Tufts withdraws from redevelopment of Powder House Community School

The City of Somerville in a March 20 press release announced that it had ended negotiations with Tufts on the redevelopment of the former Powder House Community School.

The university’s redevelopment proposal was selected by the city last September, and Tufts had entered into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement with the city. Over the past two months, however, the university determined that its development of the property would be delayed, Tufts’ Associate Director of Public Relations Alexander Reid explained.

“Tufts University has reached an agreement with the City of Somerville to withdraw from development of the Powder House Community School Project,” Reid told the Daily in an email. “While Tufts had hoped to make this project a reality, we have reluctantly concluded that it is no longer feasible given the many and growing demands on our financial resources.”

According to a 2012 Request for Proposals for redevelopment, the Powder House Community School has been vacant since it closed its doors in 2004. The city had hoped to break ground on the redevelopment of the property within three years of selecting a developer, according to the March 20 press release, but Tufts officials told the city that they did not foresee starting the process for at least 15 years.

The City of Somerville will retain the university’s $10,000 deposit according to the press release, and will use the money for neighborhood improvements around the school.

“Tufts University has been a terrific partner for the City of Somerville in the past and will continue to be a great partner for us, especially in the realm of education,” Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone is quoted as saying in the press release. “Unfortunately, while Tufts was successful at engaging the community in designing a building and a park, they could not commit to a timetable that meets the terms of the agreement, as well as the community’s desires, hopes and expectations for the site.”

While both of Tufts’ proposals included the construction of additional office space to serve university academic purposes, the university had not decided which employees would occupy the new space, Reid explained.

According to the press release, with the removal of Tufts from the redevelopment process, the city will now reconvene the Technical Advisory Committee to reconsider the committee’s previous recommendations and to determine the next steps in the planning.

In an Aug. 19 report, the committee recommended two proposals in addition to the one from Tufts. These proposals included ones from Diamond Sinacori Real Estate Development and David Square Partners.

“If the first alternate bidder, Davis Square Partners, is determined to still be eligible, prepared and willing to move forward, the process to negotiate the terms of their proposal will commence,” the press release said.

Ted Tobin, a principal of Davis Square Partners, which is a joint venture between K.S.S. Realty Partners and Gate Residential Properties, declined to comment on the ongoing negotiations when contacted by the Daily.

According to the city’s press release, Tufts was initially selected by the city in part due to its proposal’s creation of the “largest contiguous publicly accessible open space.”

Davis Square Partners’ proposal, however, also consists of publicly accessible green space, which would be surrounded by 30 to 40 residential units instead of office space. Both proposals met the city’s requirement to maintain accessibility from Holland Avenue to Packard Avenue via the property.

This alternative proposal was initially rated highly, according to the city’s recent press release. If it is selected, the community participation process in which Tufts was involved will recommence. A community meeting will be held tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m. in the Tufts Administration building at 169 Holland Street to discuss the news and steps going forward.

Despite this setback, university officials are optimistic about the school’s collaboration with the City of Somerville.

“Tufts truly appreciates the professionalism and collaboration shown by Mayor Curtatone, his team, the Technical Advisory Committee, members of the Board of Aldermen and the Somerville residents who devoted extensive time and attention to reviewing our proposal,” the university’s statement said. “Tufts remains committed to working closely with the City of Somerville in the future.”