, unlike Form Energy’s solution, require mining rare-earth minerals.”

- TIME, “The Best Inventions of 2023” Form Energy Employee working on Battery, Form Energy

Density & Innovation

Startup Ecosystem Today

Density & Innovation

Startup Ecosystem Goal

Campus Expansion Summary

Proposed Project Research & Development

1.1m SF

Office / Commercial

333,000 SF

Arts & Creative Enterprise (ACE)

77,000 SF

Community Center

27,600 SF 40,000 SF Fitness

8,400 SF Retail

Daycare

6,800 SF Health & Wellness

29,000 SF Food & Beverage

Open Space

80,000 SF

Trees

100+

Vehicle Parking

TBD

Bike Parking

400+

EV Charging

100% Of the parking will be EV ready

Campus Expansion Summary

Existing

Campus Expansion Summary

Proposed

Proposed Community Benefits (Extra)

North South Connector

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES

Social Impact Fund

$5.5 MILLION

The Fund will leverage the growing climate economy to benefit Somerville’s most vulnerable families and residents. Together with community leaders and industry experts, we will generate measurable social and environmental impact while building community wealth.

We will be inviting experts and advocacy from every stakeholder to prioritize the distribution of funds. These funds will help support the most vulnerable communities in Somerville.

Proposed Community Benefits

Youth-driven Multigenerational Community Center Rafi will work with community stakeholders to create a task force that will run a process to find the right partner to operate the Community Center on behalf of the community.

Community Benefits & Project Mitigation

Community Benefits & Project Mitigation

Linkage Fee Comparison Existing Zoning

Proposed Climate & Equity Overlay

Affordable Housing Trust (Required by Zoning)

$26.9M

$41.5M

Jobs Trust (Required by Zoning)

$3.5M

$5.5M

$30.4M

$47M

The required linkage fees for the campus expansion represent a 55% increase from the existing zoning.

*Not including any parking areas.

Community Benefits & Project Mitigation

20-year Cumulative Tax Revenue

Real Estate Taxes

Existing Zoning

Proposed Climate & Equity Overlay

$15.4M

$388M

Somernova will contribute approximately $26.9M net property tax annually to the City after the expansion. In today’s dollars, this represents a 7.9% increase in the FY2024 projected City revenues.

Community Benefits & Project Mitigation

Job Creation

Proposed Climate & Equity Overlay Permanent Jobs Created

5,850 Nearly 1,754 (30%) of these jobs require less than bachelor’s degree to qualify

Construction Jobs

Jobs Created through Economic Impact

6,020 1,200 Impact in the community through direct, indirect, & induced increases in spending.

Comparison

Existing Zoning

Proposed Climate & Equity Overlay

Community Center

None

25,000 sq ft $30m turn-key facility programmed & operated

by Somerville community

Impact Fund

None

$5.5M

Shuttle

None

Proposed North South Connector shutter to bring innovation and resources to people and people to innovation. Open to all residents & campus tenants.

Civic Space

None

35,000 sq.ft.

Micro Forest

None

New 10,800 sq.ft. Civic Space at part of Pollinator Corridor

Open Space

Not Required

80,000 sq.ft.

Not Required

Green roof, PVs, or both for 100% of the roof area not occupied by building systems equipment or outdoor amenity spaces.

Residential is Not Permitted

Propose Residential as an Allowable Use

35 Trees

100+ Trees

1196 Required

1252

70 ft

45 to 245 ft

1.2M SF

1.9M SF

Green Roofs Housing Tree Canopy Vehicle Parking Spaces Building Heights Density

Campus Expansion Summary

Existing

Campus Expansion Summary

Developed Under Existing Zoning

Campus Expansion Summary

Proposed

Next Steps

Timeline

Questions from the Community

1. Rafi‘s project proposes 1.9 million feet of commercial space with building heights from 3 up to 16 stories. By right, Rafi could build 1.2 million square feet on only four stories. Can you explain (to a layperson) why Rafi needs to build so many more stories to add just 0.7 million square feet of commercial space?

2. What about housing; where does it go?

3. What is the environmental impact of this increased height that you are proposing?

4. Where are you going to put all the cars; have you reached out to the church for their parking?

5. Are there pollutants in the soil below your existing buildings that would have to be remediated?

6. How do you avoid being another Kendall Square?

7. How do you ensure that your vision will continue beyond the construction of your project?

8. Can you address what you are investing into the infrastructure to support the development of this project including to support the incoming population that will move into the neighborhood?

9. Will Rafi properties commit to funding the DOJO/ youth community center if it does not get the desired zoning change? What are the plans for Somernova‘s community engagement in that event?

10. How does the community center get funded past the 10 years of your funding if the city or a private non-profit isn’t involved from the beginning?

11. How long would it take for a proposal to actually break ground?

12. What does this project do for the City of Somerville?

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Co-create with us!

Visit: Somernova.community or write to us at community@somernova.com