Permitting and Next Steps
What mechanism is being proposed to permit 2072 Mass Ave?
2072 Mass Ave is being proposed to be permitted through a Comprehensive Permit under MGL Chapter 40B. A Comprehensive Permit application permits an applicant to request all local permits through the Board of Zoning Appeal, including a request for any waivers from the underlying zoning.
The Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO) was recently enacted, why is 2072 Mass Ave not permitting the project under the AHO?
The AHO is one of a number of tools to permit an affordable housing development in the City of Cambridge. The AHO would require setbacks and a lower height than currently proposed at 2072 Mass Ave. The development team believes that setbacks are not appropriate along Mass Ave (most of the adjacent buildings have no setbacks) and believes the proposed nine (9) stories along Mass Ave is appropriate and warranted at this location.
What steps have the development team taken to solicit feedback from the elderly residents at the adjacent Russell Apartments located at 2050 Mass Ave?
The development team has twice met with the Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA), the owner and property manager of the Leonard J. Russell Apartments, to present the proposal and recent modifications and solicit feedback. The development team, in conjunction with CHA property management, have displayed renderings and other project information in the Russell lobby along with comment cards for residents to provide feedback. A Russell resident is also a formal liaison and is providing feedback to the development team on behalf of the Russell residents.
How has the development team solicited comments and feedback from the community?
By the time the proposal is presented to the Planning Board on December 1, the development team will have presented and solicited feedback at two (2) large virtual community meetings, two (2) Porter Square Neighbors Association virtual meetings, and many private virtual and phone meetings with direct abutters. In addition, the development team has responded to comments posted on this website and emails it has received from abutters.
What changes to the proposal have resulted from the community process?
The current plans reflect significant feedback from abutters, the neighborhood, and the City. These changes include but are not limited to:
Allocating of a portion of the 2072 land to the public way in the form of an easement so that each Walden Street vehicular travel lane can be widened to 10’ and so that the sidewalk adjacent to 2072 Mass Ave along Walden Street can also be widened;
Relocating the residential entrance from Walden Street to Mass Ave so that package delivery, ride shares, and pedestrian traffic will be oriented to busier Mass Ave;
Setting back the first floor of the building along Walden Street;
Angling the wall adjacent to the driveway along Walden Street back toward the building to provide additional pedestrian safety;
Adding street level landscaping planters at the garage entrance;
Reducing the height of the rear residential anchor from eight (8) stories to five (5) stories so that the building steps down to the residential community (the front floating cube increases to 9 stories along Mass Ave); and,
Adding a flexible outdoor space on the fifth-floor roof that may safely accommodate an open children’s play area, raised gardens, native trees and shrubs, and unique programming opportunities for residents.
When are public hearings scheduled for this proposal?
The Planning Board is scheduled to hear the proposal on December 1, 2020 and the Board of Zoning Appeal is slated to hear the proposal on December 10, 2020. Visit https://www.2072massaveapts.com/updates for details on these hearings.
If 2072 Mass Ave is approved by the Board of Zoning Appeal, when is the earliest construction could start?
If the proposal is approved by the Board of Zoning Appeal, the earliest the project could start would be in spring/summer 2022. The development would need to apply for and receive additional City and state financing resources before commencing construction. This process takes a minimum of 6-9 months but could take significantly longer.