Committee reviews package of Arts, R&D and Arts & Innovation overlay amendments for Summer Nova site; Union Square council in CBA talks

Planning staff reviewed four linked zoning amendments on May 1 that would reshape rules for arts and creative enterprise (ACE) uses, research & development and laboratory uses (R&D), and create an Arts & Innovation (AI) sub‑area MPD overlay to govern redevelopment of the Summer Nova campus.

Dan Bartman, the department representative, summarized the package: edits to ACE would reclassify artist studio, creative studio and certain shared workspaces into a new "artist studio and creative incubator" category; artisanal production and arts exhibition uses would be amended to allow retail sales and customary food and beverage (including bakeries); business incubator and coworking uses would be moved into an office category; lab uses would be split into scientific R&D (including biomedical technology), medical/diagnostic labs, and testing/materials labs; and the laboratory building type would be removed from the code and regulated instead as a land use within a commercial building form. Bartman said the proposed Research and Development District would remap part of the Fabrication District (including the Summer Nova complex and buildings occupied by Greentown Labs) so those R&D uses remain permitted without undermining prior investments.

Bartman described two substantive revisions to the R&D proposal…