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City Manager Letter

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February 27, 2012 To the Honorable, the City Council: The City of Cambridge has received a request from Boston Properties Limited Partnership ("Boston Properties") for the modication of two existing open space restriction covenants on buildings located at Four and Five Cambridge Center. A copy of Boston Properties' letter describing their request in more detail is attached hereto for your information and is summarized below. Boston Properties has indicated that this request is being made in order to allow for the construction of a new connector building containing approximately 25,000 square feet of gross oor area between the existing buildings located at Four and Five Cambridge Center. In addition to being located on the Four and Five Cambridge Center properties themselves, a portion of the connector building between Four and Five Cambridge Center would be constructed over the existing garage facility known as the Cambridge Center East Garage. As is discussed in greater detail in Boston Properties' letter, the construction of this new connector building will require the modication of the two existing open space covenants, resulting in an 18,147 square foot reduction of the public open space created by those covenants, which is part of the open space required in the MXD Zoning District as set forth in Article 14, Section 14.42 of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance. However, the term of these covenants, once modied, would be extended for an additional 28 years from the current expiration date of 2022 until 2050. In addition, a new 47,000 square foot urban park would be created as part of this process, pursuant to a new open space covenant with a duration of 40 years, for a net gain of 28,853 square feet of public open space in the Cambridge Center area. In consideration of the modication of the existing Covenants and the reduction in open space, Boston Properties, together with the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, is proposing the following: 1. the extension of the current expiration date for the dedication of the remaining open space on the East Garage roof to the public from August 5, 2022 to August 5, 2050; and 2. the creation of a new at-grade urban park on a parcel of land owned by the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority at the corner of Binney Street and Galileo Galilee Way adjacent to the "Innovation Boulevard" project funded by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, which would be dedicated as public open space for a period of 40 years by a new open space covenant and which is more than twice the size of the area that is being impacted by the modication plan (approximately 47,000 square feet being added by the creation of the new park versus 18,147 square feet being removed as part of the reconguration of the East Garage roof park to accommodate the connector building). There are currently 133,733 square feet of publicly dedicated open space in Cambridge Center. This plan will increase the overall amount of publicly dedicated open space to 162,586 square feet (even after taking into account the 18,147 square feet that would be removed from the rooftop park on the East Garage), and will add an urban park as an amenity to the project area that will be easily accessible to the neighborhoods surrounding Cambridge Center. Request for Approval to Modify Existing Covenants The Four Cambridge Center Covenant provides that it may be modied by a majority vote of the City Council with the approval of the grantor and the ground lessee of the East Garage. The East Garage Covenant similarly provides that it may be modied by a majority vote of the City Council with the approval of the grantor and the ground lessee of the East Garage. Boston Properties has requested that these proposed modications to the two existing Covenants and the proposed new open space covenant be presented to the City Council for approval. For reasons stated herein, I recommend that the City Council approve the modications and the new covenant as proposed or in such manner and at such time as I reasonably determine is necessary or advisable. Request for Disposition under Chapter 2.110 In addition, because the requested modications to the existing open space covenants will result in a reduction of the open space created by those covenants, these modications are subject to the provisions of Chapter 2.110 of the Cambridge Municipal Code. Under Chapter 2.110, which governs the disposition of City-owned property, approval of this request requires a two-thirds vote of the City Council. I believe the value and public benet of the extension of the two existing open space restriction covenants (as modied) for an additional 28 years, the creation of the new 47,000 square foot public park together with a new open space covenant with a duration of 40 years are greater than the value and public benet of the reduction of existing open space areas that is proposed. For reasons stated herein, I recommend such approval at this time.

Request for Diminution of Process Stipulated in Chapter 2.110 Chapter 2.110 of the Cambridge Municipal Code on the disposition of city-owned property allows for a diminution of the full process otherwise required by the ordinance for "disposition of city property that is of such little signicance that the [full] process would be unduly burdensome." I believe that this disposition may properly be subject to Section 2.110.010(G) of the ordinance. Under this section, the City Manager may request of the City Council a diminution of the full process set forth in the ordinance; approval of this request requires a two-thirds vote of the City Council. Given the benets to the community that will be achieved with the addition of the new park and the construction of the new connector building that will allow Boston Properties to develop this project, together with the extension of the existing open space covenants' duration (as modied) for an additional 28 years , the creation of the new 47,000 square foot public park together with a new open space covenant with a duration of 40 years, I believe that subsection (G) is appropriate for review of this proposal. Limiting the scope of review for the requested disposition would be consistent with the expressed objective of the procedure required by the Chapter: to render "a fair analysis of how the greatest public benet can be obtained from the City property in question." I believe that the information furnished in this letter, together with Boston Properties' letter and its attachments, is sufcient to enable the City Council to make a determination on this matter. Carrying out a more detailed review would require a signicant amount of money and staff time. Since the procedure set forth in the Chapter would be costly and the use of this property is one that is consistent with City Council policy, I believe this to be the type of disposition anticipated by subsection (G) which allows for a simpler process; and I therefore request that you approve a diminution of the full disposition review process. This recommendation provides for a very exciting economic development opportunity allowing for a major expansion of Google's presence in Cambridge. Very truly yours,

Robert W. Healy City Manager RWH/mec Attachment(s)

View attached letter

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