Mixed-use transformation may be coming to Somerville’s Powder House Community School
The Powder House Community School could be a mixed-use development with senior housing, artist home studios, loft apartments, a restaurant, and green space.
A newly proposed mixed-use development in Somerville would include a little something for everybody, including housing for seniors, affordable artist units, loft apartments, commercial offices, and community green space.
Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone has chosen MarKa LLC as the preferred developer for revitalizing the Powder House Community School.
Finding a new use for the building has been a five-year process, according to BostInno, as the city of Somerville has worked with the community to find ideas.
According to MarKa’s proposal:
“MarKa began to conceptualize the site’s redevelopment as an inclusive urban village within Somerville where diversity, shared green-open space, and a mix of complimentary urban-oriented features would set the form for an inter-generational live-work-educate-inspire-shop-entertain ‘campus-style’ environment respectful of the neighborhood.’’
Over half of the building will be residential, with 40 units split up into eight artist live/work units, 12 age-in-place units, and 20 loft-style residences.
Steven Azar, MarKa’s director of development, told Boston.com that MarKa worked specifically with the Collaborative Living Project, a group of Somerville residents that look for age-in-place housing options for seniors that wish to stay in the city.
“They want to be integrated into the community,’’ Azar said. “They will take care of peoples’ kids or work in gardens. That’s a new thing — they have been looking for space in Somerville for some time.’’
The artist units will be priced below market rates, and Azar said their work spaces could be used as collaborative space for artists to come together.
The proposed development also has 11 commercial units, which include boutique retail, a restaurant, artists’ hall and a collaborative campus in the form of a courtyard.
“More than half of the land area will be publically accessible open space,’’ Azar said. “Normally projects are very exclusive and this is a very inclusive feeling for the neighborhood where the park will seamlessly be connected within our building.’’
Now that MarKa has been chosen as the preferred developer on the project, they are immediately starting the community process to talk to residents about issues with the projects and ways they can improve the plan, Azar said.
Once the community phase is over, more approvals will be needed before they can get the official go-ahead to start developing.
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