Eminent Domain in Somerville

[mem_winterhill]

As many of you know, one of the options for the Star Market property is a city acquisition of the site by eminent domain. I thought maybe this story about a property in the city might be informative about that:

Somerville’s continued use of eminent domain http://www.thesomervilletimes.com/archives/89961

5 years.

“That parcel has been vacant for 5 years and the partners who own it have been battling each other in court for most of that time,” said Ward 5 Councilor Mark Neidergang. “So since there was nothing there and no prospects anytime soon for it being developed, and since the city needed a public safety building, the administration asked the board for that $8.7M to take it using the right of eminent domain.”