By Denise Keniston

On Tuesday, July 11, the Somerville Planning Board took a big step forward in advancing the massive Union Square Revitalization of fifteen acres in Union Square. The board approved the application for a seven-story life science building, included in phase one – a four-acre parcel located on the corner of Prospect Street and Somerville Avenue. Two other buildings and an open space are also part of phase one and their applications will be voted on separately in the coming months.

“We are thankful to the Planning Board for their thoughtful consideration and approval. This will help to kick start the revitalization of Union Square and unlock the neighborhood’s potential as an employment center and regional economic driver,” said Greg Karczewski, President of Union Square Station Associates.

Planning Board member Dorothy Kelly Gay voted in favor and applauded the developer’s efforts. “I think you’ve [the developer] done a fantastic job and you’ve done exactly what we asked for [modifications to the application]. I’m very much in support.”

Not everyone at the meeting was as enthusiastic. Tori Antonino lives on Prospect Hill – a seven-minute walk from the project. She is an environmental activist and a founding member of Green and Open Somerville. “I’m disappointed in the Planning Board for approving the life sciences building,” she says. “Sustainability was our number one issue and the plans put forth by the developer, US2, fall way short of any of our major concerns. We wanted to see underground parking, affordable housing, and more green spaces, like what we see in Kendall Square.”

Comparisons with Kendall Square are inevitable. Antonino says hopes of urban gardening and rooftop gardens, like the Kendall Square Roof Garden, are fading. “The life sciences building is just one of several buildings included in this huge project, and we still believe the Somerville Planning Board has many opportunities to insist on more sustainability and demand something spectacular, like what we see in Kendall Square.”

Last week, MEPA (Massachusetts Environmental Protection Act) office certified the building plans and affirmed the project complies with state laws and is ready to move forward with the permit approval process. US2 is working towards a LEED Gold certification and says the building will feature a “blue roof” as a water retention strategy, achieve a reduction in greenhouse gases through above-code performance. The building will also feature 8,900 square feet of arts and creative space, rotating exterior art walls, and ground-floor retail.

“Our vision for this project is to make Union Square into a destination for employers, create more green space, achieve housing goals with a range of affordability, and preserve the neighborhood character that everybody loves today.”

The completed project could take twenty years. The 15.7-acre plan will include 2.4 million square feet of new biotech, lab, office, residential and retail space that will support generating 5,300 new permanent jobs, along with more than 4,000 new construction jobs and will generate $11.3 million annually in new property tax revenue. The project will be comprised of 60 percent commercial and 40 residential development and includes over 3.5 acres of open space. The project also aligns with Mayor Joseph Curtatone’s SomerVision 2030, a guide for the city’s policy and planning since 2009.

Steve Mackey, chairman, and CEO of the Somerville Chamber of Commerce applauded the board’s decision. “For years we’ve seen Cambridge and greater Boston get all the funding and financial benefits,” he says. “It’s time Somerville has a piece. This building will be like no other as a huge addition to Somerville.”

The next Somerville Planning Board meeting is scheduled for August 8. Public hearings will be held on buildings 2 and 3, along with the open space.