Around Town

City Planner Shows Possible Idea for Watertown Square That Includes Roundabouts

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Jeff SpeckA concept for Watertown Square drawn up by city planner Jeff Speck, on the right, with an aerial photo of the area as it exists now. How to make Watertown Square a calmer, more efficient, and inviting place to be is a complex puzzle, which City Manager George Proakis plans to take on in his first year on the job. A well-known city planner took a stab at the problem and drew up a redesign with roundabouts on two ends of the main intersection in town. The drawing was the product of a quick analysis by Jeff Speck, in a talk about making cities more walkable, as well as places where businesses thrive. He presented it during his presentation at the Charles River Chamber of Commerce Fall Business Breakfast in Newton on Oct.

Government

City Manager Wants to Prioritize Watertown Square Rejuvenation

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Charlie BreitroseImproving Watertown Square will be a priority for new City Manager George Proakis. During his preliminary budget presentation to the City Council, City Manager George Proakis said he has heard from a lot of people who want to see improvements made to Watertown Square. He wants to create a coordinated effort to improve the City’s downtown. Like the intersection at the crossroads on the Charles, improving the area requires looking at several prongs. During his first several weeks, Proakis said he has heard many opinions from many people about what to do with the Square.

Around Town

Longtime Owner of Meat Spot Retiring, Passing on Business

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Charle BreitroseDick Ucuz, who has owned The Meat Spot for 32 years, will be retiring soon. He has sold the business and the new owners will keep the deli and butcher shop going. For more that three decades, Dick Ucuz has served up sandwiches, cut fresh meat, and provided other edible delights from The Meat Spot. This week is one of his last at the business that has been in Watertown Square for more than a century. Fans of The Meat Spot can be comforted that the business has been sold to new owners who will continue to serve the same favorites.

104 Main Street

Developer Discusses Vision for Major Project on Main Street

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Icon ArchitectureA view of the proposed project at 104-126 Main St. from Main Street. The developers of the project proposed on Main Street in Watertown want to create a place where residents can live steps away from restaurants, stores, and public transportation available in Watertown Square. John O’Connor, senior vice president for acquisitions and development for O’Connor Capital Partners recently spoke with Watertown News about the proposal for the 104-126 Main St. The development would have 146 residential units in four stories above 5,450 sq.

Around Town

LETTER: Too Much Land in Watertown Square is Being Wasted

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This letter was inspired by the commenting process on the Watertown Comprehensive Plan. If you haven’t participated yet, it’s not too late! But I wanted to get this letter in front of a wider audience because this problem affects all of us. Too much land in Watertown Square is wasted by ground-level parking lots. Watertown is small by area, and we only have one central downtown location.

Development

Major Residential, Retail Project Proposed for Main Street, Near Watertown Square

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Icon ArchitectureA view of the proposed project at 104-126 Main St. from Main Street. A five-story mixed use project with housing units on top of retail and commercial space may be coming to Main Street. The development would include properties that currently include the Post Office, a restaurant, a boutique and other properties. The pre-application plans were sent to the to the Watertown Planning Department for review on March 31 show 146 residential units in four stories.

Development

Zoning for Central Business District Changed to Allow Labs, Light Industry in Historic Buildings

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The Town Council approved a change to Watertown’s Zoning Ordinance that would allow life science labs as well as light industrial uses in the downtown area near Watertown Square, but only in structures built 84 years ago or before. The amendment was proposed by Berkeley Investments, the new owners of the building now occupied by Sasaki at 64 Pleasant St., which plans to create life science lab space and preserve the historic mill building, said Assistant Town Manager Steve Magoon. The Zoning amendment changes allowable uses for structures built before the Zoning Ordinance was adopted in 1937, and would allow light industry, non-nuisance manufacturing, laboratory/research, and renewable research. It only applies to the Central Business (CB) zone, which is around Watertown Square. The uses would be allowed by right in the qualifying buildings under 4,000 sq.

Government

Parking Plan with High-Tech Meters, Pay by Card & Phone Approved

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Watertown’s current parking meters will be replaced with “smart” meters that offer a range of payment options. Watertown’s parking lots will be getting new meters which allow for paying by credit card and with cell phone apps in the parking plan approved by the Town Council on Tuesday night. The Parking Management Plan was the result of studies that go back to the fall of 2018. It included studies of how parking is used in Watertown, public meetings and surveys and presentations to the Council’s Joint Committees on Public Works and Economic Development & Planning. Other parts of the plan look at pricing of meters and who sets them, way-finding signage for the municipal lots, looking at finding private lots for the Town to partner with, and even creation of a pedestrian path through the lot near the Watertown Library.