A multi-use Assembly-area plan
A November 2018 Boston City Properties article described Xmbly, a planned redevelopment on approximately 9.4 acres in Somerville near Assembly Square and Interstate 93. The master plan, reported as approved that June, envisioned roughly 1.5 million square feet of space across several phases.
The proposal included residential buildings with 329 and 160 homes, about 20,000 square feet of retail and a new office building of approximately 140,000 square feet. Parking and connections through the site were part of the plan rather than incidental details.
Research space and an existing building
The account also described substantial research-oriented buildings and reuse of an existing approximately 162,000-square-foot structure. Combining new construction with retained space was intended to produce a mix of housing and employment uses instead of a single-purpose apartment project.
Paths, landscaping and access to the Assembly area helped explain the location’s appeal in the 2018 proposal. Expected commercial demand and investment performance were forecasts, however. The historical plan does not establish which phases subsequently opened, whether space is available now or what a current lease would cost.
Historical attribution: Original Boston City Properties article, November 2018. Reported claims and attributed assessments have not been independently refreshed.