Development

LETTER: Neighbors Have Requests for Proposed Athenahealth Project

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Re: AthenaHealth LLC and Arsenal on the Charles

We appreciate the Town Council’s delay on the vote for AthenaHealth’s proposal for changes to the AODD. We are assuming they have realized, like we have, that we need more details from them in order to make an informed decision. Any changes to the AODD should be considered with the future in mind: how will these changes affect Watertown’s ability to control what happens on that property while AthenaHealth owns it, as well as after they have gone. We hope AthenaHealth stays for the long term and works with the town in good faith, but businesses come and go, so we shouldn’t give away our rights to some determination on that property. To this end, we are asking the Town Council and relevant town departments to do the following:

1.

Development

Traffic a Concern for Some With Proposal to Renovate Grove Street Site

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Residents recently got their first look at local developers plans to redevelop the former GE Ionics building at 65 Grove St. Cresset Grove LLC. unveiled its proposed plans to redevelop the former GE building during a community meeting at the Coolidge School apartment complex on Monday Sept. 29. The proposed plans includes large glass windows that would make the building more transparent, a roof terrace, improved drainage system in the parking lot, and a four-story 350 car garage with a bamboo screen wall along the back.

Development

East Watertown CVS Project on Next Planning Board Agenda

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The CVS/Pharmacy proposed to go at the corner of Mt. Auburn and Arlington streets is on the agenda for the Oct. 8 Planning Board meeting. Developers, Coolidge Square II LLC,  held a community meeting in August where many residents worried about the amount of traffic coming in and out of the new store. Others did not like the reconfiguration of the parking lot that would serve not only the CVS but also other businesses on the block such as the Mt.

Development

Details of New Arsenal St. Development Revealed by Developer

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A new project proposed for the corner of Arsenal and Irving streets will serve as a guinea pig for the town’s new zoning rules and regulations. Developers Greystar Real Estate, which is working with local partners Oaktree FX, met with the general public for the first time on Monday at the Police Station and presented their current vision for the 5.79 acre project that will include 278 apartments and 15,000 square feet of retail space. Brandon Henry, who runs development for Greystar in the Northeast, thanked the town for inviting Greystar to be the “demonstration project” for the new zoning rules. “We want your feedback and ideas so we can incorporate it into the development. I have seen a lot of developments and in my opinion this site is the best one in Watertown,” Henry said.

Development

LETTER: Former ZBA Member Opposes Greystone Project

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Enough is enough! I oppose:

As a resident of Irving Street for over 58 years and property owner, I am convinced that this plan will exacerbate the Irving Street/Arsenal Street corridor. Irving Street provides important access for emergency vehicles so they can quickly get to emergency situations, as it did during the “Marathon Bombers” terrorist attacks in Watertown. In the first place, the location surrounding the proposed housing of 300 units, a market, a restaurant and retail shops is already an overly dense area, and not suitable for the Greystar development project. I am convinced that the project will definitely have an adverse affect on the neighborhood.

Development

Town Hiring Consultant to Create New Design Standards, Guidelines

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The Town Council agreed to hire local architect to put together a new set of design standards and guidelines in an effort to protect residential neighborhoods from new developments. 

The town will work with David Gamble of Gamble Associates to will put together the new set of rules, Director of Community Development and Planning Steve Magoon said. The work will be done in three phases, Magoon said. During the first phase Gamble will gather information and documents about design standards and guidelines on the local, regional and national levels. He will also meet with stakeholders and reach out to others to find out issues face Watertown. In the second phase, a draft of the design standards and guidelines will be created, and Gamble will look at what changes would result and what problems might arise.

Business

VW Used Car Center Project Stalls at Zoning Board

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The proposal to create a Volkswagen used car center on North Beacon Street hit a road bump Wednesday night when the Zoning Board could not get enough support to take a vote on the project. Boston Volkswagen seeks to build a new used car center at 21 North Beacon St., which as been Sullivan Tire & Auto Service. The project includes renovating the exterior of the building, adding landscaping, reducing the number of service bays and parking at the building, according to Carla Moynihan, an attorney with Robinson & Cole representing Boston Volkswagen.

They also seek to add a new curb cut to create a second driveway into the property, which sits just off of Watertown Square

The Zoning Board members had some problems with the project. Board member John Gannon said the second curb cut is not allowed in the zoning rules, and he would not support a proposal with that feature. He also wondered if a used car dealership was the best use of the property.

Development

Residents Ask Town Council to Protect Their Homes from Nearby Developments

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A room full of people gathered to talk about ways to make sure that the development boom in Watertown does not overwhelm nearby residential neighborhoods. The focus of the talk was creating transition zones between new developments and residential areas. Many neighborhoods sit right up against properties zoned as industrial. Some long-time disused or underused properties in these areas are being redeveloped and bigger and busier projects have been constructed. Town C0uncilor Aaron Dushku asked to have transition zones created where neighborhoods border industrial zones.