The View From Prospect Hill

After a few years of dancing through the political minefields of Somerville, aptly designated by Stephen Smith as “the dark forest,” KSS Realty Partners is finally going to get their day of reckoning - and we can only hope that the neighbors and the city watch over the project with a scrutinizing eye until the last nail is hammered at the Max Pak development.

While smaller conversions and projects have had their feet held to the fire every step of the way by neighbors and city inspectors, we as a community have repeatedly stood back and watched in amazement as medium to large project developers run roughshod over this city with little retribution.

Two cases in point: the developer of the Morrison/Willow Avenue property and the multiple name developer with a track record for ignoring neighbors, elected officials and city inspectors on Osgood Street and Teele Square (not to mention the Summer Street fiasco).

These developers came into this city with the fluff and fanfare promise of doing what is right for the community, only to end up doing whatever the hell they wanted to and in some cases, leaving unpaid bills in their wake. And yet, they still want to build in this city.

So while we begin to look at the massive multiple-year project at Assembly Square in its entirety, finally - the Max Pak development will be the testing ground (or ground zero if you are KSS) of how we move forward and interact with this type of developer in the future.

We can't just put up a sign saying “low-life shady developers keep out” at the city gates, but we can hold developers like KSS accountable for their promises - that should send the message to the ones that could care less about this community that they're not welcome here anymore.

Comments

[Developers suck]

Last month I was walking on a small street parallel to Somerville Ave, trying to avoid the construction there. Pitman St, which intersects with Central St. I was shocked to see a huge apartment building, right off Belmont St, that must have been constructed very recently. I cannot believe this monster was legal. In the back, literally, the walls of the building touch the rock of the hill. In the front, there is no sidewalk at all, the front wall is 2 inches from where cars go by. Who developed that? Somebody should investigate there. I feel sorry for the neighbors.

[Developer]

Rumor is that the monstrous building you are talking about was the result of a strange favor exchange, involving a certain Mary.

[Hasnt Ben Sober]

Hmmmmmmm....Mary Mary quite contrary...
How DOES your garden grow....??

Is the Mary a Siglerio ? Is she a Mary Tomeo ? Is it Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island......?

Who knows ? THE MOLE KNOWS....come out come out where ever you are moleman and set your people FREE...... By the Way can anyone out there in somervillenewsland comment on the status of a few former movers and shakers from this once proud ALL Amerian city.....

Lets start with the "V.P." vincent piro, then Paul Haley Jr and his trusty side kick and "BAGMAN" jimmy "the wesal" venetiziano......remember the Cedar program and P.H Jr appointed Jimmy the weasal a a field foreman and Jimmy had Gus filosi on his crew...the shake downs were memorable.....Hey what about Joe "blackie" Carp Carpenito. Last seen posing as a Doctor of good will robbing atm machinmes in town...."CLEAN" gene Brune, te hardest working public servent in the Commonwealth, Oh and what is "Fat AL" Alphonsoe Sappochetti up to these days ....Has any one taken him out for his invovlement and name dropping in the MOOSE CAPADE problems....Isnt the former mayor asilent partner in all of that nonsense that had the diamond club and somerville babe ruth pulling manuevers.....The public wants to know ....come on out mole it is time to play too many to ask about .....stay in touch with yourselves.......peace