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Council Committee Recommends Acceptance of Donated Ralph and Jenny Center to House Council on Aging
Summary
The Finance Committee recommended accepting a donated property assessed at 17 Interbelt Road (commonly 9 New Washington Street) from a foundation linked to Ralph C. DeVito Jr.; officials said due diligence including a Phase I environmental site assessment and title search found no obvious barriers and the donation would secure space for the Council on Aging.
Somerville — The Finance Committee on Tuesday recommended that the City Council accept a donation of real property commonly known as the Ralph and Jenny Center (assessed as 17 Interbelt Road / 9 New Washington Street) from a trust associated with Ralph C. DeVito Jr. and the RCD Foundation.
Attorney Kathy Lester Selkert of the Law Department described the planned gift and said the trustee is seeking to retire and dissolve the trust by transferring the property to the city. "This is real property that right now is called the Ralph and Jenny Center... the trustee is an attorney who wants to retire," she said.
Tom Gallegani, executive director for the Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, told the committee the city has done standard due diligence, including a title search and a Phase I environmental site assessment. He said DPW conducted a quick condition review and found the buildings in generally good shape for their age. "The environmental site assessment came up surprisingly clean," Gallegani said, adding that the site reflects typical urban fill and prior industrial use but no immediate showstoppers.
Councilors asked what the city would receive and how existing tenants would be handled. Gallegani said the gift would transfer the entire complex — two buildings and roughly 34,000 square feet of land area — which would make the city temporarily the landlord to current tenants, including the Lions Club on a second story, the New England Home for Little Wanderers occupying the corner building, and yard tenants such as Tito's Towing. Councilor Klingen and others emphasized the donor's apparent intent was to preserve a home for the Council on Aging in perpetuity; several councilors urged careful tenant management and proactive maintenance planning.
After discussion, the committee laid the gift on the table to recommend acceptance and thanked staff for the due diligence work.
Next steps: The recommendation will be forwarded to the full City Council and staff will continue title, lease and condition work as the transfer proceeds.
