Letter to the Aldermen
Following is the text of a letter I sent to the Aldermen on August 23rd.
I’m the new owner of 35 Prospect Street in Ward 2 – now CrossFit Somerville – as of August 2011. As a private small business owner focused on community redevelopment, I was excited by the opportunity to buy and renovate that property from an auto-related use to a community-centered fitness facility that improved the neighborhood in multiple ways.
During August, September, and November we completed a comprehensive renovation of the facility to bring it up to all modern building codes and passed all reviews by the city’s ISD and Fire departments, and were issued our Change of Use and Certificate of Occupancy in November. We began operation immediately employing two people full time, have since added two people part time, and have plans to grow to as many as seven full time employees in our existing building. Future expansion will add even more employees and services.
Today, we’ve been in operation for less than 9 months, and already have changed the lives of over 100 members drawn from Ward 2 and Ward 3. We’ve built a community that involves residents from age 19 to age 55 improving their health, and brings together students, restaurant employees, city employees, members of local volunteer organizations, and patrolmen from the Somerville Police Department. One example member is Glen Cancelleire, bartender at The Independent, who recently shared his story here:
I think you can see the value of our facility not just in the life-changing results Glen has seen, but also in the evidence of a supportive and growing community that can be seen in the replies to his story.
I’m proud to be part of the revitalization of Union Square and have been excited to take a role in the leading wave of redevelopment in the area. Aside from purchasing the property and renovating the area to meet current safety codes, I have also undertaken cosmetic improvements to the building itself and to the drainage in the area to alleviate flooding, as well as outfitted the facility for business – enhancements that in all have cost approximately $150,000 to date – and have an ongoing plan to continue to incrementally renovate and enhance the property with more investment as our operation grows.
That said, the newly released “SomerVision” plan recently presented to the Board of Aldermen presents a clear hazard to my ability to carry forward my plans of redevelopment and renovation. My property has been targeted (I feel erroneously) for acquisition, demolition, and redevelopment.
The plan is out of date, in several material ways, and would benefit from amendment.
1) The plot is listed under the prior ownership (Frank and Charles Souza), not my present ownership (as of 8/2011).
2) The plot is lumped into the “D-4 Prospect West” acquisition block as an “auto-related use”, even though it is no longer an auto-related use and is not contiguous with those properties.
3) The plot is valued at $512,800, although my purchase price was $850,000 – and I have subsequently invested $150,000 in renovating the parcel.
Ideally, I would like to be removed from the acquisition plan. Having this parcel under the authority of the SRA and potentially a target for seizure and resale materially affects me:
1) It impairs my ability to refinance the property in the future, which will be necessary in 2015.
2) It impairs my ability to acquire financing for more extensive redevelopment efforts.
3) It impairs the value of my property in the event that I may wish to effect a third-party sale to create a redevelopment partnership.
My parcel’s inclusion in this plan does not recognize the change that has already occurred, in full alignment with the goals of the City and the SRA. I have already begun the redevelopment process that they seek to encourage with this plan. I plan to continue improving the parcel, and the neighborhood, taking into account community impact and using the zoning flexibility allowed by the CCD55 zoning area. I am a forward-facing, active member of this community and look forward to a long partnership with Ward 2, Union Square, and the City of Somerville in improving the neighborhood.
Unfortunately, placing my parcel under the control of the SRA discourages further investment from me as an owner interested in remaining and continuing to develop this parcel as part of Union Square, as my initial investment and continuing business operation is put at material risk.
I would like to meet with you, show you the facility, and consider how we can revise the submitted plan to reflect the new reality of my presence – and keep me working towards a revitalized Union Square.
Please do give me a call at any time. Thanks!
Sincerely,
Jefferson T Scott
Owner, CrossFit Somerville