Somerville Redevelopment Authority selects Wood Partners to develop 90 Washington Street site

Other Committee · Meeting of July 13, 2026

Somerville Redevelopment Authority designates Wood Partners to develop the 90 Washington Street parcel near the East Somerville MBTA station. The authority voted 5-0 Monday to select Wood Partners as its preferred development partner for the roughly four-acre city-owned site after the only competing bidder, North River Lyrinc, withdrew in late June. The updated Wood Partners proposal calls for 418 rental units — up from 324 in the original submission — along with 244 underground parking spaces, down from 398 above-ground, and retail space around a northwest plaza.

SRA member Ben Wheeler, who attended Thursday's City Council review, said he was "a little surprised how negative" the council's reception was, with Ward 1 Councilor McLaughlin raising concerns about greenery near the Cobble Hill Apartments and another councilor calling for greater height and density. Resident Jacqueline Pilateri of 31 Mansfield Street urged the board to preserve mature pine trees on the site, calling it "very hypocritical" to offer depaving grants to East Somerville residents while approving new paving on the parcel. Monday's vote opens a 90-day negotiating window toward a land disposition agreement that the City Council must separately approve before any rezoning can proceed.

In the full story:

• Background and stakes
• The question before the body
• Substantive content
• The deliberation
• Procedural steps — executive session
• Implications and what is next
• The complete report — 1,978 words

Source: the Other Committee meeting of July 13, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.