At a meeting in which residents spoke of a changing community, an alderman got emotional and a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals broke into tears, the zoning body voted Wednesday night to approve plans for a controversial condo development in Davis Square.

The proposed condo development, on land owned by the The Veterans of Foreign Wars George Dilboy Post, has been the source of acrimony for years. Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz said the matter has "divided the neighborhood," and in recent months it's led to hard feelings between veterans from the VFW post and some residents.

At Wednesday night's meeting, some of the emotions surrounding the proposal bubbled over.

"This whole process has been the most depressing thing ever," said Zoning Board of Appeals member Danielle Evans, momentarily breaking into tears. Evans was the only member of the board to vote against the condo proposal.

Gewirtz also got chocked up briefly, her voice shaking as she said she's never seen "this amount of disdain for the zoning code."

"This developer, regardless of what kind of strife we've had in this neighborhood, has said 'I don't care,'" Gewirtz said.

A 29-unit condo complex

Those in support of the condo project were pleased the board voted in favor of it.
"It's been a long haul, and I'm happy it's over with," said Roberto Arista, principal of Strategic Capital Group, the developer. He said he plans to have shovels in the ground by spring.

Asked if his development group has torn the neighborhood apart with the condo plans, Arista said, "Absolutely not; I'm improving it."

The plans approved Wednesday call for a 29-unit condo development on Summer Street in Davis Square. It will be built on land owned by the George Dilboy VFW post, and as part of the proposal, the developer will construct a new building for the post. It's a complicated deal that involves the Dilboy Post giving a 99-year lease to the developer and swapping plots of land.

The Dilboy Post currently shares a building with the Winter Hill Bank, and the post's section of that building is also part of the deal.

Some of the land involved is zoned for commercial use, but some of it is zoned as residential, further complicating the matter.

What's more, the post has been closed in recent weeks as it struggles to renew its certificate of occupancy to meet state fire codes—another source of acrimony with neighbors, and a matter that highlights the post's desire for a new space.

Neighbors opposed to the project stated numerous times they want the the VFW post to have new space, and that it's the size, density and design proposed condos they object to.

Veterans and a changing city

In voting in favor of the condo plans, Zoning Board of Appeals member Herbert Foster, Jr. said, "This is the only opportunity I see for us as a board to show appreciation to the post."

"I'm proud of the veterans," he said.

Others spoke about a city that's changing. 

Thomas Ahearn, a Somerville resident speaking in favor of the condo proposal, said, "Somerville will never be the city it wants to be. It's a transient city now."

"People are going to come in here, they're going to stay three, four, five, six years, and then they're going to move … it's never going to be a community again," he said, talking about the market for condos in the city.

"Today's demands are changing," said Zoning Board of Appeals member Orsola Susan Fontano, who voted in favor of the proposal. "People want to live closer to the city, closer to public transportation … that's why this project was in demand."

She said the issue has been "extremely challenging for all involved."

Board member Richard Rossetti said it was a "long, long" process and it was "unprecedented on my time on the board." Rossetti voted in favor of the proposal, as did Elaine Severino. Board members Josh Safdie and T.F. Scott Darling recused themselves and did not vote.

Battle not over

Tom Bok, a neighbor who opposes the condo proposal, said about Wednesday's approval, "It's about what I expected. And that's because I don't have a lot of faith in this process in the city."

"It's certainly not the end of this battle," he said. "I'm sure this is going to be appealed by the neighborhood."