Somerville breaks ground on 319-unit affordable housing project in Winter Hill
SOMERVILLE — Somerville officials this week marked the groundbreaking for a 319-unit affordable housing development at the former Star Market site in Winter Hill, while the city also opened applications for four rent-restricted apartments in Union Square, according to Google Alert-surfaced coverage.
TOWN HALL
The Winter Hill neighborhood saw a groundbreaking this week for a 319-home affordable housing project at the site of a former Star Market, a milestone in the city's ongoing push to add dense affordable housing near transit, per coverage aggregated through Google Alerts. Separately, the city has opened its application window for four rent-restricted apartments at a residential development in Union Square, giving income-eligible residents another shot at the neighborhood's transformed housing stock near the MBTA Green Line.
Somerville also marked three years without a traffic fatality, a streak city officials and safety advocates have tied to Vision Zero-style street redesigns including protected bike lanes, according to coverage circulating this week.
COMMUNITY & ARTS
A regional coworking company is set to return to Union Square after a decade-long absence, opening a new location adjacent to the MBTA Green Line station, according to reporting aggregated this week — a sign of continued commercial investment in the redeveloped square.
ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS
"Somerville Residents Can Weigh In On Police Body Camera Topic At Upcoming Meeting" — Somerville residents will get a chance later this month to comment on a proposal to outfit city police officers with body-worn cameras, according to Patch (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/somerville/somerville-residents-can-weigh-police-body-camera-topic-upcoming-meeting).
"Somerville MA to break ground on 319 homes at former Star Market" — The Winter Hill affordable housing project broke ground this week on the site of the former grocery store, according to Wicked Local (read it at https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/news/local/2026/07/16/somerville-ma-winter-hill-neighborhood-will-break-ground-july-16-on-affordable-housing-project/90927531007/).
"Somerville Opens Applications For Affordable Union Square Apartments" — Applications are now open for four rent-restricted units in a Union Square residential building, per Patch (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/somerville/somerville-opens-applications-affordable-union-square-apartments).
"Regional Coworking Company Returning To Somerville After Decade-long Absence" — A coworking operator plans to reopen in Union Square near the Green Line station after roughly ten years away from the city, according to Patch (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/somerville/regional-coworking-company-returning-somerville-after-decade-long-absence).
"Uncertainty" for 2 historic theaters in Massachusetts amid building sale, business owners say" — The buildings housing the Somerville Theatre and Arlington's Capitol Theatre have been listed for sale, raising concerns among venue operators about their future, according to CBS News (read it at https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/somerville-theatre-capitol-arlington-sale/).
"Historic Theater Buildings In Arlington And Somerville Up For Sale" — Owners of the two landmark theater properties say operations aren't expected to be disrupted despite the listings, per Patch (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/arlington/historic-theater-buildings-arlington-somerville-sale).
"Massachusetts town celebrates 3 years with no traffic deaths" — Somerville has gone three years without a traffic fatality, a streak officials credit to street safety redesigns including protected bike infrastructure, according to Planetizen (read it at https://www.planetizen.com/news/2026/07/138011-massachusetts-town-celebrates-3-years-no-traffic-deaths).
"Massage Business Abruptly Closes Somerville Location" — A national massage and skincare franchise's Revolution Drive location has permanently shut down, according to Patch (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/somerville/massage-business-abruptly-closes-somerville-location).
COMING UP
Residents can attend an upcoming public meeting later this month to weigh in on the proposed police body-worn camera program, per Patch reporting; a specific date was not provided in available coverage.