Government

Replacing Watertown Senior Center Included in City’s 5-Year Capital Plan

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Courtesy of the City of WatertownThe City’s Capital Improvement Plan includes replacing the Watertown Senior Center. Building a new Senior Center made the list of projects planned to be undertaken by the City of Watertown over the next five years, Watertown City Manager George Proakis at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting. Proakis presented the Fiscal Year 2025-29 Capital Improvement Plan, which includes $210 million of projects with $93 million of general obligation bonds to cover part of the cost. Senior Center

The City explored replacing the Senior Center in 2022 as part of a review of the Phillips Building site. That study by Ai3 Architects, done during the planning for the new Watertown High School, looked at tearing down the former Phillips School, but Proakis said that would be too disruptive for the Watertown Public Schools administration, as well as Watertown Cable that now resides in the basement.

Schools

Ground Breaking for New High School, Demolition Will Have Impacts on Local Roads

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Watertown High School

Say good bye to the old, and welcome the new …. Watertown High School. This week the demolition of the old school at 50 Columbia St. will really get rolling, and on Thursday there will be a groundbreaking ceremony with local and state officials taking part. Groundbreaking

Work has already started around Watertown High School, but the official ceremony celebrating the start of the construction of the new school will take place on Thursday, Nov.

Schools

Roads Near Watertown High School to be Closed for Utility Work

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The following information was provided by the WHS construction project management firm, Vertex:

Dear Community Members,

Activities to complete the underground utility service improvements for the New High School Project are scheduled for Monday 10/23 and Tuesday 10/24. Please be aware that during work hours Columbia St. will be closed from Common St. to Barnard Ave. Resident access to driveways will be protected on Columbia St.

Government

OP-ED: State Budget Includes Money for High School Project, Special Education & Roads

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger

The following piece was provided by State Sen. Will Brownsberger, whose district includes Watertown, Belmont and parts of Boston. Monday, the House and Senate finalized the Fiscal 2024 Budget. I’m including some highlights of the items that were important advocacy priorities for me. I’m also sharing the Senate President’s Press Release on the agreement for a broader overview. Overall, I am very pleased with this year’s budget and I feel that it reflects many of my stated priorities.

Schools

Former Students, Educators Get Final Look Around Watertown High School

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Photo by Charlie BreitrosePeople lined up to get one last look at Watertown High School before it is torn down. The hallways of Watertown High School buzzed with activity one last time last week, as former students, teachers, even principals took a look around the old school and shared memories. The school, parts of which date back to the 1920s, will be torn down in the fall to make way for a brand new, state-of-the-art building. While many looked back on their memories at WHS fondly, most agreed it was time to say goodbye on June 22. Photo by Charlie BreitroseFormer students and staff milled around the hallways at Watertown High School one last time.

Schools

First Pieces of Temporary Modular High School Arrive in Watertown

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Charlie BreitroseThe first three modular sections that will be part of the temporary Watertown High School were delivered to Moxley Field on Friday. The first sections of modular classrooms arrived at Moxley Field Friday, and will continue to trickle in until there are enough to build a two-story temporary campus to house Watertown High School during the construction of the new building. The interim campus will go up on what was the grassy area near Watertown Middle School. The high schoolers will also utilize an area of the Middle School during their three years at the site. When all are delivered, they will be installed.

Government

City Manager Commits to Building a New High School Without Sacrificing Education or Green Features

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Ai3 ArchitectsA rendering of the main entrance to Watertown High School from Columbia Street. Watertown has plans to build a new high school which will create enough energy to cover the amount needed to operate the building, be equipped with state of the art equipment and technology, and will educate students for decades to come. Even facing climbing construction costs, City Manager George Proakis vowed that the new school will be built.

Watertown will get a significant portion of the new high school reimbursed —  $44.2 million — by the State through the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The cost of the project approved by the state was $138.6 million, but since the approval in March the cost of construction has escalated. In July, the School Building Committee approved “value engineering” steps to use less costly materials and reduce the scope of the project to keep it on budget.

Around Town

FY2022 Budget Looks Stronger Than Expected, Next Year’s Budget Includes High School Project With No Override

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Town Manager Michael Driscoll submitted his final preliminary budget to the Town Council on Tuesday before retiring in early 2022. Town Manager Michael Driscoll presented his 29th, and final, preliminary budget to the Town Council on Tuesday night. The Town’s financial outlook is positive, with significant increases in property taxes and from inspection fees. The current fiscal year, FY2022, came in nearly $7 million above the budget approved in the spring of 2021. The majority of the increase, Driscoll said, came from inspection fees, which were $5 million more than projected.