SOMERVILLE — City officials are evaluating two sharply different redevelopment proposals for the long-vacant 90 Washington Street site, as Somerville looks to generate significant new tax revenue to help address an estimated $30 million financial gap.
The four-acre property in the Inner Belt area, located roughly one-third of a mile from the MBTA Green Line Extension’s East Somerville station, is at the center of a broader effort to reposition the former industrial district for dense mixed-use development.
The Somerville City Council and the Somerville Redevelopment Authority are expected to select a development partner by July 1.
The city acquired the site through eminent domain in 2019 for $8.8 million. However, a subsequent legal challenge from the former owner resulted in a Middlesex Superior Court ruling that the property should be valued at approximately $39 million, based on its development potential—creating a significant fiscal shortfall that officials now hope to offset through redevelopment.
Two experienced development firms with prior projects in Somerville have submitted proposals that differ significantly in scale, density, and program mix.
North River Leerink is proposing a large-scale, transit-oriented development featuring a 14-story residential tower and a six-story building that together could deliver up to 600 housing units.
The plan includes a full-service grocery store, with the developer targeting tenants such as Trader Joe’s, Roche Bros., Aldi, Lidl, Sprouts, or Whole Foods Market. Additional ground-floor retail would include small food and beverage operators, as well as neighborhood services such as a pharmacy or dry cleaner.
The proposal also calls for approximately 8,000 square feet of arts and cultural space, along with a central public green space integrated into the site design.
North River Leerink is working with Handel Architects, the design firm behind major Boston projects including Winthrop Center and Millennium Tower.
The developer has an established footprint in Somerville’s Inner Belt and surrounding areas, including 100 Chestnut Street, a 200,000-square-foot life sciences building that opened in 2023, and a planned 300,000-square-foot expansion at 200 Chestnut Street.
Wood Partners proposal: mid-rise housing with neighborhood retail
The competing bid from Wood Partners calls for a seven-story residential building with 324 apartments and approximately 15,000 square feet of retail space.
The plan also includes about 5,800 square feet of community space and a central parking structure wrapped by the building massing.
Wood Partners, the developer behind Alta Revolution in Assembly Square, has delivered multiple residential projects across Greater Boston in recent years, including Alta On The Row in Worcester, Alta French Hill in Marlborough, and Alta Oxbow in Wayland.
The firm reports it has delivered more than 5,000 apartments in the region since 2008. It is collaborating on the project with architectural firm PCA, which has also worked on developments such as Tuscan Village in Salem, Arsenal Yards in Watertown, and projects in Harvard Square.
Financial stakes and development pressure
City officials are under pressure to maximize both housing production and fiscal return from the site as Somerville continues to manage budget constraints tied to the court-ordered valuation gap.
The redevelopment of 90 Washington Street is seen as a key opportunity to capture value from the rapidly transforming Inner Belt district, which has benefited from new transit access via the Green Line Extension.
The selected project is expected to play a central role in shaping the future density, retail mix, and economic output of the area as Somerville continues its shift from industrial land use to mixed-use urban redevelopment.
A final decision from the city is expected by early July.
