Galen Street Biotech Development Approved by ZBA

A view of the life sciences building at 66 Galen St. approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals. This view is from Galen Street. The following piece was provided Boston Development Group:

Following months of planning discussions and community meetings, Boston Development Group (BDG) has received approval from the Watertown Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA)  Thursday for a proposed life sciences development at 66 Galen Street in Watertown, Massachusetts. Boston Development Group (BDG), a multifaceted investment management and real estate development firm, plans to build a major life science campus comprised of two phases totaling nearly 450,000 SF of Class A Office/ R&D LAB.

Construction Underway on 9-Story Biotech Building at Arsenal Yards

A rendering of what the nine-story 100 Forge building at Arsenal Yards will look like. Developers are creating 165,000 sq. ft. of space for biotech companies. The following announcement was provided by Boylston Properties:

Boylston Properties, a Boston-based developer of mixed-use destinations, and institutional investors advised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management, announced a joint venture agreement to proceed with plans to construct 100 Forge, a nine-story 165,600-square-foot lab building at Arsenal Yards in Watertown.

Biotech Company Moving from Kendall Square to Watertown

A biotech company currently located in Cambridge’s Kendall Square signed a lease to move into Watertown’s Arsenal on the Charles. Constellation Pharmaceuticals signed a 10-year lease with Alexandria Real Estate Equities, the owner of the complex on Arsenal Street, according to a report on Bisnow. The company specializes in developing novel therapeutics to be used in cancer treatment. Constellation will occupy on 79,000 sq. ft.

Plans for Biotech Building in East Watertown to be Discussed at Public Meeting

A map showing the proposed location for a three-story biotech building at 23 Elm St. in Watertown. The following information was provided by the Town of Watertown regarding a project at 23 Elm Street, just off Arsenal Street in East Watertown. Elm Street Partners will be hosting a virtual community meeting on November 23rd at 6:30 PM for the review and discussion of conceptual plans and specifics of the redevelopment of the site known as 23-29 Elm Street. The use of the site will be transitioned to research & development/lab-life sciences and ancillary office space with on-site parking.

Tufts Health Plan Leaving Town, Real Estate Investor Taking Over Building

Tufts Health Plan will leave its offices on Mt. Auburn Street after swapping it with Spear Street Capital for a property in Canton. Shown here, runner gather for the Watertown Police Department’s Finish Strong Road Race. Tufts Health Plan will be swapping its Watertown headquarters for a location in Canton after it merges with Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, and the building on Mt. Auburn Street will be acquired by a real estate investor.

Residents Air Concerns About Galen St., Traffic & Watertown’s Planning Process

Town Councilor Lisa Feltner holds a computer showing drawings of a proposed development on Galen Street. She hosted a meeting at the Watertown Library to hear residents’ concerns about the proposed zoning change and related issues. More than 40 residents concerned about a proposed biotech project on Galen Street crammed into a meeting room at the Watertown Library Wednesday evening. They worried about what would be built there, and the traffic impact on one of the most congested roadways in town, and how projects are approved in Watertown. Those at the meeting said they would like to find a way to put a temporary halt to development, at least in the Galen Street area, so that a plan can be formed to improve the whole area.