3 Murals Inspired by Watertown Going up at Arsenal Yards, Stores Opening Soon

Three murals will be created at Arsenal Yards by, from left to right, artist Louise ‘Ouizi’ Jones, painter Kim Carlino, and artist Felipe Ortiz. The first stores at Arsenal Yards, the project renovating the former mall, will be opening in coming weeks, and the mixed-use project will also feature murals inspired by Watertown created by three artists, according to owners of the mall. See more details in the following announcement:

Arsenal Yards is installing three large-scale murals at various locations around the property, coinciding with the Fall 2019 debut of its first round of restaurants and retailers. Inspired in part by the lush natural beauty of Arsenal Park, the Charles River, and the history of its distinctive East End Watertown location, the mural artworks are currently being created by locally and nationally recognized artists commissioned by Arsenal Yards. Creating a vibrant and eclectic environment, one that includes one-of-a-kind public artworks, is part of the plan to make Arsenal Yards a new and unique urban village.

South End Restaurant Opening New Location in Watertown

The Gallows and the developers of Arsenal Yards announced that the South End eatery will be opening a new location in the remodeled Arsenal Mall in Watertown. Diners can enjoy modern American cuisine with a French flair in the new location at Arsenal Yards, which will feature a patio dining area. The Gallows is part of a group of restaurants and eateries, that also includes Blackbird Doughnuts, Banyan and Sally’s Sandwiches. The following announcement was provided by Boylston Properties:

Boylston Properties and Wilder proudly announced today that The Gallows restaurant, which has been a popular South End favorite since 2010, will open its second location in Watertown’s Arsenal Yards neighborhood. The 4,000-square-foot space will be The Gallows’ very first hybrid restaurant featuring cult-favorite doughnuts from Blackbird Doughnuts, new food and beverage concepts, and outdoor dining on its patio overlooking Arsenal Park on the Charles River.

LETTER: Boylston Properties Responds to End of Agreement with Town Over Arsenal Park

A view of the planned renovation of Arsenal Park. The following letter is in response to the Sept. 11, 2019 story “Partnership Between Town, Arsenal Yards to Renovate Town Park Over Before it Began”

Editor,

I want to clear up the facts of the state of our partnership with the Town on the Arsenal Park renovation, and to also put into context the recent exchange between the Town and Boylston Properties that you detailed in your piece. Mark Reich has been a great contributor to our early progress in this hoped for partnership, but his letter to the Town was a one-sided summary of that process. As you know, we firmly believe that Arsenal Yards will be of great benefit to Watertown.

Council Rejects Developer’s Request for Relief on Liquor License Fees

The Town Council rejected a request from the developers of Arsenal Yards to give discounted liquor licenses for establishments that have a liquor license, but will not open until the next year. The proposal called for reducing the annual fee for the liquor licenses from $8,100 to $2,700 for businesses that need to get a license but are not ready to open because their space is still under construction. The Council received the request at the same time that Boylston Properties sought to have the town add more liquor licenses to accommodate the new tenants at the former Arsenal Mall. The Council has requested 15 more special licenses from the Legislature. The rule would only apply to special liquor licenses approved by the State Legislature to encourage economic development in Watertown.