Government

Town Council President Sees Development, Communication & Schools as Priorities for New Term

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As the new Town Council term begins, Watertown Council President Mark Sideris looked toward the next two years and said that some of the major focus will be on traffic, development and communication with the public, as well as the upcoming school building projects. Newly elected Town Councilors, School Committee members and Library Trustees were sworn in by Town Clerk John Flynn on Tuesday night at the Mosesian Center for the Arts. After his swearing in, Sideris addressed the audience in the theater at the Arts Center. Development has been a big issue for several years, and Sideris said he would like to take a new approach at looking at new projects in town, from those completed, to those under construction and projects just getting started. “I will be working with the Community Development and Planning Department to coordinate a field trip to visit the sites that have been developed,” Sideris said.

Development

Developers Show Plans for Condo/Retail Building on Vacant Lot on Mt. Auburn St.

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Developers presented a plan for a new condominium building with space for retail businesses on the bottom that would go on what has been a weed-filled vacant lot near the Watertown Square intersection. The presentation was made Tuesday night at a Community Meeting for the project at 33 Mt. Auburn St., at the corner with Taylor Street. It would have 15 condos and about 1,960 sq. ft.

33 Mt. Auburn Street

Find Out What is Planned for Lot at 33 Mt. Auburn Street at Community Meeting

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A community meeting will be held to discuss plans for a development at 33 Mt. Auburn Street. The property is currently a vacant lot, between the intersection with Taylor Street and the 7-Eleven. Developers 33 Mount Auburn LLC propose to build a mixed-use project with 15 residential units and 1,924 square feet of commercial space at 33 Mount Auburn Street, Watertown. Meeting Date:  Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location:  Town Hall, 149 Main Street, Second Floor, Council Chamber

For more information, contact: Janovsky/Hurley Architects, Inc. – Steve Hurley and Suela Muco at 781-489-6540.

Around Town

Watertown News Poll: People Most Concerned About Traffic, Development

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Residents are most concerned about traffic/transportation and development, a poll conducted by Watertown News at Saturdays Faire on the Square found. 

People were asked “What concerns you most in Watertown Today,” and participants could check one or more of these five issues, and could write in their own issue:

Schools
Development
Traffic/transportation
Heroin/opioids
Property Taxes
Or, add their own write-in issue

A total of 28 ballots were cast at Saturday’s Faire on the Square, and the top issue, with 19 votes, was Traffic/Transportation. A close second was Development, which received 16 tallies. Next was Schools, with 11 votes. Heroin/Opioid use in Watertown received 9 votes, and Property taxes got 8 votes. Four people wrote in their own issues: Open Space/Recreation, Public Events, Gentrification and the Elderly.

Development

Second Community Meeting Planned for Project at 385 Pleasant Street

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A second community meeting about the proposed residential and commercial project on the long, thin property along Pleasant Street near Rosedale Road will be held on July 27. Developers  Amstel Heritage LLC will host the meeting about the mixed-use development which includes 58 residential units and 11,567 sq. ft. of commercial space planned to be built at 385 Pleasant St., Watertown. The meeting will be on Thursday, July 27, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. at the Watertown Police Station, 552 Main Street, Watertown.

385 Pleasant Street

Loss of Trees, Traffic Impact of Pleasant Street Project Worry Residents

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Residents living near a proposed mixed use project on Pleasant Street were upset about the prospect of removing a long berm and the trees on top of it. Traffic and the position of the driveways also concerned residents at Monday night’s Community Meeting at the Watertown Police Station. The developers, Amstel Heritage Watertown LLC, want to turn what is now a parking lot and the former Fields Company building into townhouses, condos and commercial office space. The lot is long and thin – more than 1,000 feet long and as narrow as 55 feet – and the back of the site includes the berm where railroad tracks used to run. The project includes 58 units, including 3 studios, 5 one-bedrooms, 14 one-bedroom lofts and 36 two bedrooms. The housing includes 30 townhouses in three 3-story buildings on the east side, 14 units in the existing brick building and another 14 units in a five story building west of the brick building.

Arsenal Mall

Residents Want to Talk Taxes, Traffic & New Hotel at Recent Arsenal Yards Meeting

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Residents received more information about the hotel planned for the renovated Arsenal Mall and the rest of phase 2, and gave it mixed reviews. The 155 room Hampton Inn & Suites is planned to go in Building B, along with retail on the ground floor and a six level parking garage. While Wednesday’s meeting focused on the plans for the second phase of the Arsenal Yards project, residents brought up other concerns, including the taxes that the project would pay to the town. Developers have requested a tax assurance from the town that would cap the tax rate for the project. Tom Wilder, of mall management company The Wilder Cos., said the tax estimates are still being calculated but it will be discussed at a later date. “We want to have a forum on that when the information is available,” Wilder said.

Development

Council Stresses Importance of Transportation Planner, Worried About Development

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The position of Transportation Planner has been discussed for years and the town has searched for someone to fill the role, but has struggled to find someone qualified to do the job. Tuesday night the Town Council stressed to Community Development and Planning Department Director Steve Magoon that they want the position filled. 

The Transportation Planner would deal with issues such as traffic, public transportation and the planned Watertown shuttle. Magoon appeared before the Council for his budget hearing. During the discussion, Councilors also worry that the Planning Department has enough resources to deal with all the development in town. Filling the Transportation Planner position has been high on Magoon’s list.