Letters

LETTER: Continued Support for the Watertown Square Area Plan & Comments on Central Parking the Square

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To Our City Council and to our Watertown neighbors and community at large …

The Watertown Business Coalition (WBC) is writing to express our continued support for the Watertown Square Area Plan (WSAP) as well as the concept of improved centralized parking behind Main & Church Streets. As an organization which serves businesses of many sizes, non-profits and the community at-large we are constantly thinking of ways to connect people and to advocate for pragmatic approaches which serve as many stakeholders as possible in our community. The Watertown Square Area Plan has many goals, but paramount among them are characteristics and goals that “take back” a downtown that has seen regional planning shaping roads and corridors that are ours. Since the introduction of an Exit off the Mass Pike and the removal of the Green Line more than 50 years ago, our downtown began a slow progression towards becoming a “pass-through” versus being a destination. A Vision for Revitalization

As we think about the parking questions in front of us, let’s review the goals of a “New” Watertown Square.

Around Town

Registration Open for Watertown Faire on the Square

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Watertown’s annual celebration, the Faire on the Square, will take place on Sept. 19, 2026, and vendors can sign up for a space at the event in Saltonstall Park. Find out more information in the announcement from the City of Watertown, below. Don’t miss your chance to get your business, organization, or group in front of thousands of local community members from Watertown and beyond! Secure your vendor booth at Watertown’s Faire on the Square, happening Saturday, September 19, 2026 at Saltonstall Park.

Government

Watertown Tax Relief Legislation Signed by Governor, Preventing 18% Jump in Property Taxes

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Massachusetts State House (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Watertown residential property owners could have faced increases of around 18%, but special legislation approved recently on Beacon Hill will prevent that. See the announcement provided by the City of Watertown, below. Gov. Maura Healey signed into law H.5569, the property tax classification bill that will protect Watertown residential taxpayers from an estimated 18% increase in future tax bills. This comes after months of hard work by Sen. Will Brownsberger, and Reps. John Lawn and Steve Owens working with their colleagues on Beacon Hill, as well as the advocacy by the City Council President Mark Sideris and City Manager George Proakis at the State House to get this bill passed.

Schools

Watertown Students Make Dean’s List at 3 Colleges

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Six students from Watertown made the dean’s list at three colleges: Washington University in St. Louis, Emmanuel College, and Regis College. The following information was provided by the colleges. Washington University

Ella Meshoulam of Watertown, Massachusetts (02472), was named to the dean’s list for the spring 2026 semester at Washington University in St. Louis.

Business

Chamber Hosting Watertown Night at Mighty Squirrel Biergarten

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The Charles River Regional Chamber’s Watertown Night returns on Thursday, Aug. 27 at the Mighty Squirrel Biergarten at Gore Place. See details provided by the Chamber, below. We’re celebrating the businesses and nonprofits in Watertown at Mighty Squirrel’s seasonal biergarten at Gore Place.The biergarten features a rotating list of Mighty Squirrel beers on tap, along with hard seltzers, hard smoothies, and nonalcoholic beers. On-site, the food truck serves up lobster rolls, clam chowder, smash burgers, wings, and harvest bowls, among other options, while live music and yard games keep the evening lively.

Elections

Three Watertown City Councilors Endorse State Senate Candidate

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Daniel Lander. The following announcement was provided by Daniel Lander for State Senate:

Three Watertown city councilors have rescinded their endorsements of Will Brownsberger and are now endorsing Daniel Lander and his campaign for state senate. As Daniel continues to build strong support in Watertown, Councilors John Gannon, Theo Offei, and Tony Palomba, have endorsed Daniel because of his focus on building a State Senate that fights for working people. The three councilors endorsed Senator Brownsberger early in the race. But with election day just a month away, they’ve endorsed Daniel Lander because they believe in his vision for a State Senate that fights for affordable housing, supports working families, and that will partner with local leaders to move our communities forward.

Letters

LETTER: Housing Advocates Encouraged to Attend Meeting on Watertown Square Redevelopment

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This Monday, Aug. 10th, the city will hold a public meeting to update the public about the Watertown Square Demonstration Project at 6 p.m. at the Watertown Free Public Library. For those who need a reminder, here’s where things stand. The city has proposed redevelopment of the parking lot behind CVS, along with several adjacent private parcels of land. The project will add 200-300 new units of market rate housing (including 30-45 new deed-restricted affordable units through our inclusionary zoning ordinance) as well as some new public open space.