The large brick building facing the Delta in Watertown Square could be turned into a mixed-use building with six stories and 285 residential units and space for 6,000 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail.
RMR Group of Newton has submitted pre-application documents to Watertown’s Department of Community Development and Planning for the building at 9 Galen St. The complex stands at Galen and Pleasant streets next to the MBTA Bus turnaround in Watertown Square. It sits between the Charles River and the Watertown Savings Bank main branch on Main Street.
The project got notice from the Boston Business Journal, as well as the Charles River Regional Chamber, which called the building, “Watertown Square’s sleeping giant.”
“It may be the most underappreciated and best development opportunity in the heart of Watertown Square,” the Chamber wrote in its newsletter.
Currently an office building, the original part of the building was constructed in 1904 as part of the Lewando’s French Dyeing and Cleansing Works industrial complex. The current complex also includes a multi-level parking garage that was built in 1999.
The proposal includes replacing about 44,600 sq. ft. of surface parking and with residential amenities and landscaping, which would reduce the impervious area by 24,000 sq. ft.
A publically accessible “River Passage” will stretch between Pleasant Street and the Charles River Greenway, according to the documents submitted to the City.
“This new well-lit, secure access route will be located at-grade with the new building spanning above and will traverse a new approximately 20,500-sq. ft. publicly accessible open space,” the document reads.
The building sits inside the new Watertown Square 3 Zoning District, the most dense zoning created as part of the City of Watertown’s Watertown Square Area Plan which allows 5+ stories (five stories plus a sixth that is an occupiable roof or penthouse). It is within the mixed-use overlay, which requires ground-floor retail, but is not a by-right area so it must go through the City’s Planning Board approval process.
The project narrative submitted to the Department of Community Development and Planning includes the following description:
“The Project will preserve the majority of the existing public-facing building facades thereby retaining architecturally significant features such as brick corbeling, columns, and capitals. It will also reuse the existing parking garage to serve the proposed use. The existing surface parking lot at the south side of the Project Site will be removed and replaced with permeable soil for landscaping and paved pedestrian ways. The Project will significantly improve the existing condition of the Project Site through the introduction of both a new residential courtyard and a new publicly accessible area between the south building façade and the Charles River Greenway.”
The stretch along Pleasant Street will be largely unchanged, but the streetscape along Galen Street “will reflect the Watertown Square planning efforts by providing a wider pedestrian realm at the Project Site’s eastern edge, restaurant seating areas, furnishings, safe bicycle passage, and lighting that respects dark sky initiatives.”
See the project plans by clicking here. The architectural renderings can be seen here.
This rendering looks like it’s pushing the 5+ stories policy. I thought anything over 5 stories had to be significantly set back (from the 5th story). And remember, there might be one-story-high HVAC systems on top. Great to develop this, but can we eliminate one floor please?? And can we make it a rule that all future renderings include HVAC systems??
I agree with Marcia’s concern but it does appear that, on the street-facing facades, the top three floors are set back. We need to ensure that the as-built retains those setbacks. And good point about renderings including the rooftop HVAC. 303 Pleasant Street has piled an entire floor’s worth of equipment on top of its building.
Otherwise what an optimal use of the site! Close to transit lines and infusing residents who can potentially support Watertown Square businesses.
The Links to see the project plans and architectural renderings are not working.
Without getting to see the details, it appears to be a good use of the building and the space. It would make the Square much more lively if there were more stores and restaurants in that building. Maybe we would even finally have a restaurant with a view of the river! It would also be helpful if some of the apartments had balconies at overlook the river and the Square.
Not sure why the links aren’t working. Sometimes there is a problem if pop up tabs are blocked.
Here are the links
Project plan https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/Browse.aspx?id=154009&repo=r-5ece5628
Architectural renderings https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=154025&repo=r-5ece5628
Too bad they can’t build this taller, being right in Watertown square makes it close to so many amenities and is a public transportation centric location.
I totally agree. Historically city centers have had taller buildings in the center with smaller ones out further out in concentric circles. There is no view to block, behind are garages and in front there are trees. And it would beautify the river facing side which really, really needs it.And it is next the bus station and the bank which is a massive building. Anything smaller would look ridiculous.
Yes I believe 5 stories needs setbacks from what I remember in all the multitude of meetings. (6th floor is for hvac) or roof ? How many parkings spots for how many apts-285(what is the make up 1bed/2/3..assume very small number of 3 bedroom most 1 and 2?) to how many parking spots. Watertown does have the bus but not the subway so some folks will need cars but I also remember the ratio being much lower in this district to apts?
This is the description from the Watertown Square Area Plan of the Plus floor (3+ in WSQ1, 4+ in WSQ2 and 5+ in WSQ3) This project is WSQ3
“In each case, the plus (+) story represents either the occupiable roof or the penthouse floor described above. Given the design requirements of these two approaches, the floor area of the top floor of buildings built under the new code will be smaller than the typical floors below.”