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

Town Council Mulls Over Adding More Liquor Licenses

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The Town Council wants to encourage more mixed-use developments to be built in Watertown with restaurants, but to do so the town would need to increase the number of liquor licenses. Three subcommittees got together this week to discuss how many licenses should be added and how they would be distributed. The discussion goes back to 2012, when councilors looked at adding 12 new licenses. Today, Watertown has 33 licenses, including seven that allow service of only beer and wine. All the licenses are accounted for, and the town cannot add any more without getting approval of a special act of the State Legislature.

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.

Development

Garage Presents a Sticking Point in Athenahealth’s Plans for Arsenal Complex

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The new owner of the Arsenal on the Charles, athenahealth, has a grand vision for revitalizing the complex, but one feature may stand in the way of getting approval from the Town Council – a seven story parking garage. The company bought the 29-acre complex between Arsenal and North Beacon streets to be its corporate headquarters and company officials want to add more than just additional space for athenahealth, said Bridger McGaw, director of athena environment told the Town Council. The company has a master plan, which it seeks approval from the town so the approval process can be streamlined. Athenahealth would like to bring in retail stores, restaurants and even put in a beer garden. Another idea is to create a “Quincy Market-like” area by putting glass over areas between the “finger buildings” – the long buildings east of the Arsenal Center for the Arts.

Development

Volkswagen Project Gets Approval from Planning Board

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Plans to turn the Sullivan Tire store into a Volkswagen used car facility took a step forward Wednesday night when the Planning Board approved the special permit for the project. Boston Volkswagen appeared for the second time in front of the Planning Board and made a few changes to the proposal. More landscaping will be planted in front of the building at 21 North Beacon Street. “Shrubs, ground cover and grading will help mask the service door,” said Greg Sampson, the attorney for Boston Volkswagen. “We are working with the Tree Warden to replant a couple trees in front of the service door.” The first time the project was presented members of the Planning Board and the public said they did not think the project fit in with the vision for making Watertown Square more attractive and inviting to shoppers and pedestrians.