Watertown Square needs an overhaul. For the almost 50 years, I have lived here, Watertown Square has been in decline. There is the Library, the Farmer’s Market, festivals, and a succession of destination restaurants that hint at the town center it could be. But it needs more.
To thrive as a commercial district, Watertown Square needs to fill its storefronts and spaces with a variety of businesses, services, and venues for all times of day at a scale that requires lots more people and foot traffic. The MBTA Communities Act has given us an opportunity to plan for more people at the same time we plan for a more vibrant, livable and walkable city center.
I had the experience just a few years ago of knocking on doors all over Watertown for the Community Preservation Act. I heard over and over again that housing was the most pressing concern – even from those who seemed well housed. I know that most of the people with whom I had front door conversations are not going to make the WS meetings or find their way to the many portals for comments. But I feel a responsibility to speak up for them and to bring the depth and breadth of this need to the discussion.
From my perspective planning for more housing, more pedestrians, bicycling, and transit and a better balance with cars and the natural environment are the keys to a Watertown Square rebirth. I have spoken up at public meetings over developments and city projects for decades. I have experienced being shut out and shut down. The Watertown Square planning process has been different. I have felt listened to and respected as I never have before.
In turn, I have experienced a new appreciation for the many moving parts of any plan, the expertise that is being brought to bear and the difficult trade-offs and balances. There are lots of areas around design and balance to be discussed and debated, but let’s keep our eyes on the promising vision.
Deborah Peterson
9 Westland Road
Thanks Deborah! Your comment, “more housing, more pedestrians, bicycling, and transit and a better balance with cars and the natural environment are the keys to a Watertown Square rebirth” really resonated with me.
As somebody who does not drive, Watertown Square can feel daunting and uninviting. I feel like I’m in navigating a sea of cars, either parked or moving. I’d love to see more people moving about on foot, much more housing, livelier green spaces, fewer cars, and more bikes/busses. I envision Watertown Square becoming a destination instead of a place for people to pass through with their loud, polluting, and dangerous cars.
Allowing for lots more housing is a huge part of this! I know people living in some of the newer apartments at Arsenal Yards. They are now our neighbors, friends, and positive addition of our community. I eagerly want to welcome more new neighbors into our great city
Thank you Deb for supporting more housing in our community! And thank you as well for lifting up the voices of the many, many residents who don’t have the bandwidth to attend public meetings and forums. As a parent, I certainly find it a challenge to attend.
An outstanding letter. Thank you.
Deborah … thank you for this letter. Once again, I find your comments to be thoughtful, insightful, and constructive.
I too have found the Watertown Square redesign process to be something new and different … and good. I have a greater appreciation for the complexity of the situation, the tradeoffs that must be grappled with. Mostly, I just feel that the planning effort is energizing, grounded in reality, and guided by real expertise — all the result of an experienced urban planner who is now our City Manager.
Deb, you are so right about what’s needed in Watertown. I really appreciate you calling out the process. I think a shout-out has to go to the city manager who obviously relishes and values interaction with residents. This is something many of us hoped for in calling for more transparency and accountability from city officials over the years. He has created a different atmosphere at planning meetings where we can feel part of the process and not just a public nuisance. I think it will result in a better city for all. Thanks for taking the time to write such a thoughtful letter.
Well said, Deborah and as a 25 year resident and homeowner in Watertown, I couldn’t agree more. However, I also have concerns about the here and now. Our roads are in horrible shape. The projects that have led to detour after detour — the pipe and infrastructure replacement on BELLEVUE and Common, the Mt. Auburn Street “reconstruction,” that may or may not be underway, streets that have been paved, dug up and then patched over, the Arsenal Street re-do … — all of this has created a complete mess of our streets and many neighborhoods.
Can we focus and finish and PLAN to complete these projects before we worry about a dream that may or may not see the light of day?
Scott I do appreciate your strong support for Debs letter and all that she stands for. I to. Want more affordable housing, a more walkable and bike friendly city, and a more vibrant Watertown center.
I agree they this planning process has been outstanding – relatively inclusive, excellent sharing of info. The changes and vision put forth for the square thus far are exciting! I was one of those who liked the mini main streets option, but after the meeting last week I understand why the 4 corners option is the way to go.
I just hope as many incentives for building affordable housing as possible are included in the new zoning.
Hi Deborah.
I agree with you, and I’m sure that I have spoken with many of the people that you have about their concerns for housing. I think your argument is elegant and finessed and gets to the issue of how do we provide housing in the appropriate way. I believe that two of the most important words in your letter were “design and balance.”
Nature must be a major consideration while planning for growth. We must not make the mistakes of our industrial ancestors.
We are a compassionate and welcoming city, but what I’ve seen from my encounters with concerned residents is how mindful they are of what can go terribly awry if we don’t proceed with care. Our City Manager mentioned one of those issues at the April 4th meeting…our very old infrastructure. We’re all learning as we go here, pioneering, if you will.
I would hope that we would start revitalizing the Square before a shovel moves dirt. Here are some things that have been mentioned to me that may help the Square seem more welcoming and draw people there.
Our library is a huge asset, with its variety of programming, day and night. Add more “experiential things” in the Square, like pop up art shows, music in the good weather (a “busker night”?), family events…perhaps a scavenger hunt?, and you’ll have people coming to the Square, walking past a shop and possibly going in to buy something that they see or going in for some food. We do need more shops and things to do at night.
I know that there’s an app for your phone being developed that would allow people to hear about the Native American experience in the Square. Other cultural/historic apps could be developed (as long as we have any historic buildings left) that could draw families to the Square.
How about a River Walk phone app that points out places of natural and historic interest? How about a small canoe rental at the dock? I know that George mentioned working with the gentleman who wants to provide a small boat service on the Charles.
Here’s something someone suggested lately…the Otis building as a boutique hotel.
Here’s an idea. The number of dogs is growing in this community. My neighbor told me about this: socializing with your dog. Apparently, there are actual bars now that allow the humans a chance to connect, while the pooches (only spayed or neutered can attend) get their social needs met. It’s one of the craziest things I’ve ever heard, but I hear that they’re very popular.
When I think about revitalizing a downtown, I think of this story:
My mother lived in Clearwater, Florida for many years. When I visited her, I’d always plan an afternoon in Dunedin, a sweet, sleepy little town close by. The buildings were old, the atmosphere sleepy and the people friendly. But Dunedin rolled up its sidewalks quite early in the evening, when the visitors left looking for a more exciting atmosphere.
Years ago, I read an article in the Tampa Bay Times about a “Whodunit” story from Dunedin, It seems that in the cover of darkness, an artist was sneaking around this city, painting a single orange on random businesses downtown.
It got to the point where business owners would come to work in the morning, wondering (and hoping) that they’d gotten an orange overnight. This simple (illegal by the way) act did something to this city. It revitalized this small city into a bustling nighttime as well as daytime place to be. What changed? It wasn’t the architecture. It was people’s focus, attitude, and civic pride. It was also a testament to the transformative power of art. Read the Tampa Bay Times article below to see what happened to Dunedin:
https://www.tampabay.com/life-culture/arts/visual-arts/2023/06/22/dunedin-oranges-artist-mural/
While we’re working toward real affordable housing, let’s think about the simple things that we can do to make Watertown Square a more desirable place to be.
Deborah, like you, I’ve had conversations with countless residents, many of which sprung from the recent and proposed developments near Pleasant St. On sidewalks, doorsteps, porches, and in living rooms, coffee shops, and supermarkets, the two themes I heard repeated by both owners and renters were 1)our neighborhoods are under a constant threat of encroachment from an onslaught of outsized development, and 2)there’s no sense in trying to change things as city hall doesn’t listen.
Without diminishing the need for housing, I’ll note that our activities themselves often shape conversations. As CPA funding can be used for affordable housing and recreational space (among other things), I appreciate that your discussions touched upon those topics. As my conversations centered around development, they mainly exposed other anxieties. Underlying both is a sincere shared concern for our city’s future.
As you’ve mentioned, many of these people don’t attend meetings, complete online polls, or send letters to their councilors. I’m encouraged by the open, engaging process around the Square’s redevelopment. It certainly has the potential to shift public perception of the city’s responsiveness, though I’m concerned its outreach has been insufficient to fully capitalize on that.
I agree with you: we have a unique opportunity to revitalize our square. Meeting our mandate for a capacity of 1701 by-right units is part of that. In your letter, you mentioned “venues” – I’d love for restaurants and bars to have live music, though it seems some existing ordinances related to entertainment would need to be relaxed to make that happen. Smaller spaces like Plough&Stars, Atwoods (now ‘Remnant Satellite’), and Sally O’Briens are consistent evening draws in Cambridge and Somerville; a similar concept in the Square would diversify programming and bolster the arts district.
A new centerpiece park, funded through CPA funds, should be created to meet the needs of these new residents. If the city is to cede control to by-right zoning, then our ability to create such amenities as part of individual projects might also be lost. As Leo Martin commented on an earlier article, “Not even a courtyard is shown between Mt. Auburn Street to the library.” The city must be proactive to ensure that all available open space isn’t lost to development.
Unfortunately, the designs proposed thus far invariably stoke the same resentment highlighted by my earlier conversations – especially the green, euphemistically-captioned, ‘3+’-story zones abutting residential neighborhoods on the outskirts of the study area. Neighbors I’ve talked to were shocked to hear that lots on Main St west of Waverley Ave, on North Beacon near Perkins, or on the Newton border of Galen, were being included in the “Watertown Square” study. Like them, my enthusiasm wanes as our definition of “city center” stretches to again overshadow neighborhoods.
George, you bring a good point when you mention smaller restaurants and bars and I assume you would include small retail as well. My concern is for the types of small locally businesses for which Watertown is well known. We have many unique places to eat that make our city a destination for the hungry.
Watertown has been an incubator for businesses like Cha Yen and Red Lentil, to name only two, which have sprouted up recently due to their owners’ vision, sweat and toil and enriched our community and our palates.
Many are concerned that ground floor retail created by national developers will be priced far out of the reach of small bespoke businesses that are started by local entrepreneurs. If Watertown were to lose its status as fertile ground for these unique businesses it would be a great loss indeed.
Small businesses give our community a unique character. This is one of the things that long time residents fear losing.
Thanks for all the comments. If you have some new thoughts about the issue, please share the. Please debate the issue, and not the commenters.
You know folks, at the end of the day, there will only be two winners in this so-called revitalization of Watertown Square debate: The city manager, who will have some nice bullet points for his resume and, the consultant who will reap in loads of money.
Endless slurs on the city manager in support of some fantasy job search which frankly doesn’t exist.
What endless slur Paul? The city council hired a guy with ZERO city management experience who had spent his career as a planner in places like Somerville and Cambridge. Watertown has afforded him the opportunity to learn the ropes of running a town/city and then he’ll be able to move to a locale which will offer him more money and opportunity. This isn’t going to be Mike Driscoll version 2.0. It’s about resume building nowadays and jumping off to new opportunities when they are presented.
George Proakis had over 20 years of local government experience, mostly as director of economic development and planning for two major cities, before he came to Watertown. Mike Driscoll had 15 years as a municipal skating ring manager and town treasurer before he was a great town and city manager. Neither one had managed a municipality before they took the job. And we know what “places like Somerville and Cambridge” means. The idea that he is using Watertown to simply build a resume is absurd. If you don’t like the policies, say so. But spare us the personal attacks with literally no truth to back them up.
Paul, this is not a personal attack. I have nothing against Proakis personally and unfortunately, you are reading things into my comments that are not there. Have a good day.
When you comment on everything the City Manager does with the opinion that he is only building a resume, as opposed to managing the affairs of the community as he best sees fit, with the direction of the City Council, what conclusion is one to make? Have a good day as well.
Rather than using a ill-defined noun “density”, why do we not state new apartments or units. We squabble among ourselves and some that more apartments will drive down the cost of housing and make it more affordable. I say they are ignoring reality. Lets count the number of new apartment built in Watertown and examine if any of them drove down costs in Watertown. I know what the MBTA Law says and the administration is saying that we are mandated to fit a round peg in a square hole. Before we implement any development in the Square we must insist that our Planning Staff conduct an exhausted inventory of the units within the newly devised Pleasant Street Corridor. In addition, shouldn’t we examine what all of the 365 Cities and Towns have done in new building within the past 10 years and examine how Watertown compares to them. We do it for salaries, etc. Therefore, I do see a valid reason why we should not conduct this study.
Why have costs gone up so dramatically and driven people out of town rather than affording them an affordable place where they grew up? If I could see a more positive side of development in the Square I would be all in for it. There are other sites that are less than a half mile to transit that could accommodate the need for housing. For example, the Sterritt Lumber Site and Russo’s. Can’t we agree that giving other options to meet short and long-term housing needs does not fit their agenda. As a former Federal Bureaucrat, a Comprehensive Plan centering on one area is not a comprehensive plan. It provides a signal. Can you guess who the wave is made to?
Typical big government bureaucrat thinking. When you repeatedly lose when trying to stop the project from happening the next avenue is to slam on the breaks by recommending countless studies and committee reviews. There is no actual point to these studies, the goal is just to win by attrition.
No wonder it took Watertown 100 years to replace its crumbling High School.