NEWS
DEFENDING DAVIS SQUARE BY ABBIE GRUSKIN AND LILLY MILMAN | PHOTOS BY ADRIANNE MATHIOWETZ
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hen British developing firm Scape announced a plan last summer to construct a sixstory residential building along Grove Street—from The Burren to the intersection with Elm Street—around the same time the city released a draft of a zoning overhaul, locals weren’t pleased. Davis Square was changing, and they wanted to take back control. Today, the future of the project is muddled. Under the final zoning ordinance passed by the city in December, the type of building proposed by Scape wouldn’t be allowed in Davis Square without a special permit; but the developer hasn’t yet said if they will change or cancel their plan. And residents and business owners of Davis Square are still worried about the future of their community. 14 Then & Now | scoutsomerville.com
A DAVIS SQUARE MID-RISE
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cape, a development company known for building non-university-affiliated student housing, announced plans in June to redevelop a major plot of land within the “heart” of Davis Square, signing a nearly $10 million lease for 99 years on the properties at 231-249 Elm St., 6-8 Grove St., and 12 Grove St. The property in question currently houses nine active retail tenants and one vacant space. Scape was planning to convert the area into a six-story, pre-furnished housing development “open to all residents,” with first-floor retail spaces. That announcement came just two months before a new zoning plan was proposed, alongside the Davis Square
Neighborhood Plan, that would allow for five- and six-story buildings in the square. Since the last zoning code was put into place 30 years ago, only fourstory buildings have been legal in the square. Scape representatives declined an interview request, offering instead a brief statement from Scape North America CEO Andrew Flynn who claimed that the company is “fully committed to a transparent process that engages all stakeholders.” However, in previous public statements they had repeatedly stated that The Burren, a popular Irish pub situated in a first-floor space of the existing building, would remain in business during construction and beyond. Other shops, restaurants, and bars in the building received 18-month eviction notices, according to
multiple sources. Local business owners elsewhere in the square had also expressed fears that construction would lead to a decrease in foot traffic. Paul Christie, co-owner of Davis Squared, says the plan struck a nerve with owners who feared being pushed out of their cozy first-floor storefronts. And while his local gift shop on Highland Avenue wasn’t in danger of closing because of the Scape project, Christie anticipates it’s those like himself who also live in the square that will be impacted the most. He recalls more gradual changes to the area over the years, but the Scape plan seems like a monumental and unprecedented attempt at reconfiguring the community and infrastructure of Davis Square. “It’s one thing to see pockets of the neighborhood change
