Development

Draft of Watertown’s New Design Standards Revealed, Planning Board to Review

By |

A set up new rules for how commercial and large residential projects can built in Watertown has been revealed, the Planning Board will soon review them at a public meeting. The design guidelines – recommendations for how projects will be built – and design standards – legally binding rules – have been months in the making. In August, when residents pushed for a moratorium on new developments after a number of unpopular projects were built on Pleasant Street and others proposed for Arsenal Street, The Town Council decided instead to to hire a consultant to create the new design guidelines and design standards. This week three documents were released on the the Town’s website, said Assistant Town Manager Steve Magoon: (Click on the titles to view the document)

DRAFT Design Standards – The recommended Design Standards Document is a companion to the Design Guidelines Book and identifies recommendations  to update the Zoning Ordinance.  The document has recommended amendment language by Zoning Article.

Development

Investment Firm Purchases Nearly 100,000 Sq. Ft. Facility in Watertown

By |

Calare Properties, a private, Massachusetts-based investment firm with a focus on industrial real estate, announced this week that it has purchased a 94,268 square-foot mixed-use facility for $11 million. The facility located on 5 acres at 20 Seyon St. is currently 100 percent occupied, according to an announcement from Calare. The seller was represented by Bill Moylan, Chris Angelone, John Meador, and Bruce Lusa of CBRE|New England in the transaction. “20 Seyon is an attractive investment for Calare that we believe will provide stable, long-term cash flow and a strong risk-adjusted return,” commented Andrew Iglowski, director of Calare.

Development

East End Residents Worry Traffic from New Project Will Overwhelm Neighborhood

By |

The former Verizon building has an Arsenal Street address, but it sits right against Nichols Avenue so developers would like to open an entrance on that street – a plan that has East Watertown residents worried. Representatives from Boylston Properties revealed plans to turn the former truck facility into office space for tech companies on Wednesday evening. The building would have 185,595 sq. ft. of office space with 565 parking spaces, including a one-story parking deck.

Development

LETTER: Neighbors Respond to Athenahealth’s Proposal for Arsenal Complex

By |

An open letter from the North Beacon Street Neighbors to Athenahealth and the Town Council:

Thank you for the meeting last Tuesday night. The attendees have had further discussions and we have reached a consensus on what we’d like to see happen next. We appreciate your hard work on reducing the footprint and height of the garage. However, the only way to seriously gauge the effects of this garage on our neighborhood and town is to see how it fits in with an official Master Plan for the whole property. In detail:

1.

Development

Developers to Reveal Final Design of Apartments at Irving & Arsenal

By |

See the design of the apartment complex at the corner of Irving and Arsenal streets submitted to the Planning Board by Greystar. The project that will go on the former Pirolli brick yard has been following the recommendations of the Watertown design standards and design guidelines, and will include around 270 apartments along with space for stores and a restaurant. The meeting will be held Tuesday, Feb. 24 from 6-8 p.m. at the Watertown Police Station Community Room. Developers Greystar Real Estate Partners and Oaktree FX have periodically met with residents to show designs and get feedback.

Development

LETTER: Resident Worries CVS Will Erode Character of Coolidge Square

By |

Editor,

I am unbelievably disappointed that the Town of Watertown appears to be intending to go ahead with plans for a 13,000 sq. foot CVS in Coolidge Square. Such a decision would begin the erosion of the last vestige of true Watertown character that is left here. I bought a house in Watertown over 30 years ago, after returning from a year+ spent in Greece on a fellowship. On one of my first trips to an Armenian market in Coolidge Square, I saw some refrigerated cheese that reminded me of a fabulous village cheese I had eaten daily in Crete.

Development

Traffic Concerns Hold Up Plans for Old GE Site on Grove Street

By |

Neighbors and members of the Planning Board like most parts of the plan to redevelop the GE Ionics site on Grove Street, but the traffic plans upset neighbors and the board, alike. Developer Cresset Grove LLC proposes to reduce the size of the existing building at 65 Grove St. and create a 134,000-square-foot office and research facility, with a multi-story garage. “The proposal encompasses an exciting facelift to an older structure which we think really reinvigorates the structure and reinvigorates the site itself,” said Bill York, the attorney representing the developers. The site has been unused since 2010 when GE move out.

Development

LETTER: Resident Calls for Resignation of ZBA After CVS Vote

By |

Councilors,

On January 28, a discouraging event in town governance occurred here in this chamber. Against the wishes of 400 hundred Watertown residents who signed a petition; in disregard of the testimony of approximately 40 East End neighbors; against the advice of the Planning Board; contrary to the expressed goals of the Comprehensive Plan; but in accordance with the advice and counsel of Town Planning staff, the Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5-0 to approve a special permit for a proposed CVS project that a preponderance of Watertown residents feel detrimental to Coolidge Square and the East End in general. This decision is one in a long history of poor development decisions in Watertown that can fairly be described as acts of municipal self-mutilation. Many residents feel that the character of Watertown is being destroyed project by project. This dysfunction must end now.