Boston-based Rafi first proposed dramatically expanding its Somernova campus last year. The 7.4-acre property now features about 300,000 square feet leased to climatetech organizations like Greentown Labs and Form Energy as well as retailers and other small businesses.
The real estate firm sought to demolish the existing buildings and put up five new ones totaling nearly 2 million square feet. The buildings were proposed to be nine to 16 stories tall. However, Rafi withdrew the proposal in February in the face of pushback and vowed to come back with a new vision this spring after discussions with local officials and residents.
The latest proposal, made public last week, features 1.6 million square feet of new space. At six to nine stories, the proposed buildings are shorter — but still significantly taller than the facilities there now.
The redevelopment would include just under 1 million square feet of office and research space, compared with the 1.43 million square feet in the previous version. It would also feature a six-story, 100-unit residential building, with at least 20 of the units income-restricted. The original proposal had no housing.
The revised proposal “retains much of the same impact of our original proposal but better reflects what we heard from the community about how Somernova can best serve Somerville,” said Kristin Phelan, vice president of real estate development for Rafi and Somernova.
Like its predecessor, the proposal requires zoning changes. The filing to the city last week would create a Somernova “innovation sub-area overlay district.” Somernova is located on Somerville Avenue, about a half-mile west of Union Square.
Since Rafi put forward the original proposal, tough tech — loosely defined as companies that use science to tackle difficult, global problems — has become more of a hot commodity in commercial real estate circles. It has offered up demand for research space during a low point for both the life science industry and broader office uses. Gov. Maura Healey has proposed economic development legislation that includes $1 billion for the climatetech and clean energy sectors.
One of the biggest criticisms that Rafi has received is that the rezoning and expansion could push out Somerville artists now in the neighborhood. To that end, the proposal includes 65,000 square feet of arts and related spaces, including performance venues and music rehearsal and recording space.
Rafi also reduced the number of proposed parking spaces to 748 from 1,250.