Business

Recently Formed Business Group Highlighted on Watertown Cable Show

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The Watertown Business Coalition recently came on the scene to take over some of the roles of the former Chamber of Commerce, and the group has already made a mark. The group was the focus of the most recent episode of the Inside Watertown show on Watertown Cable. The subject was a familiar one for co-hosts Charlie Breitrose and Bob Airasian, who have been involved in the Business Coalition’s leadership group. The group has hosted three in-person events, and recently held a virtual coffee connect. The guests on the episode (recorded remotely) were WBC co-founder Doug Orifice and Watertown Assistant Town Manager Steve Magoon, who talked about a project the Business Coalition worked on with Town of Watertown officials on a project to inform people about which restaurants are open during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Real Estate

A Trio of Watertown Homes Sold This Week

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See the three homes that sold this week in Watertown. $810,000 – 39 Piermont St., Single Family – Detached Colonial, 2,126 Living Area Sq. Ft. 9 Room, 3 Bedroom, 2 Full & 1 Half Bathroom

$580,000 – 56 Bigelow Ave. Unit 18, Condo – Garden, 1,110 Living Area Sq.

Coronavirus

Watertown Memorial Day Parade Cancelled; Info on Aid for Residents During COVID-19

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Members of the Watertown Sons of Italy group joined Monday’s Memorial Day Parade

The annual Memorial Day Parade in Watertown has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Town Manager Michael Driscoll announced the cancellation in his weekly COVID-19 update. “Out of an abundance of caution, the Town has made the decision to cancel this year’s Memorial Day Parade,” Driscoll wrote in his announcement. “Patrick George, the Veterans’ Services Officer, is coordinating with Veterans Organizations and other key stakeholders to identify alternate ways to appropriately honor the holiday and the Veterans who have lost their lives. Contingency plans for Memorial Flags and Memorial Wreaths are also being worked on.”

100th Birthday

See How Watertown Celebrated a Resident’s 100th Birthday During COVID-19

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Watertown turned out in a big way to celebrate the 100th birthday of one of its veterans on Friday afternoon. A call went out from the family of Joseph Markarian online, and the town responded. The U.S. Army veteran was treated to his own parade complete with police and fire vehicles with their sires blaring and a band (well at least one musician — Watertown’s famous traveling tuba player). The celebration was covered by WBUR reporter, and Watertown resident Bruce Gellerman. See and hear his report here.

85 Walnut St.

Life Science Building With Garage & Park Approved by Zoning Board

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A rendering of what the life science building at 85 Walnut St. will look like from Arsenal Street. The Zoning Board of Appeals gave final approval to a life science building on the former Doble Engineering property. The four story building near Arsenal Street will also have a parking garage and a park along Walnut Street. The project came before the board for the second time Wednesday night, and the board approve the project with some additional requirements.

Around Town

Two More COVID-19 Deaths in Watertown, State Sees Largest Number of Positive Tests

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Watertown had its eighth and ninth Coronavirus-related deaths, the Health Department announced Thursday, and Massachusetts had more than 3,000 new positive tests for the virus. The town now has 162 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and nine fatalities — two more than the last update on Monday. Fifty people have recovered from the virus, according to the Watertown Health Department website. Also on Thursday, Massachusetts saw the largest number of new cases reported in one day, 3,079, according to the Mass. Department of Public Health website.

Development

Zoning Board Asserts Safe Harbor to Stop Proposed 40B Apartment Project

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A rendering of the proposed apartment complex at 148 Waltham St., the former Sterritt Lumber site. The 253-unit residential project proposed for the former Sterritt Lumber site on the Westside of town was stopped by the Zoning Board on Wednesday night when it asserted that the Town has met the state requirements for subsidized housing. The developers of the project at 148 Waltham St., Nordblom Development Company, submitted the request for a comprehensive plan under the Chapter 40B law, which allows for denser housing developments in communities that have not met the minimum standards for subsidized housing. The project would have had more than a quarter of its units, 64, rented at below market rate. The ZBA, however, asserted “Safe Harbor” which allows towns with more than 1.5 percent of the land zoned for residential, commercial or industrial use is being used for subsidized housing, said ZBA member Kelly Donato when she made the motion.

Entertainment

Watertown High School Student Honored by Boston Area Emmys

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Watertown High School senior Toni Carton, left, in a screen shot from her show “Toni & Me,” shown with family and consumer sciences teacher Deborah Johnson. A Watertown High School senior received an honorable mention in the 2020 Boston/New England Emmy Awards for her work on a show created as part of the school’s Radio and Television Production program. Toni Carton received an honorable mention in the High School – Talent category of the 2020 Boston/New England National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for hosting “Best of Toni & Me.” See “Best of Toni & Me” below:

Best of Toni and Me Host Reel from WHS on WCATV on Vimeo. Carton also played one of the leads in the WHS musical, Chicago, earlier this year.