City’s community fridges keep on providing toward mutual aid goal of food sovereignty
Sometimes referred to as “freedges” in the United States, there are now almost 200 community fridges nationwide. If there are any silver linings to the coronavirus, their appearance could be one.
Height at 2072 Mass. Ave. project again rejected by zoning board; project to return in September
It was as if nothing had changed in six months: On Thursday the Board of Zoning Appeal declined to approve a comprehensive permit for a 2072 Massachusetts Ave. affordable development five blocks north of Porter Square, citing its height.
Notion of closing Central Square to car traffic, driven by business, gets a strong council vote
Massachusetts Avenue could close to car traffic in Central Square on weekend nights through September, based on a City Council proposal that passed in an 8-0-1 vote on Monday.
Somerville council okays $5M eminent domain purchase of Armory to maintain it as arts facility
The City of Somerville moved forward with a plan to acquire the Armory building at and “preserve the facility for arts uses” with a unanimous vote of approval from the City Council.
After taking back broadband study, city manager says he’d blame councillors for the repercussions
Councillors were left threatening another negative budget vote to express frustration over a municipal broadband feasibility study denied by the city manager for years – only for the city manager to tell councillors that it was a “game” they were playing with the jobs of city staff.
Plan to remake Harvard Square’s Garage mall bows to changed retail landscape, nods to past
Harvard Square’s Garage mall would be remade under a proposal by owners Trinity Property Management with expanded restaurant and entertainment space below ground; street-level shops and eateries with more access from sidewalks; and offices on five stories overhead.
Lack of affordability in ‘missing middle’ zoning cited as Planning Board members go 5-3 against
The “missing middle” zoning intended to bring more multifamily housing to the city got a negative recommendation Tuesday from the Planning Board. Members voted 5-3, delivering a blow to the proposal, though it will continue on with a City Council committee hearing at a date yet to be set.
Eversource mags given to kids violated policies; Utility says it’ll add climate change information
Pro-natural gas promotions targeting kids but making no mention of climate change were distributed to students by mistake, without going through the school district for approval, Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui said Monday.
Seizure of Armory Building to preserve arts use takes step forward in Somerville officials’ vote
Somerville took one step closer Monday to seizing the Armory Building owned by Cambridge’s Sater family, with the intention of preserving its use as a community space for the arts.
Affordable building keeps Planning Board favor with slight changes; Broad Canal plan displeases
Changes in the all-affordable building proposed for 2072 Massachusetts Ave. didn’t change how the Planning Board felt about it, and members voted to affirm its endorsement of the North Cambridge project to the Board of Zoning Appeal, where it goes next.
