Following Monday’s public roll out of the Demonstration Project, on Wednesday the City of Watertown released the detailed, 163-page draft of the redevelopment project proposed to go on the parking lot behind CVS in Watertown Square. See the announcement from the City, below.
Read the Demonstration Project Plan Draft
The City of Watertown has officially released the drafted Watertown Square Demonstration Project Plan for the community to engage with, ask questions, and provide comments. The Demonstration Project lays out a series of strategies, methods, and techniques that chiefly aim to eliminate blight in a given area by offering a new, improved opportunity for development. The area that the Demonstration Project focused on is the public parking lot behind CVS near Watertown Square and a series of the surrounding parcels between Spring Street, Summer Street, and Church Street.
We encourage those interested to watch the presentation given by City Manager George Proakis on April 6, 2026, introducing the plan and giving a detailed overview of what is possible in that area of the Square. The Demonstration Project is the first step in a greater Revitalization Plan, which is a legal process, regulated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, that communities undertake to investigate an area and determine the development potential of parcels and the steps required to implement the redevelopment vision.
These plans are done by cities and towns to address community driven goals like housing, economic development, and the environment. This Demonstration Project is a “proof-of-concept” of the Revitalization Plan, offering strategies and methods for executing the vision laid out in the Watertown Square Area Plan, but in a smaller subset of land than the Revitalization Plan will cover. Read the Demonstration Project Plan today and submit any questions and comments for staff!
Read the Demonstration Project Plan Draft
Submit Comments & Questions to Staff
What Can You Expect Next?
Stay tuned for a Community Open House in May 2026
After this meeting, the City will be reviewing all comments submitted by the community during and after the meeting, as well as reviewing questions to update the FAQ page on the project website.
Next steps will include hosting a Open House in May 2026 to further discuss and gather feedback on the Demonstration Project. The City will have more information about this event in the coming weeks, including a date, time, and location.
After that Open House in May, the City Council will also hold a Public Hearing on the Demonstration Project where additional public comment will be able to be made. Ultimately, the Watertown City Council is the decisionmaker on this project, both as the governing body of the City and as the Redevelopment Authority. Stay tuned over the next handful of weeks for additional information and announcements regarding meetings and engagement opportunities.
See More on the Project Website
The Watertown Square project website has undergone a renovation of its own. You can explore the on-going projects, FAQs, and relevant documents all at watertownsquareimprovements.com!