Powder House Community School

[wsguy.livejournal.com]

The city has selected Tufts proposal.

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/somerville/2013/08/tufts_project_picked_for_powder_house_school_redevelopment.html?camp=misc%3Aon%3Afb-page%3AHLsomerville&dlvrit=282575

Comments

[somerfriend.livejournal.com]

It is really encouraging to see some recognition of the need for commercial/office development in Somerville. So many developers want to do residential, but we're really lacking in places to work in our town and need the daytime foot traffic and net tax/fiscal benefits it generates. I hope it ends up being 100% ofice in the second building referred to.

[smoterh.livejournal.com]

So if this is going to be used as admistrative office space for Tufts, is Somerville going to see any tax revenue?

[somerfriend.livejournal.com]

Yes, that was part of Tufts' proposal.

[ron_newman]

But if all the office space is to be occupied by Tufts, as the city report seems to indicate, it won't actually add any new "places to work" or "commercial/office development." Therefore, I don't see the benefit of this proposal.

[smammy]

In the Tufts proposal, all the office space is labeled "Administration", leading me to believe that you are correct. But, I suppose people will work in those offices whether they're occupied by Tufts or rented to other tenants...

[ron_newman]

But if they are people who already work for Tufts, there's no net benefit to Somerville.

[smammy]

It's plausible that Tufts wants more office space because they are growing and thus hiring more staff.

[somerfriend.livejournal.com]

You must really dislike Tufts :-)

Daytime foot traffic is happening from the new office space. Property taxes happening. Fits the bill. If you don't believe there is a net benefit, what is the negative that is offsetting the benefit? The fact that the increase in office space is taken by an expanding Tufts or a new business moving into Somerville is a debate one could have, but there is a benefit in either case.

[ron_newman]

I don't dislike Tufts at all. I'd just prefer to see this be a place for new businesses.

[somerfriend.livejournal.com]

I don't disagree with that sentiment. So I'd amend your earlier statement to instead of "no net benefit" to "could be an even bigger benefit than it is".

[somervilleguy.livejournal.com]

I dislike Tufts.

[nomacmac.livejournal.com]

It will be good for the businesses in Teele Sq. Now maybe someone will want to build something in the giant hole in the ground next to Rudy's.