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Davis Square Hotel: What Have Developers Proposed?

A quick summary of development proposals for a hotel in Davis Square.

After five development groups in February put forward proposals to build a hotel in Davis Square, a number of people have asked about the details of those proposals. The city recently posted the proposals online, and you can see them, in their entirety, there. The hotel would be built at the site of the current Herbert and Day streets parking lot, where the Davis Square Farmers Market is held. One of the development groups, a partnership with OTO Development, LLC and Palmetto, withdrew its proposal, according to the website. Here's a quick look at the remaining four proposals: A partnership of Sage Management Corporation and Park-Lodge Corporation. Partnership of Gate Residential and KSS Realty Partners, Inc. A family firm that converted a…

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AHM

3:19 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Does stand right out there Joe. All the squares should have one.   more ›

Advisory Group to Review Hotel Proposals for Davis Square

Steven Azar, chair of the advisory committee, said the group's work will pave the way for a longer public process.

An advisory group formed to review development proposals for a hotel in Davis Square is expected to convene for the first time Friday to consider bids from five development groups. Steven Azar, a senior planner with the city of Somerville, is chair of the technical advisory committee established to review the hotel proposals, and he said the committee's work is only the beginning of a longer process. "We're just figuring out who's the best partner" for the community to work with, he said of the advisory committee's task. The committee will work to narrow the field of contenders down to two or three development groups, and then it will interview those developers, Azar said. Interviews will likely take place in February and March, he said. …

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Dead Bacteria Terror Tests Begin on MBTA Red Line on Wednesday

The bacteria, a harmless strain used in human food supplements, will be spread when the T is closed. It's a test of bio-terror sensors.

The MBTA and Homeland Security plan to release dead bacteria into three Red Line stations this summer to test bioterror sensors. The tests begin Wednesday morning at 1 a.m., according to Fox 25. The bacteria, bacillus subtilis, is not infectious even in its live form, according to government documents. The bacteria is used in farming, as a food supplement for humans and livestock and as an ingredient in organic dog food, according to a government Q&A which is attached as a PDF. The tests will be done in Somerville and Cambridge at the Davis, Harvard Square and Porter Stations. The tests will continue throughout the year, according to Fox 25. Some residents who attended a May public hearing at the Cambridge YMCA expressed concern about the …

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Bizarre: Lizard Found in Davis Square

The Animal Rescue League of Boston took in the Davis Square lizard, which was found in the street Saturday.

File under "you don't see that every day." A relatively serious-looking lizard, possibly a bearded dragon, was found crossing the street in Davis Square Saturday. Well, maybe he wasn't crossing the street, but he was in a crosswalk. This is according to a Facebook post by the Animal Rescue League of Boston, which took the lizard to its shelter for an evaluation. The Animal Rescue League wrote:  ODD SIGHTING!!! Look who we found in a crosswalk in the middle of Davis Square in Somerville!!! He's currently @ the shelter for eval. Before the Animal Rescue League came to the, well, rescue, a member of Davis Square LiveJournal reported finding the lizard Saturday and keeping it in a cat carrier while seeking advice and assistance about what do …

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Will Davis Square Keep Its Brick Sidewalks?

Planners Tuesday night discussed what changes to Davis Square the city might undertake in the next couple of years.

Should Davis Square's sidewalks be replaced with new bricks or converted to another material, like concrete pavers, concrete with brick accents of even concrete with colorful glass mixed in? That was one of the topics under consideration Tuesday evening at a meeting about improving Davis Square's streets, the fourth and final such meeting held this summer. The city is planning to make improvements to the square's streetscape in the next couple of years, though there isn't a precise timeline yet. Participants at Tuesday's meeting also discussed what style of benches, tables, trash bins and lights to put in square. Planners presented some recommendations, based on earlier meetings, for changes to the area's streetscape. Some of the most …

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JJ

2:55 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012

Chicago has quite a few of them. None of them involve slip lanes.   more ›

Proposals to Improve Davis Square Include Adding Pedestrian Plazas

Other proposals presented at a Tuesday meeting include adjusting traffic signal timing.

Proposals for improvements to Davis Square include adding pedestrian plazas where some streets currently exist, adjusting traffic signal patterns at most intersections and re-routing the official bike path around the square. The proposals were made at a community meeting Tuesday night—part of a series of meetings being held this summer seeking public opinions about how to improve the square. Two of the proposals that would most alter the current shape of Davis Square would convert traffic lanes into pedestrian plazas. The first of these proposals would do away with the "slip lane" traffic lane near Mike's Food & Spirits that allows drivers coming down Highland Avenue to turn left onto Elm Street. With this proposal, the space taken over …

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You Say: How Should Somerville Improve Davis Square?

The city is hosting a series of meetings this summer to discuss streetscape improvements to Davis Square. What changes, if any, do you think should happen in Davis Square?

Somerville is looking to improve the streets and sidewalks of Davis Square, and the city is hosting a series of meetings this summer to seek the public's advice about it. Read more here. Previously scheduled meetings included a site tour on June 21 and a design discussion on June 26. If you attended one of these meetings, we'd love to hear your report. Upcoming Davis Square-planning events include a community meeting on July 17 and a public presentation on Aug. 7. Some people have already commented on Somerville Patch about what they'd like to see in Davis Square: Jonah Petri, for instance, had a few suggestions, which included prioritizing the Community Path within the square, improving traffic-light timing and keeping the traffic islands…

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The Vintage Clothing Scene in Davis Square

Davis Square has a robust consignment shop and vintage clothing culture. Here, we look at some of the main players.

Opened in September 2011, Found is a consignment store that consists of high-end designer pieces and contemporary brands. Whether you’re looking for a retro flowery sundress or a vintage Chanel white tweed jacket, the store covers all price points. Prada, Ralph Lauren, Chanel and the ever-covetable Alaïa can be found in the front and center of the store. All other racks include, but are not limited to, brands such as Joie, Phillip Lim, Guess and Gap. While most of the clothes are for women, men are not forgotten and have a small section. There’s a great selection of ties and shirts for the office, while an assortment of loafers wait to be picked up for a casual Saturday afternoon. A sales associate told Somerville Patch that shopping at …

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Coming to Davis Square: 'American Restaurant With Southern Influences'

Grub Street reports Jason Owens, founder of Local 149 in South Boston and Biltmore Bar and Grille in Newton, is opening a restaurant in Davis Square.

Jason Owens, who started Local 149 in South Boston and Biltmore Bar & Grille in Newton—both highly rated restaurants—is coming to Davis Square, according to Grub Street Boston. Read Grub Street's post here. The food blog says Owens' Davis Square location will offer American cuisine with Southern influences. In doing so, it seems to be joining other Somerville restaurants that provide Southern-touched fare, such as Highland Kitchen, one of the city's favorite spots (Somerville Patch readers said it was their favorite place for dinner), and East End Grill, which is planning to open in East Somerville and will also offer American food with a Southern flair. Grub Street says Owens' Davis Square project is planning to open in June, but there's …

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Frozen Yogurt Cafe Planned in Davis Square

iYO Cafe will likely open in Davis Square this spring where the current Farmers Bounty convenience store is located, according to the blog, Boston Restaurant Talk.

Davis Square could get a frozen yogurt hotspot by this spring, according to the blog, Boston Restaurant Talk. The blog says iYO Cafe, which has no affiliation with a Vietnamese frozen yogurt chain with a similar name, has put forth plans to open the cafe in the space currently occupied by Farmers Bounty, a convenience store. The cafe will have self-serve frozen yogurt stations and self-serve topping stations, smoothies, pastries, coffee, teas, a fireplace, WiFi and a "drawing room" that can be reserved for parties. Check out the full blog post here. Farmers Bounty, much like a New York bodega, sells basic produce, food staples, beer, wine and South Asian specialty goods.

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