Eminent Domain Urban Renewal

Somerville Urban Renewal Taking Survives Challenge

May 26, 2021 by Paula Devereaux | Leave a Comment

In Cobble Hill Center LLC v. Somerville Redevelopment Authority (pdf), the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) upheld the eminent domain taking by the Somerville Redevelopment Authority (SRA) of 3.99 acres of land located at 90 Washington Street in Somerville. Cobble Hill, the owner of the parcel, argued that the taking was improper because there was no […]

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Easements Urban Renewal

UPDATE: Mass. High Court Takes Plaintiff Out of Game, Upholds Boston’s Transfer to Red Sox of Easement Rights Next to Fenway Park

September 20, 2019 by Paula Devereaux | Leave a Comment

In my post last week on Pishev v. City of Somerville (pdf), I mentioned that the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) would be soon deciding another important urban renewal case, Marchese v. Boston Redevelopment Authority. It turns out “soon” was the next day. In its September 13, 2019 decision (pdf) in Marchese, the SJC upheld actions […]

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Land Use Urban Renewal

Mass. Appeals Court Upholds Somerville’s Union Square Revitalization Plan

September 12, 2019 by Paula Devereaux | Leave a Comment

In 2012, the City of Somerville, the Somerville Redevelopment Authority (SRA), and the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development approved the Union Square Revitalization Plan (the Plan), an urban renewal plan to be administered by the SRA under M.G.L. c. 121B. A taxpayer group and a landowner (Pishev) appealed the approval of the Plan, […]

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