Assembly Row, a new complex in the City of Somerville that will combine retail, office, residential and green space, will feature as many as 50 outlet stores, developers announced earlier this month.
Federal Realty Investment Trust is overseeing the development of the $1.5 billion complex, which will form a part of Assembly Square, located approximately 3.5 miles from campus.
"It will feature outdoor dining lining the streets, a sense of place unlike any of our peer retail centers and a great experience for shopping, living or working," Federal Realty Marketing Director Andrea Simpson said.
The new retail outlets will join the existing Assembly Square Marketplace, a collection of stores including TJ Maxx, Staples and Sports Authority.
Federal Realty has yet to announce the names of which outlets will be part of the complex, Simpson explained, though they should be ready for release by the end of the calendar year.
"As soon as Federal Realty concludes lease negotiations and execute the leases, we will release names," she said.
The project is designed to offer Boston−area shoppers a convenient location for discount shopping.
It will primarily appeal to the younger residents of Somerville and nearby cities, but it can also serve the needs of a range of age groups, according to Senior Vice President of Development at Federal Realty Don Briggs.
The new complex will deliver the type of positive and affordable shopping experiences shoppers expect lately, according to Simpson.
"Shopper mindset has changed since the recession. People want value and want to pay a responsible price for it," Simpson said. "Everyone is expecting a lot more for their dollar."
Work on the complex will likely begin in the coming months and is scheduled for completion by mid−2014, according to Simpson.
A new Orange Line Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) T station in Assembly Square is also in the works and on track to open by fall 2014, Simpson explained. It will be located between the Wellington and the Sullivan Square stations on the Orange Line.
Freshman Paige Negoro is supportive of the project, though she hopes that it will be easily accessible using public transportation.
"I think students will benefit from it as long as there is an easy way to get there from the T or the bus," she said.
In addition to being accessible by T, the 50−acre complex can be reached via Route 93 and bike and pedestrian paths, Simpson noted. Students can also get to the area by using a combination of MBTA buses.
