Around Town

Watertown Marine Killed in Vietnam Will be Honored with Memorial

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Paul Gorman, a Watertown Marine killed in Vietnam, will have a memorial in his name on Main Street at Emerson Road. Paul Gorman was one of the nine Watertown residents killed while serving in Vietnam, but he was the only one who does not have a memorial in his honor. That will soon change, after the Town Council approved creating a memorial square in his name. His sister Bonnie attended Tuesday’s Council meeting where the memorial on the corner of Main Street and Emerson Road was approved. “This is a wonderful opportunity to honor Paul,” Bonnie said.

Schools

14th Annual Perkins Gala Raises More than $1 Million

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The Perkins Chorus joined Grammy award-winning group, the Blind Boys of Alabama, for a few songs. The 14th annual Perkins Possibilities Gala was held earlier this month, and raised more than $1 million for the Watertown-based school for the blind. Perkins serves not just the blind and visually impaired in the Boston area, but worldwide, said Perkins President and CEO Dave Power. “I’m always moved by the outpouring of support our friends and partners show to Perkins on this particular night. Simply put, we would not be able to positively impact so many children and young adults who are blind without it,” Power said.

Real Estate

Watertown Has Dozens of Open Houses to Visit This Week

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The Watertown real estate market is busy this week, with dozens of open houses over the weekend. $449,900 – 32 Whites Ave. Unit F3305, 3 room, 1 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, High-Rise condo/townhouse, Open Houses: Saturday 12-2 Sunday 12-2

$669,900 – 34 Desmond Ave. Unit 34. 9 room, 3 bedroom, 2 full bathroom, Townhouse condo/townhouse Open Houses: Saturday 11:30-1:30 Sunday 11:30-1:30

$659,000 – 699 Main St., 6 room, 3 bedroom, 1 full bathroom, Colonial single-family home Open House: Sunday 12-2

$569,000 – 42 Buick St., 6 room, 3 bedroom, 1 full & 1 half bathroom, Cape single-family home Open Houses: Saturday 11-1:30 Sunday 1-2:30

$719,000 – 33 Eliot St.

Arsenal Yards

Council Has Mixed Views on Requesting More Liquor License, Most Eyed by Arsenal Yards

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The Town Council voted to send a request to the State Legislature to allow Watertown to have 15 more liquor licenses, most of which would be taken up by tenants in the Arsenal Yards development. But the vote was not unanimous. The request for the additional licenses came from the developers of the retail/residential/office project at the former Arsenal Mall. Town Council President Mark Sideris said the situation is not unlike the project at Assembly Row in Somerville. “The project became much more than they thought it would be,” Sideris said.

Government

Council Approves Funds for Design of Elementary School Projects

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An illustration of what the new Hosmer School will likely look like when completed, The view is from the east looking at the new main entrance. The Town Council approved the first major funding piece for the $170 million reconstruction of Watertown’s three elementary schools on Tuesday night. The project will be paid for within the Town’s budget, without requiring a debt exclusion to pay for the work, Town Manager Michael Driscoll said. The Council approved a loan order for $12.441 million for design services. Town Council President Mark Sideris noted that the project, and the price tag has changes significantly.

Community Development

Council Questions Staffing Level of Planning Department With All the Development in Town

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Watertown’s Town Hall. With all the development going on in Watertown, and some recent controversial projects, the Town Council wondered whether the Community Development and Planning Department has the enough staff to handle it all. The questions were posed to Director of the Community Development and Planning Department (DCDP) and Assistant Town Manager Steve Magoon during the department’s budget hearing on Monday night. Development

Development has increased year after year over the past several years, and last year was the busiest, Magoon said. His department dealt with a record high 1,396 permits in 2018, up from 1,167 in 2017.

Charity

Local Stars Wow the Audience at the 2019 Dancing with the Watertown Stars

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Kellie Spillane, a Watertown Middle School teacher, and Matt Davis perform a West Coast Swing during the 2019 Dancing with the Watertown Stars. Ten competitors hit the dance floor at the Hellenic Cultural Center Friday night, but only one could take home the 2019 Dancing with the Watertown Stars trophy. The amateur dancers came from a variety of places, whether born and bred town residents, working for a business or department in Watertown, or being a Watertown elected official. Each teamed up with one of the three professional dancers to put together his or her routine. Watertown teacher Chad Foster lifts Lilia Weisfeldt during his routine at the Dancing with the Watertown Stars.

Schools

Committee to Re-Interview Project Manager Firms, Discuss Options for Lowell School

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An image of the latest plans for what Lowell Elementary School will look like after it is renovated. The School Building Committee could not choose one of the finalists for owner’s project manager for Watertown’s elementary school construction projects, so they will bring them back in for second round of interviews. At the same time, they discussed how to approach the renovation of Lowell School, and progress on the high school project. On May 7, the three finalists for the firms that will oversee the construction of the schools on behalf of the Town made presentations to the School Building Committee. The finalists — Hill, Leftfield and Skanska — were chosen from seven firms that submitted proposals.